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Summary: A book about changing teaching strategies in the classroom
Review: This book is about changing teaching strategies in the classroom. The authors advocate using an "active learning" system in the classroom and believe this approach is more successful and is needed in the 21st Century classroom.The authors took two years to finish their work. By their own admission, the authors stated their work drew heavily on the work of others. They structured the book in three parts with ten chapters. The first part of the book focuses on defining active learning and making the case for this teaching strategy. They discuss the "empty vessel" theory of education and the evolution of the fifty-minute lecture. In order to clarify for the reader the "empty vessel" theory of education, the authors briefly explain how Socrates nurtured some of the prominent roots of Western education as he questioned, prodded, and cajoled those who came to learn from him. "Consistent with Plato's view of reality, Socrate's dialogues tried to bring forth from his followers a truth he believed they already possessed." However, this theory of learning ultimately was put aside in Europe and the United States, in part as the result of the industrial revolution. At this point in history, professors no longer saw their role as Socratic midwives, laboring to bring forth knowledge from their students. They adopted a different approach of delivering knowledge directly to the uninitiated. Today, researchers on teaching and learning remind us that students don't come to class as "empty vessels". On contrary, students arrive in class with experiences of successes and failures that can add value to a class. In part one the authors also discuss what is active learning and how it works. They state there is no generally agreed-upon definition of active learning and propose a working definition that they hope will clarify for the reader their assumptions of what active learning is. They explore the four elements of what they believe active learning is and defined them as talking and listening, writing, reading and reflecting. According to authors, these four elements are the building blocks for active learning strategies because each element, in its own way, involves a different type of thinking and helps students create a new mental structure. Part one concludes with a chapter on creating an active learning environment. This chapter focuses on coping with teaching space and explores in detail the different seating arrangements or designs of classrooms that support effective active learning environments. Part two of the book explores in detail the different strategies and techniques used in active learning. The authors discuss informal small groups, cooperative student projects and simulations. Each of these strategies brings value to a class but they can also bring problems if the basics of these strategies are not comprehended. In part three the authors discuss integrating reading materials and guest speakers in an active learning environment. They also focus on using technology effectively. I believe the chapter on technology summarizes the changes teachers need to bring to the classroom for effective and efficient teaching in the 21st Century. They conclude that in an active learning environment, teachers will not be the center of attention and that teachers should not be afraid of giving up this power. Instead they should work to instruct in such a way that it empowers students to learn from each other. RDL 6/27/99
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