The Power of Active Learning: We Learn Better When We Learn in Out of Ordinary Ways by Emily

The Power of Active Learning: We Learn Better When We Learn in Out of Ordinary Ways by Emily - July 2017 Scholarship Essay

Emily Bowen
Varsity Tutors Scholarship
July 15,2017

The Power of Active Learning:

We Learn Better When We Learn in Out of Ordinary Ways

Have you ever thought about what your favorite learning experience is? You would probably choose a TED talk or a chemistry experiment where you blow stuff up over a dull monotonous lecture, right? To continue the example of TED talks work so well precisely because they are a form of nontraditional learning. You watch a passionate, well-known, expert speaker deliver a lecture over video, and it takes you out of the classroom-out of the ordinary-for a few precious minutes. Students may see them as a way to escape the humdrum of the school day, but they stick in a student’s mind because of the active learning component. In fact, as scientific research tells it; active learning is one of the most critical components to helping students retain knowledge. This is true for many types of learning, but the key is the active component-learning by doing. So, if I were to give an educational TED talk I would discuss the importance of active learning across the educational spectrum.

I know the importance of active learning because I was homeschooled. My mom believed in letting kids learn by playing, and so I learned to read by reading high quality, classic literature-I read and read and read. One of my dad’s jobs required a lot of travel, so I learned about American history by visiting state capitols and traveled around Europe visiting museums when we tagged along with my dad abroad.

However, active learning can take place in the classroom too. A study by the University of Chicago found that experiments help students test better in science. (Ingmire, 2015) Better learning from active learning processes continues all the way up to college; as review of undergraduate research and how college students gained knowledge through it shows. (Lopatto, 2010) A literature review from Bucknell University found consistent basic support for active learning principles as well. (Prince, 2004)

These are just a few of the reasons active learning works. I’ve experienced it throughout my educational career, from a free-wheeling early childhood to hands-on college internships where I learned by doing, even if I messed up on a project and had to apologize to my boss. The way we view learning and run our schools should be changed to incorporate active learning, and I hope I would be able to convince my TED talk audience of this through convincing research, well-spoken performance and exciting personal experience. We can all be better learners if we are more active.

Works Cited
Engmire, J. (2015, April 29). Learning by doing helps students perform better in science. Retrieved July 15, 2017, from https://news.uchicago.edu/article/2015/04/29/learning-doing-helps-students-perform-better-science

Lopatto, D. (spring 2010). Undergraduate Research as a High-Impact Student Experience. PeerReview, 12(2), 22-25. Retrieved from https://www.aacu.org/publications-research/periodicals/undergraduate-research-high-impact-student-experience.
Prince, M. (July 2004). Does Active Learning Work? A Review of the Research [Abstract]. Journal of Engineering Education, 93 (3), 223-231.