Active Learning Requires Active Living

In this article, the author begins by addressing the quandary many teachers experience at some time during their teaching careers – too many new initiatives, not enough time to implement the... See More

In this article, the author begins by addressing the quandary many teachers experience at some time during their teaching careers – too many new initiatives, not enough time to implement them properly, and a lack of support from their administrators in the form of adequate professional development. In order to show how learning theories and professional development can go hand-in-hand, the author restructured her teacher training seminars to model the instructional approaches that she was teaching about. So as the students were learning about the constructivist approach to teaching and learning, her teacher-students were immersed in an open inquiry activity. The article includes a concept map showing how pedagogical ideas are linked to various aspects of active learning. The author found that when teachers were allowed to experience open inquiry firsthand, they were more likely to return to their classrooms and provide similar opportunities for their students.