Active Learning Methods

The emergence of active learning methods is associated with the desire of teachers and trainers to enhance the cognitive activity of students or to contribute to its improvement.

In the educational process, in the explicit form, three types of activity are manifested: thinking , action and speech . Another implicit one is the emotional-personal perception of information. Depending on the type of active learning methods used in the lesson, either one of the types or their combination can be implemented. The degree of activation of students is considered depending on which and how many of the four types of student activity in the lesson are manifested. For example, thinking (primarily memory ) is used in a lecture, thinking and acting in a practical lesson, thinking, speaking and sometimes emotional-personal perception in a discussion , all types of activity in a business game, only emotional-personal perception in excursions . This approach is consistent with experimental data, which indicate that during lecture presentation of the material no more than 20-30% of information is acquired, up to 50% during independent work with literature, up to 70% when speaking, and with personal participation in the activity under study (for example in a business game) - up to 90%.

Methods can be used both as independent pedagogical developments, and in combination with traditional ones. There are also principles for revitalizing traditional forms of learning. Approaches to the systemic use of MAO are described in the theory of active learning .

M.Novik identifies the following distinctive features of active learning:

• forced activation of thinking when the student is forced to be active regardless of his desire;
• a sufficiently long time for students to be involved in the educational process, since their activity should not be short-term and episodic, but to a large extent stable and long-term (i.e. throughout the entire lesson);
• independent creative decision-making, a high degree of motivation and emotionality of students.

Most often, the following symptoms are distinguished:

1. Problems . The main task in this case is to introduce the learner to a problem situation, to get out of which (to make a decision or find an answer) he lacks the available knowledge, and he is forced to actively generate new knowledge with the help of a teacher and with the participation of other students, based on the knowledge of others and his professional experience, logic and common sense. The optimal version of the problem problem is that problem, the solution of which is ambiguous even for a specialist, teacher.
2. The adequacy of educational activities to the nature of future practical (official) tasks and functions of the student. This is especially true of issues of personal communication, official and official relationships. Thanks to its implementation, the formation of emotional and personal perception by students of professional activities is possible. The most complete approaches to the implementation of this feature are described in the theory of contextual learning. Therefore, this feature is interpreted as the implementation of contextual learning.
3. Mutual learning . The pivotal point in many forms of conducting classes using active learning methods is collective activity and a discussion form of discussion. This feature does not deny the individualization of training, but requires its reasonable combination and skillful use. Numerous experiments on the development of intellectual abilities of schoolchildren showed that the use of collective forms of instruction had even greater influence on their development than factors of a purely intellectual nature.
4. Individualization . The requirement to organize educational activities, taking into account the individual abilities and capabilities of the student. The sign also implies the development of self-control, self-regulation, and self-learning mechanisms in students.
5. Studies of the studied problems and phenomena . The implementation of the feature allows us to provide the formation of the initial starting points of the skills necessary for successful self-education, based on the ability to analyze, generalize, and be creative in using knowledge and experience.
6. Directness, independence of interaction of students with educational information . In traditional teaching, the teacher (as well as the entire set of didactic tools used by him) plays the role of a “filter”, passing educational information through itself. When training is intensified, the teacher departs to the level of students and, as an assistant, participates in the process of their interaction with educational material, ideally, the teacher becomes the leader of their independent work, implementing the principles of pedagogy of cooperation.
7. Motivation . The activity, both individual and collective, both independent and regulated educational and cognitive activities of students, is developed and supported by a motivation system. Moreover, among the motives of the students used by the teacher include:

• Professional interest.
• The creative nature of educational activities.
• Competitiveness, playful nature of the classes.
• Emotional impact. In the context of the problematic content, creative nature and competitiveness of activity, there is a quick, sharp commissioning of the body's reserves. The emotions that arise in this process activate, induce a person, initiate his focus on the performance of activities.

Today, there are various approaches to the classification of MAO. As distinctive signs, the following are used: the degree of activation of students, the nature of educational, cognitive and game activity, the way of organizing game interaction, the place of classes, their purpose, the type of simulation model used, and many others.

By the nature of educational and cognitive activity (this classification is most often used), the methods of active learning are divided into: imitation methods based on imitation of professional activity, and non- imitation . Imitation, in turn, is divided into gaming and non-gaming. In this case, non-gaming include analysis of specific situations (ACS), analysis of the manager’s business mail , actions according to the instructions , etc. Game methods are divided into:

• business games
• didactic or educational games,
• game situations
• role-playing games
• game techniques and procedures ,
• Active training
• simulation models
• simulation games .

At the same time, the means of implementing individual, individual principles are referred to game procedures and techniques . First of all, various forms of activation of lectures and other traditional forms of teaching, game pedagogical techniques, individual means of activation. For example, a lecture using the method of analysis of specific situations in the form of an illustration carried out by the teacher, a lecture with planned errors, a lecture together, a problem lecture, a creative task - implementing the principle of problematicity; a lecture a press conference, a lecture-discussion, a lecture-conversation - the principle of dialogue communication.

Game situations are represented as a means of implementing two or more principles that do not coincide with the business game (in quantity) in the composition of the elements and do not have a formalized structure, rules of conduct on the playground, and regulations. An example of a game situation can be considered discussion sessions conducted in expanded form, with unplanned speeches and opposition, when it is not known in advance who and in what capacity (speaker, critic, provocateur) will participate in the discussion. As well as situations used for role-playing games , theatrical games, simplified management trainings , etc.

If the game situation is used as a basis, but the participants ’activities are formalized, that is, there are rules, a strict assessment system, a procedure, rules are in place, then we can assume that we are dealing with a didactic game .

Business games, respectively, include methods that implement the entire set of elements, and, consequently, the whole complex of activation principles that are characteristic of active learning methods.

By non-simulation methods they mean - internship at the workplace, programmed training , problem lecture , graduation work. According to the purpose distinguish: motivation of cognitive activity , the message of educational information; the formation and improvement of professional skills; mastering best practices, monitoring learning outcomes.

According to the type of activity of participants, when searching for a solution to problems, methods are distinguished that are based on: ranking according to various characteristics of objects or actions; optimization of processes and structures; design and construction of objects; the choice of tactics of action in management, communication and conflict situations; solving engineering, research, managerial or socio-psychological problems; Demonstration and training of skills of attention, invention, originality, quick thinking and others.

The number of participants distinguishes: individual, group, collective methods, as well as methods involving the work of participants in dyads and triads.

The venue distinguishes: classroom and extracurricular, visiting, sightseeing.

By the principle of using computer technology - manual, (without using VT); computer - computer games; and games with computer software.

There are four structural groups of elements of gaming activity that occur during the implementation of all forms and methods of active learning.

1. Problem content . The simulation model is the main, central element of the business game. If we consider the whole complex of methods of active learning, then the basis of other game forms, instead of it, can be used creative (or problematic ) tasks , situational tasks, problematic issues . The second element in the implementation of problematic content is the gaming environment .
2. Organization of game action participants . This element of the game is reflected in the methods of forming teams , defining and distributing roles .
3. Game interaction . The order, type and methods of action of the participants determine the rules , which are described separately or in the script of the game . The conditions in which the game interaction takes place is called the gaming environment .
4. Methodological support . The requirement for the formation of the didactic model of the game action, the implementation of the two-pronged principle is fulfilled in the implementation of all the game elements listed above, but only the didactic goals are such game elements as immersion , reflection and the assessment system . They ensure the success of the game action and therefore are most suited to the didactic goals of the game. The totality of all game elements in terms of their didactic orientation is treated as a game model .

Metacognitive processes