Active Involvement
Learning requires the active, constructive involvement of the learner
Learning at school requires students to pay attention, to observe, to memorize, to understand, to set goals and to assume responsibility for their own learning. These cognitive activities are not possible without the active involvement and engagement of the learner. Teachers must help students to become active and goal oriented by building on their natural desire to explore, to understand new things and to master them.
In the classroom
It is a challenge for teachers to create interesting and challenging learning environments that encourage the active involvement of students. The following are some suggestions as to how this can be done:
• Avoid situations where the students are passive listeners for long periods of time.
• Provide students with hands-on activities, such as experiments, observations, projects, etc.
Social Participation Meaningful Engagement
Learning is primarily a social activity and participation in the social life of the school is central for learning to occur.
For many researchers, social participation is the main activity through which learning occurs. Social activity and participation begin early on. Parents interact with their children and through these interactions children acquire the behaviours that enable them to become effective members of society. According to the psychologist Lev Vygotsky, the way children learn is by internalizing the activities, habits, vocabulary and ideas of the members of the community in which they grow up.
In the Classroom
Teachers can do many things to encourage social participation in ways that facilitate learning:
• They can assign students to work in groups and assume the role of a coach/co-ordinator who provides guidance and support to the groups.
Meaningful activities.
People learn best when they participate in activities that are perceived to be useful in real life and are culturally relevant.
In the classroom
Teachers can make classroom activities more meaningful by situating them in an authentic context. An example of an authentic context is one in which the activity is typically used in real life. For example, students can improve their oral language and communication skills by participating in debates. They can improve their writing skills by being involved in the preparation of a classroom newspaper.
Taking time to practice
Learning is a complex cognitive activity that cannot be rushed. It requires considerable time and periods of practice to start building expertise in an area.
In the classroom Many educational programmes are designed to increase one’s exposure to learning situations preferably at an early age. Here are some recommendations for teachers that can help students spend more time on learning tasks.
• Increase the amount of time students spend on learning in the classroom.
Developmental and individual differences
Children learn best when their individual differences are taken into consideration.
In the classroom The following are recommendations for creating the best environment for the development of children, while recognizing their individual differences:
• Learn how to assess children’s knowledge, strategies and modes of learning adequately.
