Methods for activating students
Methods for activating students are about getting students more involved in their learning process, which otherwise can be perceived as passive from the student point of view.
One example of an activating element is Mentometers ("clickers"), which can be used to get students more involved in a lecture.
Another variant is to hand out assignments during the lecture and have the students discuss and reflect upon the material in small groups, which then discuss the material in the class as a whole. During the group discussion sessions, the teacher walks around and comments on the deliberations of the groups.
In forms of teaching that are regarded as student activating, the teacher should ensure that every student is activated, for example, by explaining something at the Whiteboard during a seminar.
A further method is "peer-to-peer learning", that is, students teaching each other. For instance, students can read and comment on each other’s papers before they are submitted to the teacher, or students can correct each other’s examinations.
More information
Critical Thinking, from Hedin, A (2006) Lärande på hög nivå (Advanced-level learning), see the Swedish page