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Active Learning Through Africa

Shawn Alderman, MDJason Ferguson, DOGarrett Meyers, MD

& The Neuroscience Behind its Effects

Outline

• Describe Active Learning

• Emphasize its key elements

• Demonstrate Active Learning through an exercise using Eastern Africa

• Explore principles of NB

Objectives

• Listed 3 key elements of Active Learning

• Practiced using active learning techniques

Active Learning: 3 Key Elements

Silberman, 1998• Adult brains process information • We have different learning styles

– See– Hear– Do

• Requires safety & connectedness

Activity

Variety

Participation

Active Learning Strategies

• Moderate amount of content

• Balance affective, behavioral, cognitive

Russell et al, 1984

Active Learning Strategies

• Variety of learning approaches

• Opportunities for group participation

Ruhl et al, 1987

The East Africa Pre-test

Label allnumbered countries

in 90 seconds

1. Eritrea

2. Djibouti

3. Somalia

4. Ethiopia

5. Kenya

6. Uganda

7. Rwanda

8. Tanzania

9. Malawi

10. Zimbabwe

11. Mozambique

12. Zambia

Pre-Test Results?

Sit Down Exercise

East African Countries

Eritrea

Eritrea

Locusts

Djibouti

Djibouti

Limestone Chimneys

Somalia

Somalia

Lack of Safe Drinking

Water

Ethiopia

Ethiopia

Cradle of Humanity

Kenya

Kenya

Regional Hub of Trade & Finance

Uganda

Uganda

Coffee

Rwanda

Rwanda

Lightning Capital of the World

Tanzania

Tanzania

Tanzanite

Malawi

Malawi

Tobacco

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

Victoria Falls

Mozambique

Mozambique

5th Highest Infant

Mortality Rate

Zambia

Zambia

4th largest producer of Copper in the world

Group Exercise

Group Exercise Instructions

Teamwork:

• Develop a method (e.g., mnemonic) for remembering the name, location and characteristic for each country

• Be ready to apply this knowledge to a quiz

Example Mnemonic: Malawi

Mal = Bad

Group Exercise Instructions

Teamwork:

• Develop a method (e.g., mnemonic) for remembering the name, location and characteristic for each country

• Be ready to apply this knowledge to a quiz

Team Geography Quiz

Jeopardy Demo

• When the country flashes on the screen the first team has 15 seconds to call out the country and the attribute.

• If the team misses, the next team has 10 additional seconds to “steal” it by calling out the country and attribute.

South Africa

Safaris

Let the games begin!

EritreaLocusts

DjiboutiLimestone Chimneys

SomaliaLack of Safe

Drinking Water

EthiopiaCradle of Humanity

KenyaRegional Hub of

Trade and Finance

UgandaCoffee

RwandaLightning Capital

of the World

TanzaniaTanzanite

MalawiTobacco

ZimbabweVictoria Falls

Mozambique5th Highest Infant

Mortality Rate

Zambia4th Largest Copper

Producer in the World

Role Play

Role Play Rules• “Hi, my name is _____. I’m the ambassador from _______.”

• Show on your sheet where your country is located

• A key characteristic of my country is ____ and here’s a picture

• Flip your sheet over and quiz your partner– “Can you show me where my country is located?”– “Can you remember my country’s key characteristic?”

Final Exam

Self Grade

Country Name Country Characteristic

1. Eritrea Locust plagues

2. Djibouti Limestone Chimneys

3. Somalia Lack of safe drinking water

4. Ethiopia Cradle of humanity

Country Name Country Characteristic

5. Kenya Hub of trade and finance

6. Uganda Coffee is its main export

7. Rwanda Lightning capital of the world

8. Tanzania Where the blue gem Tanzanite is found

Country Name Country Characteristic

9. Malawi Tobacco is its main export

10. Zimbabwe Victoria Falls, the worlds largest waterfall

11. Mozambique 5th highest infant mortality rate in the world

12. Zambia World’s 4th largest producer of copper

List 3 key elements of active learning

1. Activity

2. Variety

3. Participation

Post-Test Results?

Stand Up Exercise

Active Learning: 3 Key Elements Silberman, 1998

• Adult brains process information • We have different learning styles

– See– Hear– Do

• Requires safety & connectedness

Activity

Variety

Participation

What did you see?

Lecture5%

Reading10%

Audiovisual 20%

Demonstration 30%

Discussion Group 50%

Practice By Doing 75%

Teach Others / Immediate Use of Learning 90%

Bethel, Maine: National Training Laboratories (1960s)

Active Learning

Aver

age

24 h

r

Rete

ntio

n Ra

te

So What?

ChallengeToday

• Refer back to this exercise as an example of active learning

• Identify elements of active learning during remainder of program

Thank you

1) List your earliest memory. What specifically stands out?

2) Discuss this memory with a partner. We will hear a sample.

Increasing reference availability reflects the growth of our knowledge.

Remember – the brain is an organ.

The brain has three major divisions.

The limbic system includes structures responsible for long-term memory storage.

The cerebral cortex is inextricably linked to the limbic system.

Information Processing Model

OUT

OUT O

UT

Sensory Register

Immediate memory

Long-Term Storage

Working memory

STORING

RETRIEVING

The brain has > 1 billion neurons.

An increased number and strength of synaptic connections form when learning.

Memory is a dynamic process.

So What? - Activity

• Think-Pair-Share– Using your handout, take a moment to rank the

five principles of neurobiology listed, in order of their importance to your teaching efforts.

– Discuss with a partner. We will hear a sample.

Five Principles for Education

Active Engagement

Attention

Short-Term Memory

Long-Term Memory

Stress

1) Active Engagement

Functional changes in neural circuitry occur best when the learner is actively engaged.

Active Engagement

Medical education is slowly changing.

Active Engagement

Team-Based Learning

Problem-Based Learning

Small Group Activities

Learners as Teachers

Simulation

Active Engagement

2) Attention

“Multitasking, when it comes to paying attention, is a myth.”- Dr. John Medina

After 10 minutes, audience attention steadily drops.

Attention

After 10 minutes, tell a story, show a video, have the learners do something.

Keep it relevant!

Attention

3) Short term memory

“______________ is the key

to adult learning.”

“Going deeper,” rather than touching on all information, results in deeper understanding and better retention.

Short-term

memory

4) Long-term memory

Memory is not fixed at the moment of learning.

Repetition, with appropriate spacing, is the fixative.

Long-term

memory

OUT

Long-Term StorageWorking

memory

STORING

RETRIEVING

SENSE

MEANING

Take 1 minute to list potential strategies utilizing repetition.

Examples:- The “Ambassador” Activity

- Introduction, wrap-up

- “See one, do one, teach one”

- Recitation with different learner levels

5) Stress

Stress can generate molecular signals that

facilitate synaptic potentiation.

Moderation is key.

Stress

Five Principles for Education

Active Engagement

Attention

Short-Term Memory

Long-Term Memory

Stress

Other Principles

• Visualization• Sensory Integration• Individual Learning Styles• Exercise• Sleep / Fatigue• Reward and Reinforcement

Take-Home Points

• Education changes brains!• Understanding these changes should

inform how we teach• Use your toolbox of evidence-based

educational practices

Commitment to Act

How will you incorporate these principles in your teaching?

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