Modern active learning strategies depend on the learner’s positivity in the educational situation and aim to activate the learner’s role in terms of effective learning through work with research and experimentation and the learner’s self-reliance in obtaining information, acquiring skills, and forming values ​​and attitudes. It is not based on memorization and indoctrination, but rather on developing thinking and the ability to Problem solving, teamwork and cooperative learning. This is what we will discuss during this article, the most important modern active learning strategies to improve learning.

Modern active learning strategies

There is a set of decisions taken by the teacher and those decisions are reflected in patterns of actions performed by the teacher and students in the situation and from there:

• Dialogue and discussion strategy
• Brainstorming strategy
• Problem solving strategy

How to apply modern active learning strategies?

Each modern active learning strategy has procedural steps, and the steps common to all of them are:

• Determine the goal of the strategy and indicate its title
• Introducing learning topics.
• Doing the appropriate psychological preparation to attract attention.
• Determine the tasks required of your students.
• Provide clear instructions for completing the task and make sure students understand these instructions.
• Give students enough time to complete their assignments.
• Move quietly among the students to help them and ensure that their work is progressing properly.

The dialogue and discussion strategy\a

This strategy is one of the most important modern active learning strategies as it aims to stimulate student thinking and participation and provide opportunities for questions and discussion while respecting students’ opinions and suggestions. This method helps students develop their cognitive, emotional and social personality.

Basically it is a method based on research, information gathering, analysis, comparison and class discussion where each student is informed about the materials and research results of his classmates and all students are prepared to join the lesson.

This method relies on three overlapping steps:

• Preparing for discussion
• Walk the discussion
• Discussion calendar

During the lesson, when questions arise that require research, teachers ask students to search for answers in the school library or other sources, and students write down and mark the answers they receive in preparation for discussion in a specific class. In the discussion session, each student presents the information he collected about the problem, the students exchange answers, and the teacher organizes and manages the discussion process.

Teachers should consider the following points:

• Saving time by keeping the discussion focused on the purpose of the lesson and the topic being discussed.
• Teachers must pay attention to individual differences among students and provide opportunities for discussion and participation for everyone.
• Teachers must pay attention to motivating students, praising them, and respecting students’ initiative.

Types of discussion

• Guided discussion: based on questions and answers, which leads to training students’ independent thinking and memory skills.
• Dialectical discovery discussion: based on questions that lead to making good decisions and create curiosity and a love of knowledge.
• Free group discussion: A group of students sit in a circle and discuss a topic that interests them all.
• Seminar: It consists of a speaker and a few students (not more than 6) sitting in a semicircle in front of their colleagues. The speaker introduces the topic of discussion, guides participants to balance, and then makes a final summary of the issue and the results of the discussion.
• Pairwise discussion: Two students sit in front of the class, one of whom plays the role of the questioner and the other the role of the respondent, and they can exchange roles.
• Working groups: This method works by forming small groups within the class where each group learns different aspects of a particular problem. Groups can be reorganized to take into account new student interests or topics.

Features of the dialogue style

• Encouraging students to participate in the learning process
• Make student behavior more effective than just receiving the lesson
• It helps students recognize learned behavioral patterns and prepare for a new beginning
• It helps develop students’ thinking because it involves students receiving information rather than the teacher giving it
• Arouse students’ interest in the lesson by presenting the problem in the form of a question and asking students to suggest solutions
• It helps students develop a healthy personality because they think for themselves and express their opinions and ideas
• It is a continuous assessment tool that provides immediate feedback during the semester
• This method helps strengthen the relationship between the teacher and students
• Students are taught to listen and respect the opinions of others
• Students develop important qualities such as objectivity and adaptability
• Students are encouraged to express any opinions boldly which improves classroom interaction
• Develops students’ critical thinking skills and helps them connect experiences and facts
• It helps students master the material by encouraging them to effectively understand what they learn in class

Conditions that increase the effectiveness of the dialogue and discussion strategy

• Choose the right time to teach your students
• Asking difficult questions to stimulate the desire and interest in research and learning
• Teachers may not express their opinions or suggest the acceptance of a particular answer during the discussion
• Teachers should avoid judgment during discussions and listen to all opinions with equal attention.
• Give students time to think so they can reconsider their original answers.
• The teacher asks specific questions during class to bring the dialogue and discussion back to the current topic.
• Consider distributing opportunities equally to everyone, rather than letting specific students control the interaction session.

The brainstorming strategy

Brainstorming strategies are the most important modern active learning strategies and one of the many ways to stimulate thinking and creativity, as there are more than 30 methods in the United States and more than 100 methods in Japan, including the American method.

Brainstorming is used as a means of collective or individual thinking to solve various scientific and life problems with the aim of enhancing mental capabilities and processes.

The term “brainstorming” means using your mind to solve problems effectively

Brainstorming goals

The brainstorming session aims to achieve the following goals:

• Solve problems creatively
• Creating problems for the opponent
• Finding new problems and projects
• Motivating and training trainees’ creativity

Brainstorming stages

This method can be used in the second stage of the creativity process. This stage consists of three main stages:

• Defining the problem
• Searching for or generating ideas
• Find the solution

The problem-solving strategy

One of the most important modern active learning strategies as its a series of operations carried out by a person using the information and knowledge he learned previously and the skills acquired to overcome the situation in new and unknown ways, to control the situation and find a solution.

Problem solving is a method by which the mind works by placing the student or child in a real-life situation with the aim of reaching a state of cognitive balance in order to succeed. This is the state in which one reaches the solution. 

Problem types are divided into five types based on clarity of data and objectives.

• Problems with clearly defined data and goals.
• Problems in which the data is clear but the objectives are not clearly defined.
• Problems where the goal is specific and clear but the data is unclear.
• Problems related to lack of clarity of goals and data.

Method of solving problems

Experts divide methods for solving problems related to a topic or question presented to the individual/student into two methods that are similar in some elements but different in many elements.

• Solving the problem using normal and standard methods.

Ordinary methods of problem solving resemble the scientific way of thinking when faced with problems and are therefore defined as: purposeful and flexible mental activity that people regularly engage in an attempt to solve problems.

• How to solve problems in innovative or creative ways.

It requires a high degree of sensitivity on the part of the student or whoever is dealing with the problem in defining it and determining its dimensions that ordinary students or individuals cannot comprehend. It also requires a high degree of deducing relationships and deducing connections, whether in formulating hypotheses or arriving at the innovative output.

The 7 most famous modern active learning strategies

Flipped learning

This is one of the modern active learning strategies that involves asking students to review content outside of class through pre-prepared videos and reading material prepared by the teacher. The classroom becomes a place for interactive discussions and hands-on activities where teachers and peers collaborate to provide corrective feedback, allowing teachers to focus on students’ weaknesses, clarify concepts, and reinforce knowledge.

Inquiry-based learning

One of the modern active learning strategies. It is considered an educational strategy in which students follow the methods and practices used by scientists to build knowledge. Students often engage in self-directed learning partly didactically under the supervision of a teacher and partly by conducting experiments to explore relationships between variables. This strategy encourages students to ask questions, conduct research, and explore topics independently to improve their critical thinking skills.

Cooperative learning

One of the modern active learning strategies is considered a modern teaching method in which teachers divide students into groups and ask them to solve problems or discuss topics either among themselves or under the supervision of the teacher to enhance communication skills and teamwork and adds an atmosphere of passion, fun, cooperation and knowledge to the course.

Peer education

One of the modern active learning strategies, peer teaching is considered an innovative and effective educational method to improve the learning process. This type of teaching engages students in the learning process, motivates them as they teach each other, and builds their confidence while increasing their sense of responsibility for the learning process.

Game-based education

One of the modern active learning strategies is an innovative method that integrates play and learning, which motivates students to interact and participate effectively by helping them gain a deeper understanding of concepts through interactive experiences. Game-based learning allows for comprehensive and engaging learning in a context that promotes creative thinking and problem solving

Project-based learning

One of the most important modern active learning strategies that aims to give students important practical experience through implementing applied and practical projects that simulate real-life problems. This strategy promotes the development of life skills such as analytical thinking and problem solving, improves understanding of topics, and deepens active learning

Self-directed learning

One of the modern active learning strategies that allows learners to take responsibility for their learning with the support and guidance of the teacher. It relies on the use of available learning resources such as books and the Internet and encourages the development of research and self-analysis skills as well as the development of personal capabilities.

The importance of modern active learning

Modern active learning has many benefits, including:

• Developing group work skills: Group work is one of the most effective methods of modern active learning strategies as it helps students develop their communication skills.
• Promoting Expression: modern active learning strategies help students express and defend their ideas instead of sitting all class taking notes.
• Encouraging students to prepare for the subject: modern active learning strategies applications require motivating students to participate and interact with each lesson. This differs from traditional student attendance, which does not require participation. Student participation also increases the effectiveness of ideas and the formation of ideas.
• Improving students’ critical thinking: Through modern active learning strategies activities students learn how to share ideas, think effectively and justify their ideas.

Challenges facing educational institutions in activating modern active learning strategies

Educational institutions face many challenges and obstacles in implementing modern active learning strategies. These obstacles include material, technical, human and administrative aspects. Below are some of the most prominent of these issues.

• Limited financial resources. These applications require updating educational institutions and providing advanced technologies that may not be available in some institutions.
• Lack of teacher training and professional development. To promote modern active learning strategies, teachers need continuous training to acquire skills in using technology and new teaching methods.
• Teachers and administrators resist change because they find it difficult to adapt to new methods, especially if they have been accustomed to traditional methods for a long time.

The role of elmadrasah.com in improving learning through modern active learning strategies

• Integrating interactive resources into daily lessons: Teachers can use educational videos and interactive games available on elmadrasah.com platform to explain concepts in an interesting way. This improves students’ understanding and makes learning more fun.

• Developing blended learning projects: Teachers can use the tools of elmadrasah.com platform to develop projects that include research, planning, and implementation. Students can work on these projects inside and outside the classroom, which improves their ability to apply theoretical concepts to real-life situations.

• Host online collaborative courses: You can hold collaborative learning sessions where students collaborate with their classmates on common assignments through the platform. This gives students the opportunity to effectively exchange ideas and learn from each other.

• Use the platform to solve real problems: Through the elmadrasah.com teachers can present realistic and difficult problems and encourage students to investigate, collect information, and suggest solutions. This improves students’ critical and analytical thinking skills.
• Integrating online learning and traditional classrooms: Teachers can use elmadrasah.com platform to provide supplementary materials and online learning to support traditional lessons. This approach increases flexibility in the educational process and provides students with self-study opportunities.

In conclusion, no matter how diverse and different modern active learning strategies are, the quality and nature of the educational session, its purpose and content, the level of the learners, and the specificity of each study environment remain the determinant of any strategy.