REALs presented by Sarah Hansen

Rich Environments for Active Learning

Description

REALs or Rich Environments for Active Learning is apart of the constructionist learning theory.  To present a REALs classroom, an instructor must:

1. Promote study and investigation through authentic context
2. Promote and grow student learning, decision making, responsibility, initiative, and intentional learning 
3. Encourage collaboration among class and teacher
4. Promote higher-level thinking and encourage students to build rich and complex knowledge structures
5. Assess students in realistic performances and tasks

REALs classrooms help to promote collaboration among students with engaging and learning activities.  Students having the opportunity to explore and take charge of their learning will help boost their independence.  Having the students to be in charge of their learning by placing them in a rich environment, enables them to think harder about their thinking and how they can solve their problems without the help or assistance of the teacher.  REALs instructional theory also finds more importance in complex, content rich text reading compared to other reading text that are commonly found in classrooms.  Teachers are considered to be more of a "facilitator" of the students education, compared to giving them the answer when they struggle.  The teacher helps to guide their thought process and ask the right questions, but the educator plays a less important role compared to the students peers.  REALs also hold more emphasis on content assessment compared to "paper and pencil testing."  Assessment is based on the the projects students complete within their collaboration groups. 

Learning/Teaching model

This learning/teaching model falls under the Constructivism Teaching model.
Constructivist Learning, according to Linda Harasim (2012), model is based on four key principals:

• Active learning
• Learning-by-doing
• Scaffolded learning, and
• Collaborative learning (p. 68) 

The learning model also falls into the Discovery Learning theory.  Discovery learning model was first presented by American Psychologist Jerome Bruner.  The five principals of Discovery Learning include:

• Problem Solving
• Learner Management
• Integrating and Connecting
• Information Analysis and Interpretation
• Failure and feedback

Example

I would like to think that I currently teach in a REALs environment.  My students rely on each other to learn from and work with.  My current class is set up in groups of 4 with 8 groups total.  Since REALs has problem solving based on real life situations, I would create a project around earthquakes.  First the students would brainstorm, in their pods, what they already know about earthquakes and consequences of them.  They then would be given a project that would require them to build a structure that would be able to with stand an earthquake and keep an egg from breaking.  The students would have to divide their responsibilities among their peers and choose supplies based on group agreement.  They then would have to brainstorm the safest and most secure structure that would be able to a) Withstand the earthquake and b) keep the egg safe from danger.  Assessment would be based up teamwork and whether or not their structure was successful. 
 

Video

The following video shows a college class going from "just a classroom," to a collaborative, rich, learning environment. 

References

Active learning in IUPUI's LE104 . (2015, May 19). Indiana, Indiana. Retrieved October 10, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tMc0JY0978

Grabinger, R. S., & Dunlap, J. C. (2011). Rich Environments for Active Learning:a definition. Research in Learning Technology, 3(2). doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v3i2.9606

Harasim, L. (2012). Learning Theory and Online Technologies. Milton Park: Routledge.

Medina, J. (2015). Brain Rules. Retrieved from About Brain Rules: http://www.brainrules.net/about-brain-rules

Pappas, C. (2014, October 8). Instructional Design Models and Theories: The Discovery Learning Model. Retrieved from http://elearningindustry.com/discovery-learning-model