How to be an Active Learner

Of all the emotions that flow through your head when you go back to college, shyness seems to be one of the biggest emotions present. Shyness and fear can stop you from becoming the active learner that you desire to be. You may be too shy to volunteer to lead a group or too filled with fear to raise your hand when you know the answer to a question.

Are you a passive or active learner? This could be the difference between failure or success in school.
Many students approach learning much like watching TV, passively watch, listen and without thinking and understanding. They expect the professors will spoon-feed them all.
Wrong! The courses you take in school or the exams you prepare require you to MASTER it and be tested on. You need to be an active learner to accomplish that.
But how?
Let me give you four simple and tangible ways you can do, starting today, to become an active learner.

Instructions

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     1. Pay Attention
     Don't let your mind wander elsewhere. You cannot be an active learner if you don't know what's going on in your class. There will always be a student or two that can distract your focus because they are talking in hush tones while a lesson is going on or their phone is going off constantly. Don't let this detour you.
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     2. Contribute
     Your voice matters. During class discussions it's important to become active in the group conversations. Ask questions when appropriate, but not if they are unnecessary. For example, don't ask a question that you know the answer to or can find the answer to easily just to become involved in a group discussion. Answer questions if you can. Try not to guess at the answers, if you get it wrong you will feel a smite embarrassed. If you feel embarrassed you will be less likely to keep contributing. Stay involved with the discussion and voice your opinion on a debate.
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     3. Above and beyond
     Don't just do the minimum, check your syllabus and see what's on it for your next class. Do some extra research that is not required to prepare yourself for possible discussions. Having additional input that was not in the text book will impress your advisor and your peers.
     Remember that if you are a shy person it is going to be harder for you to become an active learner in the sense of being interactive in class, but you determine your own level of involvement in your education. You are in charge of how much you learn and when you learn it.
     
     
     
     What Active Learners Do
     So you may be wondering exactly what makes someone an “active” learner. Check this list and see if your learning habits are similar to any of these!
     

     • Read with the purpose of understanding and remembering. Active learners go into reading or studying with the mindset that they will learn, understand, and retain the forthcoming information. They set this goal and evaluate themselves along the way to make sure they remain focused and keep their eyes on the prize.
     • —Reflect on information and think critically. Active learners actually THINK! They don’t simply accept that the information in front of them is true; they exercise their brain and ask questions.
     • —Listen actively by taking comprehensive notes in an organized fashion. Active learners do not simply copy the Powerpoint presentations that their professors show in class. They write down information in their own words so later they can look back and better recall what they learned. Using your own voice enhances your understanding because you are basically explaining the material to yourself.
     • —Know that learning involves more than simply putting in time. As as active learner it is essential that you understand the importance of quantity over quality. Just because you spend 5 hours reading your history textbook does not automatically mean you will retain everything you read. It is more beneficial to spend 2 or 3 hours reading, actively taking notes, and quizzing yourself on the information than just running through the book as quickly as you can. Remember, quality over quantity!
     • Get assistance when experiencing problems. If you’re having trouble, ask for help! Active learners are cognizant of the fact that college classes are difficult and they are prepared to utilize every available resource to help them understand new concepts.
     • Accept much of the responsibility for learning. Active learners do not expect anyone to do the learning for them. They are completely accountable for their own academic careers and push themselves to excel.
     • Above all, active learners love to learn!

     
     

     Factors that Influence Your Active Learning

     • Motivation. No one can motivate you but yourself. You need to set clear goals and make yourself follow through. Try to do something every day that gets you one step closer to achieving what you want.
     • Ability to concentrate. Try to minimize distractions as you study. Know that what you are learning is important and the things you are doing right now will influence your future. Stay focused as best you can and make sure to take breaks!
     • Beliefs about knowledge and learning. If you do not think that what you’re learning is important, you will not put your best efforts into it. Remember that knowledge is power and no one can take it away from you!

     Why be an Active Learner?

     So besides avoiding having to re-learn information later, what are the other benefits of being an active learner?

     • Have the tools to handle studying and learning demands. The details of what to do to be an active learner are listed above. All of these are guaranteed to improve your learning skills!
     • Higher grades and more acquired knowledge. Really making an effort to become an active learner will inevitably lead to better grades. Also, since you’re utilizing skills that facilitate better retention more information will stick with you for a longer period of time.
     • Being successful motivates you to continue being successful. Once you’ve realized that these strategies actually work, they’ll become good habits and you’ll be on the road to positive outcomes!