While you probably already heard about active learning tables, the truth is that you need to understand that active learning tables are crucial for active learning classrooms. After all, and according to the EDUCAUSE 2017 survey, they are a top strategic technology that should be used.
What Are Active Learning Tables?
Simply put, active learning tables are curved or round tables with moveable seating that allow students to face each other. This is a great option when students need to do small group work.
One of the things that you need to understand about active learning tables is that these tables should be paired with their own whiteboards. This can be particularly useful for brainstorming.
It is important to notice that some active learning classrooms also tend to include monitors. This allows the instructor or the teacher as well as the students to simply project their screen around the room. So, we believe that there should also be included some kind of sound projection.
Active learning tables can be as flexible as you want or need. While there are some classrooms where it may suit better-fixed tables, there are others that would definitely benefit more from movable tables.
Why Are Active Learning Tables So Useful In A Classroom?
The truth is that there are more and more advocates of active learning tables especially in the STEM disciplines that include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. After all, these disciplines tend to be better and easily learned by students when they are able to do activities and discussions within the classroom instead of simply listening to the teacher or instructor.
According to the Whiteside study that involved a formal class observation of a faculty member teaching in a traditional classroom and in an active learning classroom. According to the conclusions of the study, “despite the professor’s explicit attempts to conduct the same learning activities in both sections, he behaved quite differently in the two classrooms, lecturing significantly more in the traditional room and conducting discussion significantly more in the ALC… The instructor also consulted (discreetly) with individual or small groups of students significantly more in the ALC than in the traditional classroom”.
What Active Learning Classrooms Need To Include To Work Well
One of the things that first come to people’s minds when they think about the type of equipment that active learning classrooms need to include is the audio-visual technology. While we don’t say that it doesn’t matter as it does (and a lot), the truth is that active learning tables and whiteboards are also extremely important so that the right environment is created.
According to Soneral and Wyse (2017), they made a comparison of the students’ performance on a course that was taught by the same teacher. The first class took place on a “high tech” classroom that included screens on all active learning tables so they could be easily projected. The second class took place on a “low tech” classroom that only included the active learning tables and whiteboards. However, there weren’t any screens. According to their findings, the results of the students’ performances were pretty similar. However, what they noted was that students enjoyed a lot more “low tech” room because they were able to discuss things face to face without referring to their screens.
So, if you have a school that just can’t afford all the technology that most active learning classrooms usually have, you can simply buy the active learning tables as well as whiteboards. You won’t only be saving a lot of money as you will be clearly improving the education of all the students of the school. In case you still have some doubts about using the “low tech” classroom, you should listen to what Cornelia Lang has to say. She is an associate professor of astronomy at the University of Iowa and she has been using a “low tech” classroom for several years now. Not only she prefers it as she understands that it’s the active learning tables and whiteboards that make all the difference.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a lot of benefits in using active learning tables. The truth is that students won’t only be more motivated to learn as it will be easier for them to acquire new concepts and skills.
