Active, Collaborative Learning In A Live Distance Education Class

Colleges and universities across the nation are finding themselves in the midst of several learning revolutions. Recognizing that the traditional classroom no longer meets the needs of the student, "the old telling-method" of delivering education is being replaced with a new learner and/or learning-centered platform of delivery. Research states that the unilateral dispensing of knowledge is an ineffective method for enhancing student learning. Supporting this finding about learning requires educators to confront how they think and to redesign what they do as a result. The shift from the lecture-based, passive-learning model to a learning-centered system of learning does not just happen. It requires a purposeful faculty development project that challenges instructors to commit to positive change. Such change in the classroom creates active involvement, student interaction, and intellectual engagement. Additionally, implementing new pedagogy will empower students to become actively involved in the class. But the active, collaborative model becomes more challenging to implement when the students are miles apart and from diverse backgrounds and experiences.