Reflection Essay

Active learning

Li(2008) suggested that an “insiders” are people who can make contribution to their community. After half year studying in an American university, I found that being an “insider” is crucial to for me to get success as a graduate student. It means I should learn actively.

For me, active learning means an efficient and useful learning style which can be used in my whole academic life. Before I came to American university, I did not realize the importance of active learning. I thought there is no big difference whatever learning style I used. However, I found active learning help me a lot in my graduate study. In the reflection paper, I will analyze how active learning help me.

Firstly, asking questions during a class is one way of active learning. When I was in China, I did not ask questions to professor because I think the professor is always right about what he/she said. What I need to do is to absorb the knowledge from the professor. I think this is normal and common. When I am learning in American, I find that students likes to ask questions to professor and professor likes students to do so. Sometimes the professor clarify the students’ confusion. Sometimes they both make contribution to an interesting questions. From this process, I think the students even the professor can learn more beyond the original context in the class. Now I think another reason why I did not ask questions in China because I used little thinking when I were in a class. Because I think what I need to do is only to absorb the knowledge and I can do nothing for my field. Having found that, I start to use critical thinking in my class and try to ask questions in class. In addition, I try to come up with some possible answers for the questions. This change helps me understand the context of the class better. I also feel I have made some contribution to this class. I am not only the one who receive knowledge but also the one who are actively involved.

Secondly, active learning also means communicating with professors and peer students about the course. In my professional course, I discuss the problems with my peer students. We will share ideas and solutions about the questions. In addition, we can help each other to clarify some confusion. I feel this process is really useful for my study. Because I should find out what is going on first, then I can discuss this with my classmates. It means I should study actively to get the knowledge from the professor and books. Then I try to solve these problems by myself. In the end I can have the experience to share with my classmates. Another benefit is that I can get some different views of the same problem from my classmates. Because the thought of one person is small, the group work can make a big difference. Before I come to America, I used to study alone. I did not talk with professor or classmates. Sometimes it took a lot of time for me to solve some questions. Even worse I did not find the right answer. So I think I should keep communicating with professors and classmates when I am in America.

I can learn more efficiently from both changes I have made in America above. This is a new learning style for me. I first change my attitude. I realize the old learning style has less use in America academic settings. If I want to become successful here, I should use a more useful way, which I called active learning. I am not only to absorb the knowledge from professors or books, but also make contributions to my class or field. So I will use more thinking when I am in class and off class. I try to bring my own ideas and opinions to the class. All of these can help me better understanding what I am learning. It also can strengthen my memory of what I learn.

In conclusion, active learning is the useful way for me to study in American campus. I will continue using this learning style in the following semesters.

Reference

Li, X. (2008). Learning to write a thesis with an argumentative edge. In C. Casanave & X. Li (Eds.), Learning the literacy practices of graduate school: Insiders’ reflections on academic enculturation (pp. 46-57). Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.