Issue link: https://takingitglobal.uberflip.com/i/1542824
R. Adeboye, C. Flewelling,V. Ogbole, E. O'Sullivan 27 Program Implementation Assumption #3: Sessions are Interactive Connected North endeavors to ensure that its sessions are interactive, an approach that is aligned with pedagogical research. The literature reviewed points to several related educational approaches: active learning, inquiry, experiential learning, and other forms of interactive instruction that rest on the idea that students learn more effectively when they are active participants rather than passive recipients. Tutal and Yazar describe "active learning" as "an approach to teaching that emphasizes student participation and engagement in the learning process" (2023, p.1) which includes techniques such as group work, discussions, hands-on activities, and problem-solving exercises. Their meta-analysis found that active learning "can have a positive impact on academic achievement and learning retention in K-12 settings" (2023, p.1). The article identifies "Project-based learning" which is a type of learning that Connected North highlights in its annual survey, as a key variant of Active Learning, which in turn is based "on constructivist learning theory, which states that learners actively create their own knowledge instead of passively receiving information" (2023, p.2). Inquiry-based learning provides another example of an interactive approach that Connected North highlights in its programming. The National Research Council's Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards describes inquiry as "a multifaceted activity" (2000, p.13) involving making observations, posing questions, investigating, gathering and interpreting data, generating explanations, and communicating results, and advocates for its use to support student outcomes. A related body of literature on experiential learning also supports the value of interactive educational approaches. Burch et al. (2019) conclude that experiential pedagogies lead to better learning outcomes. Although not all Connected North sessions would meet a strict definition of experiential learning, the authors underscore a central point shared across the literature: interactive experiences are more effective than passive ones. And, of course, the field trips discussed above are a form of experiential learning, with their interactivity being a major reason they are so highly valued (e.g., Cassady et al., 2008). Research on student interest offers additional support for interactive delivery. Harackiewicz et al. (2016) describe how dimensions of interactivity such as hands-on activities and social involvement trigger interest, a mechanism relevant to short-term engagement and longer-term learning outcomes. Taken together, these bodies of research provide a consistent and well- established rationale for Connected North's prioritization of session interactivity. "Dewey (1938) was one of the earliest theorists to provide a formalized framework explaining the processes through which first-hand experiences with contextual information or materials facilitate learning. His famous contention that we "learn by doing" is still influential in contemporary constructivist pedagogy, and has served as one historical foundation upon which child-centered learning approaches have been built. " -Cassady et al., 2008, p.440