Implementation of Active Learning in Technical Teacher Training Course Based on Kolb’s Learning Cycle Combined with a Created Safe Learning Zone

Abstract

This paper presents the results of implementing an active learning framework in technical teacher training course at The Department of Civil Technology Education, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi. Participants in the research were pre-service teaching students from the Civil Technology Education Program, who enrolled in the course of Teaching Method and Integration Learning for Civil Engineering, during January – May, 2017. The proposed active learning framework was based on Kolb’s learning cycle combined with a created safe learning atmosphere, intended designed to enhance student’s understanding and their competencies in designing of teaching and learning activities for their future classroom. The designed framework can be divided into 6 steps: 1) motivation by games, 2) application of games to the subject content, 3) reflection of the lesson learned, 4) fill up the content missed, 5) Learning Question 6) conclusion and knowledge formation, and 7) practice using knowledge to gain more experience. Student satisfaction results revealed that students satisfied to a good level to the proposed active learning framework. They were happy and fun to learn in a feel-free environment. They also liked to work collaboratively among group members, and feel good to studying in this course. For the knowledge achievement, it revealed that students can be able to expressed high order knowledge related to the subject contents, such as what they have learned and what they should learn next. Moreover, students demonstrated their good competencies to apply the knowledge in their teaching practices in classroom.