Case Study Article IMPACT OF ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE STUDENT PERFORMANCE N. SASIKUMAR Research scholar, Center for Research in Education, Thava Thiru Kundrakudi Adigalar College Campus,Kundrakudi, Sivagangai District - 630 206. Tamil Nadu, South India. Email: sasismile25@gmail.com Received:13 February 2014, Revised and Accepted:1 March 2014 ABSTRACT This study is an attempt to discuss the impact of active learning strategies to enhance student performance. Education is an integral part of every human being. It moulds him to be a good citizen, who is really an asset of the country. “The wealth of a nation depends on the education of its citizens”. Teachers have a noble role in imparting knowledge to the innumerable members in a society. Ever wonder why student s pay their tuition and fees, purchase expensive textbooks, rearrange their work schedules and personal lives to enroll in classes, attend classes for short or long periods of time and then suddenly drop the class or simply stop attending? This perplexing question probably has festered in the minds of many college professors those of us who are committed to imparting wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to help shape the minds of our students. Certainly a multitude of reasons could account for the sudden disappearance of our students, who seemingly are plucked away one at a time. The school teachers, to capture the minds, evoke the interest, and enhance the motivation of those students; obviously there are many answers to this timeless question. One answer, however, lies in the content of this paper employing active learning strategies in the classroom. Keywords: Active Learning Strategies, Think-Pair-Share and Collaborative Learning INTRODUCTION Ever wonder why students pay their tuition and fees, purchase expensive textbooks, rearrange their work schedules and personal lives to enroll in classes, attend classes for short or long periods of time and then suddenly drop the class or simply stop attending? This perplexing question probably has festered in the minds of many college professors those of us who are committed to imparting wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to help shape the minds of our students. Certainly a multitude of reasons could account for the sudden disappearance of our students, who seemingly are plucked away one at a time [1]. A few examples include: work related demands, family matters, health reasons, financial pressures, relocations, and changes in their work schedules. Of course there are many other factors that also contribute to student withdrawal rates most of which are outside the control of the teacher [2]. But what about that small percentage of students who quietly disappear from our classes because they are bored, lost, unchallenged, or simply unmotivated to continue with the class? What can we do, as school teachers, to capture the minds, evoke the interest, and enhance the motivation of those students? Obviously there are many answers to this timeless question. One answer, however, lies in the content of this paper: employing active learning strategies in the classroom. Activities of ALS In my view, an active learning suggested learners work in pairs, discuss materials while role-playing, debate, engage in case study, take part in cooperative learning, or produce short written exercises, etc. The argument is when active learning should be used during learning [4]. The following activities are included in active learning system (ALS) Class Discussion A class discussion may be held in person or in an online environment. Discussions can be conducted with any class size, although it is typically more effective in smaller group settings [5]. This environment allows for instructor guidance of the learning experience. Discussion requires the learners to think critically on the subject matter and use logic to evaluate their and others' positions. As learners are expected to discuss material constructively and intelligently, a discussion is a good follow-up activity given the unit has been sufficiently covered already. Think-Pair-Share A think-pair-share activity is when learners take a minute to ponder the previous lesson, later to discuss it with one or more of their peers, finally to share it with the class as part of a formal discussion. It is during this formal discussion that the instructor should clarify misconceptions [6]. However students need a background in the subject matter to converse in a meaningful way. Therefore a "think- pair-share" exercise is useful in situations where learners can identify and relate what they already know to others. So preparation is key. Prepare learners with sound instruction before expecting them to discuss it on their own. Learning Cell A learning cell is an effective way for a pair of students to study and learn together. A learning cell is a process of learning where two students alternate asking and answering questions on commonly read materials. To prepare for the assignment, the students will read the assignment and write down questions that they have about the reading. At the next class meeting, the teacher will randomly put the students in pairs. The process begins by designating one student from each group to begin by asking one of their questions to the other. Once the two students discuss the question. The other student will ask a question and they will alternate accordingly [7]. During this time, the teacher is going around the class from group to group giving feedback and answering questions. This system is also referred to as a student dyad. Short Written Exercise A short written exercise that is often used is the "one minute paper." This is a good way to review materials and provide feedback. However a "one minute paper" does not take one minute and for students to concisely summarize it is suggested that they have at least 10 minutes to work on this exercise. Collaborative Learning Group A collaborative learning group is a successful way to learn different Vol 2, Issue 1 , 2014 ISSN: 2347-5528