Introduction to Active Learning
What is active learning?
Active learning is one way to engage students and foster deeper learning. Two definitions of active learning are:
- “The intentional inclusion of teaching strategies within a classroom setting that generate student activity and engagement in the learning process” (OpenEd Guelph)
- “Instructional activities involving students in doing things and thinking about what they are doing” (Bonwell and Eison, 1991).
Why incorporate active learning?
Research has shown that when active learning strategies are used, as opposed to only using passive lecturing, it improves students’ learning. More specifically, active learning strategies can (Prince, 2004):
- Enhance student retention of course material
- Improve thinking and writing abilities
- Enhance student attitudes towards learning
- Increase motivation for further study
- Help students to develop awareness of their approach to learning
How can you incorporate active learning?
There are many different active learning strategies that you can try incorporating in your teaching, some may take only a few minutes of class time, while others may be longer. Some examples of active learning strategies are described below and links to other resources are provided for more ideas!
Whichever strategies you end up trying, consider asking students for feedback to understand how they are being received and what students find useful. For ideas on how to get feedback see the section Introduction to Collecting Feedback from Students.
Ask students a question that requires higher order thinking (i.e., a question that requires students to go beyond recalling facts and may require application, analysis, or evaluation).
By asking students to explain their answer to a neighbour and to critically consider their neighbour’s responses, this approach helps students articulate newly formed mental connections. You can add variations to this strategy as well, for example think-group-share would ask students to discuss in small groups instead of with one neighbour.
Divide students into groups and give each group a different topic to discuss or a question to answer. After students have had time in the expert groups, re-mix the groups so that each new group has one “expert” from each topic who now teaches it to the new group or shares what their first group discussed.
Surveys and polls have many different uses, such as brainstorming, practice questions/quizzes, and checking students’ understanding of a topic. You can also use students’ responses to questionnaires to generate discussion.
There are many different online tools you can use for polling, surveys, and quizzes, such as Zoom polls, Menti, and Kahoot!.
Sticky notes can be used to collect students’ answers or ideas/questions related to a topic. Students can organize sticky notes into categories, write on additional sticky notes to respond to other people’s ideas, or add checkmarks or other symbols to show which sticky notes have answers they think are correct or ideas they agree are important – you can be creative with how you structure this activity!
There are different tools that can help you facilitate similar activities online, such as Padlet, Google Jamboard App, and the annotation function in Zoom.
Divide students into groups to share ideas, experiences, and knowledge around a specific discussion topic or prepared questions.
With appropriate situations or problems, the class can define the characters or situation. Selected students then act out the scene. This activity is concluded with a discussion on the issues that were observed by the group.
Divide a topic into sub-topics. Write these sub-topics on flip chart paper and post them at different “stations” around the room. Invite students to visit each station and leave some comments. Reconvene the group to discuss the results.
These experiential learning approaches encourage active learning and discussion. They are often collaborative and require higher order thinking skills. Students interact with course material in a fun and engaging manner. For example, a game like “Jeopardy” can be played during a review session to help students prepare for an upcoming exam. Simulations allow students to experiment and make predictions about real-life situations in a safe environment. Be sure to debrief after each activity or exercise to maximize their educational value.
Now it’s your turn! Check out the complementary activities to reflect on how you can provide effective feedback for your students this semester.
Adapted From:
- Active Learning Strategies OpenEd University of Guelph.
- Active Learning Strategies. Office of Teaching and Learning, University of Guelph.
- Bergquist, H. and Phillips, S. (1989). Classroom Structures Which Encourage Student Participation. In R. Neff and M. Weimer (Eds.). Classroom Communication. Madison, WI: Magna Publications, 19-23.
Additional Resources:
- Bonwell, C.C., and J.A. Eison, “Active Learning: Creating Excitement in the Classroom”, ASHEERIC Higher Education Report No. 1, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 1991.
- Prince, M., “Does Active Learning Work? A Review of the Research”, Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 93, No. 3, 2004, pp223 – 231.
- For more research on the benefits of active learning, see the Active Learning Resource from the Center for Teaching at Vanderbilt University.
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