Active Learning Strategies

Definitions

Active learning engages students' minds and enables more in-depth learning. There are dozens and dozens of possible active learning approaches useful in higher ed classrooms, and this page will provide examples.

Let's start with an overview. Here are two definitions for active learning:

“Active learning refers to a broad range of teaching strategies which engage students as active participants in their learning during class time with their instructor. Typically, these strategies involve some amount of students working together during class, but may also involve individual work and/or reflection.”

University of Minnesota’s Center for Educational Innovation Links to an external site.

”Thus active learning is commonly defined as activities that students do to construct knowledge and understanding. The activities vary but require students to do higher order thinking. Although not always explicitly noted, metacognition — students’ thinking about their own learning — is an important element, providing the link between activity and learning.” 

Brame, Cynthia. “Active Learning Links to an external site.,” Vanderbilt’s Center for Teaching

 

Why Use Active Learning?

Here's a great video created by University of Minnesota's Center for Educational Innovation Links to an external site., featuring faculty discussion of Active Learing:

The faculty in the video highlight a long list of benefits, including: 

  • Improved first-generation and BIPOC student performance
  • Higher teaching evaluations
  • Better student attendance
  • More opportunities to engage quiet students 
  • Stronger sense of belonging
  • Increased engagement
  • Higher success rates
  • Improved content retention
  • Greater faculty-student interactions
  • More peer interactions
  • Increased student responsibility 

 

Planning Considerations

Some key topics to consider when planning for active learning classroom approaches include TIME, DESIGN, and TRANSPARENCY.

First, make sure that you consider how much class time you have for active learning. They are not all created equal, and they don't take the same time to implement. This great image from the University of Minnesota's Center for Educational Innovation Links to an external site.provides a great visual for the range of active learning strategies on a scale that moves from simple to complex. 

A continuum that identifies simple active learning activites (including writing, pauses, self-assessment, and think-pair-share) to more complex activities (including experiential learning, jigaw, role playing and hands-on-technology).

 

While some of the most time-intensive activites, like experiential learning, take time, they are also the most likely to be remembered. I lead students in a study abroad program, and I know that my students do not ever forget that experience. But don't let time become the major obstace. The same U of Minnesota site provideas a great class planning framework for managing time in a face-to-face course.

A series of boxes that represent classroom time segments, varying lecture and short active learning elements.

Another planning consideration is your own instructional design. I would never recommend active learning to be thrown into a class with little design and connection to course material. To ensure that information is well planned, consider these designj elements and have a clear plan for including the active learning approach:

  • Choose meaningful activities (for the course and the students)
  • Carefully consider your facilitation approach
  • Keep students on task 
  • Plan for a wrap up 
  • Be consistent
  • Collect feedback and adjust your approach

Finally, I am going to advocate for transparency in your use of active learning strategies. At the beginning of the term and before you begin your first activities, tell students why you’re having them engaged in activities during class. This is particularly important if active learning is not common in your discipline. This explanation doesn’t need to be long or involved and can be as simple as, “In this course, I’d like you to be successful approaching your homework and exams, so we’re going to be doing in-class practice that I hope will make these easier for you. You’ll often be working in pairs or groups so you can bounce ideas off of each other and ask each other questions.” Make sure that you set up the WHY and HOW of your apporach. 

 

Active Learning Strategy Examples

This video covers three categories of active learning approaches, from simple to complex. 

 

 

Resources

Here are some useful online resources to help you plan your own active learning classroom.