Active Learning

What is Active Learning?

Active learning involves all instructional undertakings that connect learners with "doing things and thinking about what they are doing" (Bonwell & Eisen, 1991). King (1993) added to that definition by asserting that active learning is more than unresponsively obtaining and remembering information. One example of passive learning (as opposed to active learning) would involve a learner taking notes in a classroom while an instructor lectures to them. The learner in this scenario would study the information presented and recall it on an exam (King, 1993).

Constructivism to Active Learning

When John Dewey (1916) examined learning collaboration he was essentially discussing what would later be referred to as a form of active learning. Bloom (1956) and Vygotsky (1980) continued the work that lead up to Bonwell & Eisen outlining learning methods that fostered active learning (1991). Active learning has roots in constructivism, where understanding must be created or even recreated by learners (King, 1993). Additionally, this type of learning involves individuals using their own comprehension and prior knowledge about a subject to assist them in grasping the new information (King, 1993).

How Do Learners Feel About Active Learning?

In a 2020 study, University of North Dakota students were asked to define active learning in their own words. Here are some of those definitions:

"Learning in which higher level thinking is occurring because you are designing and applying what you have learned in an activity."

"Active learning is being involved in your learning experience and allows you to not forget the information immediately after you "learn it"."

In addition to providing those definitions, 100% of respondents indicated that the active learning in which they participated and/or observed throughout the semester was beneficial to their learning (Brandt & Brooks, 2020).

Strategies

Categories of Active Learning Strategies

There are four broad categories of learning strategies that one might use in an active learning classroom:

individual activities
paired activities
informal small groups
cooperative student projects

The choice of these will depend on the size of the class, physical space, objectives, the amount of time you have to devote to the activity, and your comfort level with the strategy.

Planning an Active Learning Activity

When planning an active learning activity, answering the following questions will help you clarify your goals and structure.

What are your objectives for the activity?
Who will be interacting? Will students pair up with someone beside them or someone sitting behind/in front of them? Should they pair up with someone with a different background? Someone they don't know yet?
When does the activity occur during the class? Beginning? Middle? End? How much time are you willing to spend on it?
Will students write down their answers/ideas/questions or just discuss them?
Will students turn in the responses or not? If they are asked to turn them in, should they put their names on them?
Will students turn in the responses or not? If they are asked to turn them in, should they put their names on them?
Will you give individuals a minute or so to reflect on the answer before discussing it or will they just jump right into a discussion?
Will you grade their responses or not?
How will students share the paired work with the whole class? Will you call on individuals randomly or will you solicit volunteers?
If students are responding to a question you pose, how are you going to ensure that they leave with confidence in their understanding? (Often, if various student answers are discussed without the instructor explicitly indicating which ones are "right," students become frustrated. Even with a question that has no absolute "right" answer, students want to know what the instructor's stand on the question is.)
What preparation do you need to use the activity? What preparation do the students need in order to participate fully?

Strategies to Support Active Learning

Think-Pair-Share
Jigsaw
Scenarios/Case Studies
One Minute Paper
Brainstorming
Critical Debate

For a complete list including examples and suggestions for Implementations see the Strategies to Support Active Learning document provided by McGill University. The Active Learning Continuum is a spectrum of some learning activities arranged by complexity provided by Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, University of Michigan.