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 < Learning Activities

Active Learning

There are many definitions of active learning, but in essence, active learning is any learning experience that requires student participation beyond passively listening to an instructor's lecture and possibly taking notes. Active learning involves student engagement in the learning process. This can include writing, discussion, problem solving, creating new ideas, synthesis, or evaluation.  While active learning can and does take place outside of the classroom or online learning environment, this page will focus primarily on those two situations.

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The Center for Teaching and Learning’s handout on active learning provides an overview of this method of instruction.

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In Support of Active Learning in the Classroom

Teaching strategies that employ active learning methods may be more effective than those that focus on traditional lectures. Differences are most evident in the learning outcomes beyond basic knowledge typically demonstrated by recalling facts and concepts; these higher-order outcomes include comprehension, application, cognitive development, synthesis, and other learning outcomes. This is highlighted in Chapter 11 of Teaching at Its Best (Nilson, 2010). A sample of Nilson’s (2010) relevant findings is shown in the following table, which compares teaching methods and learning outcomes according to the objectives categorized by Bloom’s taxonomy.

Teaching Method
Meets Knowledge Objectives
Meets Comprehension Objectives
Meets Application Objectives
Meets Analysis Objectives
Meets Synthesis Objectives
Meets Evaluation Objectives
Lecture
Yes
—
—
—
—
—
Interactive Lecture
Yes
Yes

Possible

Possible

Possible

Possible

Directed Discussion
—
Yes

Possible

Possible

Possible

Possible

Group Work or Learning
—
Yes

Possible

Possible

Possible

Possible

Peer Feedback
—
Yes
—
Yes
—
Yes
Case Method
—
—
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Guided Inquiry

Yes, when narrowly focused on the problem/project 


Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Project-Based Learning

Yes, when narrowly focused on the problem/project 


Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Role-Play and Simulation
—
Yes
Yes
Yes
—
Yes
Service Learning with Reflection
—
—
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

Source: Adapted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center for Teaching and Learning, from Teaching at Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors (3rd ed., p. 107), by L. B. Nilson, 2010, John Wiley & Sons. Copyright 2010 by John Wiley & Sons. 


Note: A “Possible” designation indicates that achieving these outcomes is dependent on the quality and types of interactivity, including discussion and other tasks.

Active Learning Techniques

Always consider the situational impact before implementing any new active learning technique. Here are some things to consider as you evaluate appropriate techniques. Assess all of the following when thinking about what techniques might work well for your classroom with your lesson:

  • Learning objectives that you hope to support with the selected technique

  • Your class size (number of students)

  • Student goals and the course topic (traditional, professional development, public service)

  • The learning platform (on-site or online)

  • If on-site, the physical environment (a static lecture hall vs. a flexible learning space)

  • Required resources (from handouts to technologies)

  • Universal design (recognizing and removing potential barriers)

  • The amount of time that can be afforded to a selected practice/technique

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The handout Brainstorming: Increasing Engagement/Participation in Face-to-Face Courses includes some active learning methods along with other ideas for engaging students with their learning. Also consider the following:

Students are divided into small "home" groups. Each group member is then assigned as an ambassador to learn and discuss a specific portion of the lesson's content/problem (a piece of the puzzle) with "like" representatives from the other home groups. The ambassadors assigned to the same portion (puzzle piece) then meet to become experts on that part of the content before returning home and sharing what they've learned with their original group. Everyone shares. Everyone learns. All the content is covered. The entire jigsaw puzzle is put back together in the home group. 

The three-step interview is good for introductions at the start of a term, summarizing information (i.e., a quick recap of an assigned reading), and spurring discussions. The steps are as follows:

  1. Students are paired, and with questions provided by faculty, one student interviews the other. A time limit can be set for the interviews.

  2. The roles are swapped, and the interviewee becomes the interviewer.

  3. The pairs of students gather in small groups (two to three pairs) to share with the group what they learned from their partner's responses.

Students are divided into small groups, ideally seated in a circle so they can look at each other while conversing. The students are given one or more prompts or questions. Each student takes a turn responding—out loud and uninterrupted—to the prompt while, at the same time, every group member is writing down each response. At the end of the round table activity, every student will have a record of every response, including their own. This is good for collaborative writing, brainstorming, and identifying key points from a lecture.

Students are asked to summarize a topic and key concepts by showing their relations using a "radial web." This can be done as an individual or group activity. Students begin by writing and then drawing a circle around a key topic in the middle of a page. They then are tasked with identifying the major subtopics and writing each at the end of a line extending from the middle circle. Each subtopic can have another level of information extending from its circle, to another circle and so on. When the final subtopic level is reached, especially in the case of a list of individual facts or ideas that all fall in the same group, the circles can stop, and these items can just be written alongside a line extending from their related subtopic circle. Learn more about mind mapping in the article “Mind Maps as Classroom Exercises” by Budd (2004).

Participants are selected to represent roles and interact with others in other roles in a particular scenario. Ideally, the role assigned to each student would be similar to a role they have in their real, day-to-day life. The role-play simulation allows students to immerse themselves in a practical situation where they can apply the skills garnered from other learning activities. Purposeful or not, role-play also improves professional and interpersonal skills. Joyner and Young's (2006) article “Teaching Medical Students Using Role Play: Twelve Tips for Successful Role Plays” gives excellent straight-forward suggestions for successful role-play that can be applied to any classroom.

Students are provided with a case study. They are asked to review and write down a brief assessment of the case study using what they learned in the lecture, working individually, in pairs, or in small groups.

Active Learning When Time is Limited

One concern about active learning is that it takes up time that would otherwise be used for lecturing.  Some instructors are concerned that they will not be able to cover the material they usually cover in their limited class time if they use some of that time to incorporate active learning exercises. Though it is true that time spent on active learning will take time away from lecturing, it is best to take full advantage of synchronous class time and reconsider what needs to be covered in the class session versus what students can read and watch asynchronously, outside of class time. 

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From Felder and Brent (1999, p. 276):
“A huge volume of material can be ‘covered’ in a short period of time. If you put all of your lecture notes in PowerPoint or on transparencies and flash through them in class, you can get through several hundred pages of text in a month. The question is, what is your objective? If it is simply to present all of the prescribed course material, regardless of how much or little of it the students actually absorb, then you should not use active learning exercises—they do indeed slow things down. However, if the objective relates to what the students learn as opposed to what you present, then the goal should not be to cover the syllabus but to uncover the most important parts of it.”

Student-Active Breaks

While some active learning activities certainly take significant amounts of time, many can be interspersed within a lecture and take only about five minutes or less. There are several options for creating more interactive lectures using student-active breaks.

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Students' attention is shown to drop off after the first 15 minutes of a lecture. By pausing with a student-active break, students are guided to refocus and review the material they've just learned, and their comprehension and recollection increase. No instructor–student interaction is required, though listening to different discussions and being available to answer questions can be helpful.

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After 12–18 minutes of lecturing, pause for 2 minutes to take an active break. Make certain to limit the time and movement to cause as little disruption (and time "lost") as possible.

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See supporting research by Ruhl et al. (1987) and the following examples of student-active breaks:

ActiveBreaks

  • Pair and Compare/Active Pause 

    • Pause briefly to allow students to review their notes, discuss these notes, and fill in gaps with another student who is close by.

    • Time needed: 2 minutes.

  • Pair, Compare, and Ask

    • Students ask each other questions about lecture content and answer questions from peers. Unresolved questions are presented to the class.

    • Time needed: 2 minutes for the pair, 2–5 minutes for remaining questions.

    • Optional: Add a pair/compare/ask component so they can answer each others' questions.

  • Free Recall

    • Students put away lecture notes/close laptops and write down two or three key points from the lecture as well as questions they have.  

    • Time needed: 2 minutes for recall, 2–3 minutes to respond to questions.

  • Think–Pair–Share

    • The faculty poses a problem to students. Students work individually on interpreting and answering the problem, then in pairs, and finally sharing in a class-wide discussion.

    • A variation that works for large classes is "think–pair–square," where after individual thought, students work through the problem in groups of four.

  • Quick Thinks

    • Correct the Error

      • Faculty give the students an inaccurate or incomplete statement and students are asked to identify the error and turn it into a true statement.

    • Paraphrase the Idea

      • Students are asked to paraphrase a concept in their own words, often as they might prepare it for a specific audience such as medical professionals or the general public.

  • Muddiest Point

    • Students are asked to write down the most confusing (muddiest) part of the lecture, reading, etc. Their response can be shared on a discussion forum, through face-to-face discussion, or collected. These responses can be discussed as a class or in pairs, or used by the faculty to use as a springboard toward guiding another lecture opportunity.

Active Learning in Large Classrooms

​One situation/concern that is often posed to the Center for Teaching and Learning is that of implementing active learning techniques in a large classroom, especially those that are organized as traditional lecture halls.  Even though this can be challenging, it is certainly possible to use active learning strategies in this situation. 

 

Here are some suggested techniques for active learning in large classrooms:

  • Student Response Systems (i.e., Clickers) or Other Survey Assessments (e.g., Poll Everywhere)

    • "Presumably, using clickers in the classroom should facilitate the type of learning environment that motivates students to learn by facilitating feedback, providing challenges, and encouraging active involvement" (Trees & Jackson, 2007).

    • Surveying in a large classroom not only makes the students active learners but also allows for a quick formative assessment of the class as a whole, which faculty can use to guide their lecture. Another benefit is that these tools are usually set to allow students to respond anonymously, alleviating any intimidation.

    • Depending on the selected tool, multiple-choice questions to assess comprehension about key points can be developed and entered into the response system in advance of the lecture. These questions might be built into a presentation and projected to the students at different spots in the lecture.

    • Some tools allow for more open responses, where the multiple-choice questions can be impromptu.

    • The results of the survey/assessment are usually projected to the students as a histogram or other visual display of the gathered data.

  • Student-Active Breaks

    • The quick student-active break (discussed above) is an excellent technique to use in the large classroom.
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Additional Resources

References

Blagg, J. D., Jr. (2012). Saving lecture from the dustbin. Radiologic Technology, 84(2), 193–195.

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Budd, J. W. (2004). Mind maps as classroom exercises. The Journal of Economic Education, 35(1), 35–46. https://doi.org/10.3200/JECE.35.1.35-46

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Cooper, J. L., & Robinson, P. (2000). Getting started: Informal small-group strategies in large classes. New Directions for Teaching & Learning, 2000(81), 17–24. https://doi.org/10.1002/tl.8102
 

Faust, J. L., & Paulson, D. R. (1998). Active learning in the college classroom. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 9(2), 3–24.

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Felder, R. M., & Brent, R. (1999). FAQs. II. Active learning vs. covering the syllabus and dealing with large classes. Chemical Engineering Education, 33(4), 276–277.


Joyner, B., & Young, L. (2006). Teaching medical students using role play: Twelve tips for successful role plays. Medical Teacher, 28(3), 225–229. https://doi.org/10.1080/01421590600711252
 

Nilson, L. B. (2010). Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons. 


Ruhl, K. L., Hughes, C. A., & Schloss, P. J. (1987). Using the pause procedure to enhance lecture recall. Teacher Education and Special Education, 10(1), 14–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/088840648701000103


Trees, A. R., & Jackson, M. H. (2007). The learning environment in clicker classrooms: Student processes of learning and involvement in large university-level courses using student response systems. Learning, Media and Technology, 32(1), 21–40. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439880601141179

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