What is Active Learning?
You may have heard the term active learning before, but you might
not know what it actually means. “Anything that involves students in
doing things and thinking about the things they are doing” is a form
of active learning. Active learning requires students to meaningfully
interact with the course content, think about meaning, or investigate
connections with their prior knowledge. Therefore, active learning
can include a wide range of experiences and activities such as small
group work, debates, problem-based learning, or large class
discussions. Active learning is most effective when it involves more
than one instructional strategy—rather than being expected to sit and
listen, students are encouraged to think critically about the
information, interact with others, share their thoughts, and create
new ideas.
Every college student has attended many, many lectures because it’s
very common for instructors to communicate their knowledge to their
students in this way. A lecture is often characterized by students
passively listening and maybe taking notes. However, by
incorporating questions and activities, you can easily involve students
in a lecture, making it an active, student-centered experience. This
video shows examples of lectures that feature active learning. Note
that the students are listening to the instructor, but also practicing
problem-solving and teaching their fellow students
Benefits of Active Learning
Research has shown that active learning experiences improve student
learning (e.g., Freeman et al., 2014; Prince, 2004). Something as
simple as taking breaks every fifteen minutes during a lecture and
allowing students to compare and discuss their notes can improve
student comprehension and retention of lecture information (e.g.,
Ruhl, Hughes, & Schloss, 1987; Ruhl, Hughes, & Gajar, 1990).
Allowing students to work on small group activities during class (e.g.,
Johnson, Johnson, & Smith, 1998), participate in classroom
discussions (e.g., Roehling et al., 2011), and solve problems (e.g.,
Davidson, Major, & Michaelsen, 2014) are all examples of active
learning strategies that are linked with increased academic
achievement, such as improved quiz scores or higher course grades.
These findings provide compelling evidence for the effectiveness of
active learning experiences and the need for instructors to
incorporate these strategies into their classrooms when appropriate.
In addition to these benefits to your students' learning, many
instructors find that students enjoy classes that incorporate active
learning. Because active learning asks students to be involved in the
class, these strategies can help them feel more engaged in class and
more excited about participating in the class. Active learning can
often be used to break up a lecture. Most students will struggle to
focus on a 50-minute lecture with no interruption, however a short
active learning activity can also be used to break up that lecture into
more reasonable parts.
Strategies for the Classroom
Integrating active learning into your classroom, doesn't need to take a
lot of time or effort. Below are some strategies that instructors in all
fields could implement in their classroom.
o
Think-Pair-Share
Begin by posing a question to your students. The type of question you
ask is important; one that requires considerable thought and
reflection is best (as opposed to a simple knowledge question). Give
your students sufficient time to THINK about their individual answer.
You may want to ask them to write down some of their thoughts.
Next, assign students to PAIR up with a fellow student to discuss
answers their notes. Finally, give student pairs a chance to SHARE
their answers with the class. This technique can help students feel
more comfortable participating, which increases discussion in your
classroom. When more students share their thoughts about the
content, you can assess how effective your instruction was for helping
them understand the material.
o
Minute Paper
Midway through a lecture or discussion, ask your students to write (or
type) for one minute, summarizing what they’ve learned so far. You
can collect the resulting Minute Papers to assess if their learning is on
track, or you can ask them to share their answer with their neighbor.
It's also appropriate to conduct a Minute Paper exercise at the end of
a lesson, either to summarize what they learned or to share with you
what’s still unclear. This variation is sometimes called a Muddiest
Point. Using this technique allows you to assess the the effectiveness
of your classroom activities and identify topics for which you may
need to address.
o
Case Studies
Case studies are situational stories used to show students how
theories or concepts can be applied to real-world situations. Present
small teams of students with a complex open-ended problem in your
field that may have no clear solution. The situations typically start
with “What would you propose if...” or “How would you figure out...”
Ask the students to answer the question using the theories or
concepts you’ve learned about in class. You can give students the
problem very early in the class period—in the absence of further
information—and encourage them to identify the information they’ll
need to solve the problem. This type of approach requires more
planning and preparation from the instructor to ensure the problem
and other learning materials are sufficient for student success and
that the exercise addresses the learning objectives of the course.
Fortunately, many case studies are published in texts and online that
you can adapt for your students.
o
Jigsaw
Imagine you’re starting a new unit of your course which features a
multi-step process or multiple viewpoints your students should
consider. Using a jigsaw activity helps students learn a topic and then
teach one another with your guidance. Begin by assigning students
into groups. Members of each group will be assigned to study one part
of the larger lesson, discussing it within their group and learning all
they can about it. Later that day or during the next class period, new
groups are formed. Each new group has one member from each of the
old groups. Each member then is responsible for teaching the new
group members about what they have learned. This strategy is a form
of Peer Teaching. Following the group work, you would conduct a
brief lecture or lead a class discussion to review and integrate the
main points, and address student questions.
1. Think-pair-repair
In this twist on think-pair-share, pose an open-ended question to your class and
ask students to come up with their best answer. Next, pair learners up and get
them to agree on a response. Get two pairs together, and the foursome needs to
do the same thing. Continue until half the group goes head to head with the other
half.
2. Improv games
If your classroom is museum-level quiet no matter how you try to liven things up,
try some low-stakes (read: not embarrassing) improv activities. In the three
things in common game, pairs figure out the most unexpected things they share.
Or challenge your students to count to 20 as a group with one person saying
each number – but no one is assigned a number, and if two people talk at the
same time, everyone starts again at 1.
3. Brainwriting
You’ve probably tried brainstorming, but have you triedbrainwriting? In this
approach, students begin by coming up with their own ideas, either on paper or
using visual collaboration software. Building in time for individual reflection leads
to better ideas and less groupthink.
4. Jigsaw
Help students build accountability by teaching each other. Start by dividing them
into “home groups” (4 or 5 people works well). Assign each person in the group a
different topic to explore – they’ll regroup to work with all the students from the
other groups who are exploring the same idea. Once they’ve mastered the
concept, students return to their home group and everyone shares newfound
expertise.
5. Concept mapping
Use your walls or displays to visually organize ideas. Collaborative concept
mapping is a great way for students to step away from their individual
perspectives. Groups can do this to review previous work, or it can help them
map ideas for projects and assignments.
6. The one-minute paper
How much could you explain in one minute? At the end of class, set a timer and
ask students to write down their most eye-opening revelation or biggest question.
This activity lets students reflect on learning and build writing skills – plus you’ll
get a window into their understandings and misunderstandings. Here are more
prompts you can use to get students writing.
7. Real-time reactions
When students are watching a video, a mini lecture or another student’s
presentation, have them share their real-time reactions. This helps students spot
trends and consider new points of view. You can set up a hashtag to allow
for live tweeting, or use cloud-based collaboration software displayed at the front
of the room to get the same effect with none of the distractions.
8. Chain notes
Write several questions on pieces of paper and pass each to a student. The first
student adds a response (use a timer to keep things moving quickly) and then
passes the page along to gather more responses. Multiple contributions help
build more complete understanding. A digital alternative involves using apps to
share responses both simultaneously and anonymously (QuickShare in Span™
Workspace works great for this). Then your class can examine the responses
and identify patterns and missing pieces.
9. Idea line up
Choose a question that has a range of responses, and then ask students where
they stand – literally. Have them come to the front of the classroom and organize
themselves in a line, based on where on the spectrum of answers they find
themselves.
10. Mystery quotation
Test how well students can apply their understanding of an issue or theoretical
position. After they’ve explored a topic, show them a quotation about it they’ve
never seen before. Their task is to figure out the point of view of the person
behind the quotation – and justify it to the class. Students can debate this issue
in small groups before beginning a whole-class discussion.
11. Idea speed dating
Have students cycle through your space, sharing insights about a topic or their
elevator pitch for an upcoming project. As they present their learnings multiple
times on several “speed dates,” students’ presentation skills and perspectives will
grow.
12. Peer review
The process of peer review is as old as academia, and it’s never too early to
start. Have students swap drafts of their essays, proposals or lab reports, and
then come up with comments and questions for each other. Make sure to be
clear about what the goals are (using rubrics helps). For example, students could
identify compelling arguments, unanswered questions and holes in logic.
13. Quescussion
Ever played Jeopardy? Then you’re ready for quescussion. It’s like a standard
class discussion but only questions are allowed (students call “Statement!” if
someone slips up). If you play this game at the beginning of the course, the
questions can help shape your course. Make sure to write them down – if you’re
using Span Workspace, students can contribute right from their devices.
14. Sketchnoting
Instead of taking traditional lecture notes, try getting your students to sketch a
picture that represents what they’ve learned during class. Remember, it’s not
about the quality of the art – it’s about how drawing prompts students to visualize
their understanding and look at their learning from a different perspective.
15. Empathy mapping
Take a page from the designers’ handbook and get students to explore deeper
by embracing a perspective. It’s deceptively simple – write down what a
person says, thinks, does and feels. The ability to slow down and immerse
yourself in another point of view is valuable. In design thinking, empathy maps
help designers create better products for users. But this process can be just as
valuable for analyzing characters from literature, historical figures or political
stances.
The Pause Procedure— Pause for two minutes every 12 to 18 minutes, encouraging
students to discuss and rework notes in pairs. This approach encourages students to
consider their understanding of the lecture material, including its organization. It also
provides an opportunity for questioning and clarification and has been shown to
significantly increase learning when compared to lectures without the pauses. (Bonwell
and Eison, 1991; Rowe, 1980; 1986; Ruhl, Hughes, & Schloss, 1980)
Retrieval practice—Pause for two or three minutes every 15 minutes, having students
write everything they can remember from preceding class segment. Encourage questions.
This approach prompts students to retrieve information from memory, which improves
long term memory, ability to learn subsequent material, and ability to translate
information to new domains. (Brame and Biel, 2015; see also the CFT’s guide to testenhanced learning)
Demonstrations—Ask students to predict the result of a demonstration, briefly
discussing with a neighbor. After demonstration, ask them to discuss the observed result
and how it may have differed from their prediction; follow up with instructor explanation.
This approach asks students to test their understanding of a system by predicting an
outcome. If their prediction is incorrect, it helps them see the misconception and thus
prompts them to restructure their mental model.
Think-pair-share—Ask students a question that requires higher order thinking (e.g.,
application, analysis, or evaluation levels within Bloom’s taxonomy). Ask students to
think or write about an answer for one minute, then turn to a peer to discuss their
responses for two minutes. Ask groups to share responses and follow up with instructor
explanation. By asking students to explain their answer to a neighbor and to critically
consider their neighbor’s responses, this approach helps students articulate newly formed
mental connections.
Peer instruction with ConcepTests—This modification of the think-pair-share involves
personal response devices (e.g., clickers). Pose a conceptually based multiple-choice
question. Ask students tothink about their answer and vote on a response before turning
to a neighbor to discuss. Encourage students to change their answers after discussion, if
appropriate, and share class results by revealing a graph of student responses. Use the
graph as a stimulus for class discussion. This approach is particularly well-adapted for
large classes and can be facilitated with a variety of tools (e.g., Poll Everywhere, TopHat,
TurningPoint). More information is available in the CIRTL MOOC An Introduction to
Evidence-Based College STEM Teaching. (Fagen et al., 2002; Crouch and Mazur, 2001)
Minute papers—Ask students a question that requires them to reflect on their learning or
to engage in critical thinking. Have them write for one minute. Ask students to share
responses to stimulate discussion or collect all responses to inform future class sessions.
Like the thinkpair-share approach, this approach encourages students to articulate and
examine newly formed connections. (Angelo and Cross, 1993; Handelsman et al., 2007)
Strip sequence—Give students the steps in a process on strips of paper that are jumbled;
ask them to work together to reconstruct the proper sequence. This approach can
strengthen students’ logical thinking processes and test their mental model of a process.
(Handelsman et al., 2007
Concept map—Concept maps are visual representations of the relationships between
concepts. Concepts are placed in nodes (often, circles), and the relationships between
indicated by labeled arrows connecting the concepts. To have students create a concept
map, identify the key concepts to be mapped in small groups or as a whole class. Ask
students to determine the general relationship between the concepts and to arrange them
two at a time, drawing arrows between related concepts and labeling with a short phrase
to describe the relationship. By asking students to build an external representation of their
mental model of a process, this approach helps students examine and strengthen the
organization within the model. Further, it can emphasize the possibility of multiple
“right” answers. More information and a tool to do online concept mapping can be found
at the Institute for Human & Machine Cognition. (Novak and Canas, 2008)
Mini-maps. Mini-maps are like concept maps, but students are given a relatively short list
of terms (usually 10 or fewer) to incorporate into their map. To use this approach,
provide students a list of major concepts or specific terms and ask them to work in groups
of two or three to arrange the terms in a logical structure, showing relationships with
arrows and words. Ask groups to volunteer to share their mini-maps and clarify any
confusing points. Mini-maps have many of the same strengths as concept maps but can
be completed more quickly and thus can serve as part of a larger class session with other
learning activities. (Handelsman et al., 2007)
Categorizing grids. Present students with a grid made up of several important categories
and a list of scrambled terms, images, equations, or other items. Ask students to quickly
sort the terms into the correct categories in the grid. Ask volunteers to share their grids
and answer questions that arise. This approach allows students to express and thus
interrogate the distinctions they see within a field of related items. It can be particularly
effective at helping instructors identify misconceptions. (Angelo and Cross, 1993)
Student-generated test questions. Provide students with a copy of your learning goals for
a particular unit and a figure summarizing Bloom’s taxonomy (with representative verbs
associated with each category). Challenge groups of students to create test questions
corresponding to your learning goals and different levels of the taxonomy. Consider
having each group share their favorite test question with the whole class or consider
distributing all student-generated questions to the class as a study guide. This approach
helps students consider what they know as well as implications of the instructor’s stated
learning goals. (Angelo and Cross, 1993)
Content, form, and function outlines. Students in small groups are asked to carefully
analyze a particular artifact—such as a poem, a story, an essay, a billboard, an image, or
a graph—and identify the “what” (the content), the “how” (the form), and the function
(the why). This technique can help students consider the various ways that meaning is
communicated in different genres. (Angelo and Cross, 1993)
Decision-making activities. Ask students to imagine that they are policy-makers who
must make and justify tough decisions. Provide a short description of a thorny problem,
ask them to work in groups to arrive at a decision, and then have groups share out their
decisions and explain their reasoning. This highly engaging technique helps students
critically consider a challenging problem and encourages them to be creative in
considering solutions. The “realworld” nature of the problems can provide incentive for
students to dig deeply into the problems. (Handelsman et al., 2007)
Case-based learning. Much like decision-making activities, case-based learning presents
students with situations from the larger world that require students to apply their
knowledge to reach a conclusion about an open-ended situation. Provide students with a
case, asking them to decide what they know that is relevant to the case, what other
information they may need, and what impact their decisions may have, considering the
broader implications of their decisions. Give small groups (3-5) of students time to
consider responses, circulating to ask questions and provide help as needed. Provide
opportunities for groups to share responses; the greatest value from case-based learning
comes from the complexity and variety of answers that may be generated. More
information and collections of cases are available at the National Center for Case Study
Teaching in Science, the Case Method Website of UC-Santa Barbara, and World History
Sources.