Active learning refers to learning that requires students to do something as opposed to passively "receiving" knowledge by means of a lecture, video, or text produced by experts.
Active learning can assume many forms, from simple activities like minute papers and self-assessments to more complex ones like simulations and quarter-long collaborative projects. Regardless of its specific form, active learning typically emphasizes higher-order thinking skills and collaboration among peers.
Why Active Learning?
There are a number of reasons to incorporate active learning in your teaching practice:
- Active learning has been found to increase student engagement and motivation (Prince 2004) and even narrow achievement gaps (Theobald 2020).
- Active learning has been shown to increase student performance. A 2014 meta-analysis of 225 studies of active learning in science, engineering, technology, and math courses found that students in lecture-based classes are 50% more likely to fail than students in classes that integrate active learning (Freeman 2014).
- Active learning encourages higher-order thinking, such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. According to a national survey, 93% of employers say critical thinking, clear communication, and problem solving skills are more important than a student’s undergraduate major. (American Association of Colleges and Universities, 2013.)
Explaining Active Learning to Your Students
Some students resist peer learning and may even see it as an abdication of a faculty member's responsibility to teach. In a
study conducted at Harvard University, students learned more from active learning experiences when compared to passively listening to a well-delivered, traditional lecture. However, the students mistakenly believed they learned less from active learning. To address misconceptions like these, it is often helpful to introduce new learning activities by talking about why you're including it in the course. Make sure you explain how the activities you've planned are linked with the course learning objectives. You might also consider asking students why they think you've asked them to engage in a certain activity. Among other reasons students may cite, active learning often...
- involves skills necessary in life beyond the classroom;
- can improve one's motivation to continue learning;
- provides exposure to students from other backgrounds, interests and walks of life; etc.
References and Further Reading
American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU). "It Takes More Than a Major: Employer Priorities for College Learning and Student Success." April 2013.
Barkley, E. F., Cross, K.P., & Major, C.H. (2005).
Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Freeman, S., et al. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23), 8410–8415. https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1319030111
Johnson, D.W., Maruyama, G., Johnson, R., Nelson, D., & Skon, L. (1981).
Effects of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic goal structures on achievement: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 89 (1), 47-62.
Millis, B.J. (2012).
Active learning strategies in face-to-face courses. The Idea Center.
Natasi, B.K., & Clements, D.H. (1991).
Research on cooperative learning: Implications for practice. School Psychology Review, 20 (1), 110-131.
O'Donnell, A., & O'Kelly, J. (1994)
Learning from peers: Beyond the rhetoric of positive results. Educational Psychology Review, 6 (4), 321-350.
Prince, M. (2004), Does Active Learning Work? A Review of the Research. Journal of Engineering Education, 93: 223-231.
https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2168-9830.2004.tb00809.x
Slavin, Robert.
Cooperative learning: Theory, research and practice. (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Springer, L., Stanne, M.E., & Donovan, S.S. (1999).
Effects of small-group learning on undergraduates in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research. 69 (1). pp 21-51.
Theobald, E. J., et al. (2020). Active learning narrows achievement gaps for underrepresented students in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(12), 6476–6483. https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1916903117