MacPherson Institute office space will not be accessible due to construction April 23rd to August 2026. Visit our website for more information.

Active Learning

Overview

Welcome to this module on Active Learning!

In this module, we will discuss the benefits of, and considerations for, implementing active learning across a variety of teaching and learning contexts. You will also be provided resources and prompts to personally research an active learning strategy and consider how you can apply it to your teaching for your own development.

Throughout this module, we have included opportunities for you to reflect on your learning. Please have a notebook handy so that you can note your responses along the way.

Learning Outcomes


By the end of this module, you should be able to:

  • Identify the key components of active learning
  • Explain why active learning is important
  • Considerations and for implementing and selecting an active learning strategy
  • Identify potential barriers to active learning
  • Describe the role that active learning plays in a constructively aligned learning experience

What is Active Learning?

Before we begin, pause and reflect on your experience as a student or learner in an education setting. Take a moment to think back to a time when you felt particularly engaged in your learning.

Consider: 

  • What were you doing at that time?
  • What facilitated or encouraged your engagement?

Now, review the following video. Knowing how to define active learning and identify its key components will enable you dissect your own experiences when you felt most engaged as a learner, while at the same time helping you to identify elements you want to incorporate in your own teaching.   

Reflection:

Having watched the video, open this downloadable worksheet and answer the question listed under the “What is Active Learning?” heading. This worksheet is not an assessed component of the module, but rather an opportunity for you to reflect on and apply your understanding of the content.   

References

Barkley, E. F. (2010). Student engagement techniques: A handbook for college faculty. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.  

Bonwell, C. C., & Eison, J. A. (1991). Active learning: Creating excitement in the classroom. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No.1. Washington, DC: George Washington University.  

Why is Active Learning Important?

In this section, we will briefly review some of the most cited evidence in support of active learning. We have included the references below should you wish to read them in detail.  

Later in this module, we will discuss why sharing the effectiveness of active learning as a teaching strategy is essential for engaging your students. While watching the following video, please make mental note any evidence in support of active learning that resonates with you for sharing back with your students.  

Having watched the video, now answer the question under the “Why is Active Learning Important?” heading in the downloadable worksheet.

References

Freeman, S., Eddy, S. L., McDonough, M., et al. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 111(23), 8410–8415.  

Henderson, C., Khan, R., & Dancy, M. (2018). Will my student evaluations decrease if I adopt an active learning instructional strategy? American Journal of Physics, 86(12), 934-942.  

Millis, B. J. (2012). Active learning strategies in face-to-face courses. Idea Paper, 53, 1-8.  

Prince, M. J. (2004). Does active learning work? A review of the research. Journal of Engineering Education, 93(3), 223-231.  

Implementing Active Learning

Whether you are new to active learning or a seasoned practitioner, there are a few key considerations that you should keep in in mind when selecting an active learning strategy and incorporating it into your teaching.  

Watch the video below to learn about some important considerations. These will come in handy when you are researching and selecting an active learning strategy to implement in your teaching.  

Now, please answer the question under the “Considerations for Implementing Active Learning” heading in the downloadable worksheet.  

References

Bloom, B.S. (1956) Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook: The Cognitive Domain. David McKay, New York  

Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (2001). A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: Complete Edition. New York: Longman  

Active Learning Strategies

This section will cover the application of active learning strategies.   

When selecting an active learning strategy for your lesson, you may want to consider:

  1. The course delivery medium. Is the course online, blended, or in-person? If online or blended, will students participate in the lesson synchronously or asynchronously? If in-person, is it a lecture setting or a tutorial or seminar setting?  
  2. The course discipline, and relevant program- or course-level learning outcomes. What skills and knowledge are students in your discipline expected to demonstrate, and what activities might support this development?  
  3. The class size. Is it a large introductory course, or a smaller upper-year seminar? What is the ratio of instructional staff to students for providing facilitation support?  
  4. The classroom layout and furnishings, including fixed versus moveable features [for in-person courses]. Are students able to move around the room to interact with new peers, or are they limited to interacting with those in their immediate vicinity?  
  5. Accessibility needs of your students, including mobility challenges, students’ comfort level, and the availability of required resources. What will your students need to participate in an activity, and how will you incorporate flexibility to encourage all students to engage in ways that are meaningful and comfortable to them?  
  6. The cognitive complexity of the activity, or how it relates to the lesson’s intended learning outcomes. If the activity requires students to apply their knowledge or formulate new ideas, consider whether they have the foundational knowledge, skills, and experience to do so meaningfully.  
  7. Your comfort and experience as an instructor. Remember, there is no need to pressure yourself into doing something that feels “risky” or outside of your comfort zone. Start small, and work your way up as you develop confidence in facilitating active learning techniques into your teaching. 

The following video provides more ideas about how to apply and promote active learning across a variety of teaching contexts, specifcially large classrooms and online learning.

Active Learning Resources:

You can use the resources below as a starting point for your own research on active learning strategies.  

  • Griffith University (Queensland, Australia) has a fantastic searchable database of active learning strategies. The Active Learning Design Tool allows you to filter by class size, classroom layout, preparation time, and many other criteria.  
  • If you feel like diving headfirst into the world of active learning, check out the University of Central Florida’s list of 228 Interactive Learning Techniques.   
  • If you are teaching in a large classroom, consider one of the strategies outlined in the University of Waterloo’s Activities for Large Classes.   
  • If you would like to learn more about activities for online learners, visit UC Davis’s Learning Activities and Active Learning Online. 

Are there any active learning strategies you want to learn more about? If so, please record them in the “Active Learning Strategies” section in the downloadable worksheet. After doing that, the worksheet will also prompt you with an activity that will bring together all that you have learned in this module. Now that we have defined active learning, explained its importance, and identified some considerations for selecting and implementing active learning into your teaching, it is time for you to create your own plan! 

References

Interactive Learning Techniques, University of Central Florida: https://www.fctl.ucf.edu/teachingandlearningresources/coursedesign/assessment/content/101_tips.pdf  

The Active Learning Design Tool, Griffith University (Queensland): https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/active-learning/   

Activities for Large Classes, University of Waterloo:  https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/educational-technologies/all/activities-large-classes   

Four-Step Strategy for Creating Active Learning in Any Learning Space:  https://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/tag/active-learning-strategies-for-online/   

Learning Activities and Active Learning Online, UC Davis:  https://canvas.ucdavis.edu/courses/34528/pages/learning-activities-and-active-learning-online

Active Learning Module Summary

In this workshop, you reviewed the benefits of active learning for students, noted some considerations for applying active learning, and considered how to apply an active learning strategy of your choosing in a variety of teaching contexts.

As we have now reached the end of this workshop, you should be able to:

  • Identify the key components of active learning;
  • Explain why active learning is important;
  • Identify considerations and for implementing and selecting an active learning strategy;
  • Identify potential barriers to active learning; and,
  • Describe the role that active learning plays in a constructively aligned learning experience.

Additional Resources

Acknowledgements

  • The content in the online module has been adapted from content developed by Lisa Dyce, McMaster University.   

Information Box Group

Module Reflection Form Microsoft Form

Congratulations on completing a module in the MacPherson Institute Learning Catalogue!

 

We hope you found the experience meaningful and relevant to your teaching and learning practice. As part of our ongoing effort to improve and grow the Learning Catalogue, we invite you to take just a few minutes to complete a short reflection form.

We know your time is valuable, and we deeply appreciate your willingness to share your thoughts.