Active Learning Techniques
What is Active Learning
Active learning is an active, conceptualized process of building a network of knowledge rather than simply acquiring information. Ertmer & Newby, 2008. The learner is an active participant in gaining their functional knowledge. By using active learning, the learner is focused on activities that stimulate information processing, organization and recollection. To help the instructor guide the active learning process, formative assessments are used.
The Benefits of Active Learning the Classroom
The breadth of educational literature indicating the benefits of active learning in certain disciplines is expansive. Abundant evidence from educational research and psychology of learning studies clearly demonstrates that an active approach in the classroom leads to improved student learning and academic success. Bain 2004; Bransford, Brown & Cocking, 2000; Brown, Roediger & McDaniel, 2014.
Study after study provides evidence of active learning leading to improvements in both student learning and student success. Across several disciplines, many instructors have already incorporated active learning andragogy in their classes; our results can be seen on the Research & Assessments page, and the TLC hopes to continue this trend.
Classroom Techniques
Visit these drop-downs to explore active learning techniques. The expanded links lead you to the origin or a deep dive into the concept.
One way to make sure that everyone gets a fair hearing is to use brainwriting. Instead of sharing your thoughts out loud, brainwriting gives your people time to write them down. And when you come to talk through their ideas, there's often a richer selection to explore than if you'd used brainstorming alone.
Learn more: Brainwriting
Most case assignments require students to answer an open-ended question or develop a solution to an open-ended problem with multiple potential solutions. Requirements can range from a one-paragraph answer to a fully developed group action plan, proposal or decision.
Learn More: Case Studies
Classroom demonstrations are a staple in many classrooms (especially in science and engineering disciplines). Further, students rate demonstrations as being one of their favorite types of classroom activities. However, discipline-based education research indicates that this teaching practice has intricacies that dramatically impact its effectiveness on student learning.
Learn more: Classroom Demonstration
Exam Wrappers are tools for students to examine their test readiness, identify specific strategies to improve readiness and examine how effective those strategies are so adaptations can be made for future exams.
Learn more: Exam Wrapper
Exit tickets are short response tasks that teachers administer to students after an activity (such as laboratory experiment) or class period. They present opportunities for teachers to elicit students’ thinking without affecting their grade, provide individualized feedback, and identify learning needs or modifications to an instructional plan.
Learn more: Exit Tickets
An intentionally designed experience involves multiple methods to help learners develop their skills and knowledge by allowing them to associate the concept to things they might be more familiar with. It enhances their problem-solving and critical thinking skills in an environment that is comfortable and encourages free expression while keeping learners motivated. By evaluating which type of learning strategy is most likely to be effective, the instructor crafts a lesson using a variety of stimuli to help learners absorb complex concepts or solve problems with interactive activities.
Fishbowl is a discussion among students in an inner circle surrounded by an outer circle of silent active listeners. The inner group is asked to contrasting perspectives or particular roles. For example, they may debate a particular question or represent the contrasting viewpoints of public figures or thinkers. The outer group observes, and may swap into the group. The fishbowl concludes with a plenary debrief to draw out the main points.
Learn more: Fishbowl
This discussion technique allows students to be actively engaged as they walk throughout the classroom. They work together in small groups to share ideas and respond to meaningful questions, documents, images, problem-solving situations or texts.
Learn More: Gallery Walk
Gamification is the process of adding game‑like elements—such as points, badges, and leaderboards—to non‑game activities to increase engagement and motivation.
Including game-like elements in instructional activities and assessments can add a level of excitement and competition to an in-person, online, or hybrid class. These elements help to increase students' attention and motivation, drive engagement and self-direction, and make learning more enjoyable. Examples include achieving levels, posting a leaderboard, and winning points, all of which can become key components of the learning experience. Some educators engage the use of apps to track scores or support the process. Activities can be individual or team based. The idea is to leverage familiar elements from games to make learning more engaging and improve student learning.
Learn more about gamification
During this learning activity students are asked a question with a spectrum of responses. Students then take a stance on where they stand on the line – literally. In this way you could see the understanding/decision of students quite clearly.
Learn more: Idea Line Up
This cooperative-learning reading technique gives students the opportunity to specialize in one aspect of a topic, master the topic, and teach the material to group members. Asking students to work together in a Jigsaw builds comprehension, encourages cooperation, and improves communication and problem-solving skills.
Learn more: Jigsaw
Before giving a demonstration or presenting the results of research, ask your students to predict the outcome. Have them discuss as in a "think-pair-share," then run your demonstration or present the finding and follow up with the whys and hows.
Learn more: Making Predictions
Peer assessment, or review, can improve overall learning by helping students become better readers, writers, and collaborators. A well-designed peer review program also develops students’ evaluation and assessment skills.
Learn more: Peer Review
Show students an image with no explanation, and ask them to identify/explain it, and justify their answers. Or ask students to write about it using terms from lecture, or to name the processes and concepts shown. Also works well as group activity. Do not give the “answer” until they have explored all options first.
Ask your students a question, allow them to think, then respond simultaneously. When responses indicate a split in class opinion, have students discuss then re-poll. Afterwards, explain both correct and incorrect answers.
Learn more: Polling
Pre-post quizzes are brief surveys that are used before and after an event. They are ideal for helping you understand whether or not your audiences have learned key aspects of the content you are trying to convey. Their purpose is to focus specifically on your content (not on other things your audience might or might not know).
Learn more: Pre-Post Quiz
Scaffolding is a technique where instructors deliver the lesson in segments, reducing the level of support as students master the concepts. It provides a blueprint for learning that helps them master concepts and gain confidence in a progression so the instructor can strategically reduce the level of support that's needed.
One scaffolding strategy can be explained by the phrase “I do, we do, you do,” wherein the teacher demonstrates, guides, then hands the reins to the students.
Learn more: Scaffolding
Skeletal notes help maintain student engagement throughout the class period, using a set of lecture notes in which students fill in sections intentionally left blank. They can be handed out before class for students to complete independently or can be filled in during class. This technique is especially useful in large enrollment courses, but works well in any sized class.
Learn more: Skeletal Notes
The Minute Paper is a very commonly used classroom assessment technique. It really does take about a minute and, while usually used at the end of class, it can be used at the end of any topic discussion. Its major advantage is that it provides rapid feedback on whether the professor's main idea and what the students perceived as the main idea are the same. Additionally, by asking students to add a question at the end, this assessment becomes an integrative task. Students must first organize their thinking to rank the major points and then decide upon a significant question. Sometimes, instead of asking for the main point, a professor may wish to probe for the most disturbing or most surprising item. It is thus a very adaptable tool.
Learn more: The Minute Paper
Think-Pair-Share (TPS) is a cooperative learning activity that can work in varied size classrooms and in any subject. Instructors pose a question, students first THINK to themselves prior to being instructed to discuss their response with a person sitting near them (PAIR). Finally, the groups SHARE out what they discussed with their partner to the entire class and discussion continues. Students get time to think critically, creating a learning environment that encourages high quality responses (Rowe, 1972). TPS provides an opportunity for students to work in groups toward a common goal, increasing their own and others’ understanding in a safe environment to make mistakes (Johnson & Johnson, 1999).
Learn more: Think, Pair, Share | Center for Teaching and Learning
Two-stage exams (also called tiered exams, pyramid exams, group quizzes, collaborative testing, cooperative exams, and team-based tests) allow students to work in groups or teams as a second step in the exam process that leverages assessment in order to promote and enhance learning and content retention.
Learn more: Two-stage Exam
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