Teaching Methods: Active Learning

Active learning is anything students do during a class session other than passively listen to a lecture: i.e., read, write, discuss, or engage in problem-solving. Typically, these strategies involve students in such higher order thinking tasks as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. These activities can replace lectures as a means of conveying information or they can supplement lecturing. They can range from something as simple as a brief writing exercise in which students react to lecture material to more complex activities such as problem-based learning or the use of case studies. This section provides links to articles, bibliographies, research, and specific techniques for active learning.

Definitions of Active Learning (University of California at Davis). Adobe Acrobat/PDF.
Definitions, brief examples, and a list of online resources.
Link: http://trc.ucdavis.edu/trc/ta/tatips/activelearning.pdf

The Active Learning Site, Charles Bonwell.
Bibliographies of active learning articles in disciplinary areas, for large classes, and to promote critical thinking; research summaries and Internet links.
Link: http://www.active-learning-site.com/index.html

Active and Cooperative Learning, R.M. Felder.
Links to active/cooperative learning journal articles and websites.
Link: http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Cooperative_Learning.html

Active Learning Bibliography (Ohio State University).
Useful list of resources although not annotated.
Link: http://ftad.osu.edu/library/activelearning.html

"Active Learning: Creating Excitement in the Classroom," Charles C. Bonwell & James A. Eison.
Discusses the value of active learning and ways it can be incorporated into the classroom.
Link: http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/bib/91-9dig.htm

Active Learning for the College Classroom, Donald R. Paulson & Jennifer L. Faust.
Describes 29 active learning techniques.
Link: http://www.calstatela.edu/dept/chem/chem2/Active/main.htm

Scenes from a Classroom: Making Active Learning Work (University of Minnesota, Center for Teaching and Learning Services).
A tutorial with guidelines and keys to success for planning active learning activities. Includes scenarios depicting typical problems and their solutions.
Link: http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/tutorials/active/index.html

Active Learning in Large Classes: Video Resource (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Center for Instructional and Professional Development).
This site provides an interactive tutorial on active learning. Seven video clips, each accompanied by a Word document tutorial, demonstrate active learning strategies in action in large classes: clickers, learning teams, discussions, and other in-class activities. Requires QuickTime for videos.
Link: http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CIPD/video.htm

Active Learning with PowerPoint University of Minnesota, Center for Teaching and Learning Services).
A tutorial on ways to use active learning strategies with PowerPoint presentations; includes 12 active learning strategies.
Link: http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/tutorials/powerpoint/index.html

"Active Learning on the Web," Bernie Dodge (San Diego State University).
Ways to use the Internet for active learning.
Link: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/bdodge/Active/ActiveLearning.html

"Student Diversity Requires Different Approaches to College Teaching, Even in Math and Science," Craig Nelson, Indiana University (In American Behavioral Scientist, Vol. 40, No. 2, November/December 1996, 165-175).
Describes research by Triesman and others demonstrating the positive effect of using collaborative small groups with students from non-traditional backgrounds, such as Blacks, Hispanics, and rural whites, who are struggling with college coursework. Argues that traditional approaches are biased against such students, while active learning strategies can lead to “massive differences in overall student achievement.”
Link: http://mypage.iu.edu/~nelson1/96_StudentDiversity.pdf