Active learning is an approach that goes beyond traditional passive methods of teaching such as sitting listening to the teacher, by actively involving students in the learning process (Cattaneo, 2017; Lombardi, 2021). It is based in social and constructivist learning theories, where students use new knowledge and experiences to reflect on, and expand their existing knowledge base, often through collaboration with their peers (Bransford et al., 1999).
Active learning promotes higher-order thinking skills, like critical thinking, problem-solving, evaluation, and synthesis. Students would ideally engage in activities such as:
Digital tools are a great way to introduce active learning to your curriculum. At the University we encourage the use of classroom engagement tools such as Poll Everywhere as well as active engagement in Moodle, for example quizzes, interactive video and group discussion forums.
These activities in turn contribute to the development of skills and knowledge, as well as enhancing creativity, peer interaction and communication skills. Research has shown that active learning approaches lead to improved student outcomes that particularly benefit minority and disadvantaged student populations by providing opportunities for meaningful and challenging activities (Theobald, 2020).
If you want to read a bit more about active learning, you will find an interesting article from Advance HE here: Active Learning Advance HE
Further exploration of this theme and examples of activities can be found on our Moodle Quick Guide.
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