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Active Learning

Active learning engages students by promoting critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration. It involves hands-on activities, group discussions, and real-world applications, fostering a deeper understanding of the material.

Engage in discussions, hands-on activities, and group projects to promote deeper understanding and retention of concepts. Allow students to engage through discussions, group activities, and hands-on projects. Encourage your students to participation in critical thinking with problem-solving exercises and real-life applications.

Engaging teaching method helps students learn more effectively in class, here are two main methods:


Interaction - Encourages collaboration and critical thinking among students


Engagement - Students stay focused and participate actively in lessons

Consider this cheat sheet to think about what you need before you get started with Active Learning!

Active Learning Strategies

Here are some teaching strategies that work in classrooms from elementary to university. Choose any you want to learn more about. We challenge you to choose one and master it. In time, you can incorporate more as you improve your teaching skills.
*Many examples of these strategies involve elementary, middle, and high school students.

The strategies have shown to be effective in all learning environments and student levels. The strategies are effective even with university and adult classes as well. 

Planning an active learning activity is limited only by your imagination. Here, we demonstrate how two active learning activities can be easily adapted to various class contexts.

  • Think: Students independently consider the question posed. Ensure they have enough time to form an idea or answer.
  • Pair: Students are grouped in pairs to discuss their thoughts. This step allows them to articulate their ideas and consider other perspectives.
  • Share: Pairs share their discussions with the larger group. This stage encourages students to present their refined ideas to the class.

Notes: Avoid simple recall questions; this activity works best when students are challenged with complex or complicated ideas. The benefits of this three-step process are two-fold: students are generally more comfortable presenting ideas with the support of a partner, and their ideas become more refined through the discussion.

View Videos on T/P/S in real classroom:
Think Pair Share/Post It Pile It - Teacher Training
Think-Pair-Share
Think, Pair, Share
iBiology Scientific Teaching Series: Active Learning - Think Pair Share

Read about Think Pair Share

Think Pair Share Path

Anytime in your class or at the ending your class with short writing assignments is a powerful way to assess how well students understood the material presented. Spontaneous writing also boosts confidence in writing quickly. Minute papers can be used mid-lecture to regain class concentration if it begins to wane.


This activity is particularly useful when:

You encounter a challenging or high-anxiety discussion topic. It allows students to decompress and reflect on the topic and the discussion.

Students have just participated in an experiential learning activity, returned from a field experience, or completed a group project, and you want them to reflect on what they learned from the experience.

View videos of Quickwrite in real classrooms:
Quick Write
Low-Stakes Writing: Writing to Learn, Not Learning to Write

Read about Quickwrite

iBiology Scientific Teaching Series: In peer-discussions do prepared students tell others the answer

Gallery Walk In a Large Class

Gallery Walk - Classroom Strategy

Jigsaw: Management in the Active Classroom

Jigsaw Path

Read about Jigsaw

References and Slides

Akınoğlu, Orhan and Özkardeş Tandoğan, Ruhan (2007). The Effects of Problem-Based Active Learning in Science Education on Students' Academic Achievement, Attitude and Concept Learning. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 3(1), 71-81.

Allen, Deborah and Tanner, Kimberly (2005). Infusing Active Learning into the Large-enrollment Biology Class: Seven strategies, from the simple to complex. Cell Biology Education, 4, 262-268.

Austin, Diane and Mescia, Nadine D. (2004). Strategies to Incorporate Active Learning into Online Teaching. March, 4.

Barak, Miri Lipson, and Alberta and Lerman, Steven (2006). Wireless Laptops as Means for Promoting Active Learning in Large Lecture Halls. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 38(3), 245-263.

Bean, John C. (2011). Engaging Ideas: The professor's guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom. John Wiley & Sons: San Francisco.

Beichner, Robert J. (2014). History and Evolution of Active Learning Spaces. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 137, 9-16.


Cavanagh, Michael (2011). Students' Experiences of Active Engagement through Cooperative Learning Activities in Lectures. Active Learning in Higher Education, 12(1), 23-33.

Dori, Yehudit Judy and Belcher, John (2004). How Does Technology-enabled Active Learning Affect Undergraduate Students' Understanding of Electromagnetism Concepts? The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 14(2), 243-279.


Haak, David C., HilleRisLamber, Janneke Pitre, Emile, and Freeman, Scott (2011). Increased Structure and Active Learning Reduce the Achievement Gap in Introductory Biology. Science, 332(6034), 1213-1216. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.385.7486&rep=rep1&type=pdf opens in new window


Hake, Richard R. (1998). Interactive-engagement vs traditional methods: A six-thousand student survey of mechanics test data for introductory physics courses (No. ED 441 679). Bloomington, IN: Indiana University.

Petersen, Christina I. and Gorman, Kristen S. (2014). Strategies to Address Common Challenges When Teaching in an Active Learning Classroom. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 137, 63-70.

Powner, Leanne C., and Michelle G. Allendoerfer (2008) Evaluating hypotheses about active learning. International Studies Perspectives, 9(1), 75-89.


Settles, Burr (2010). Active learning literature survey. Computer Sciences Technical Report 1648, University of Wisconsin-Madison.


Spiceland, J. David and Hawkins, Charlene P. (2002). The impact on learning of an asynchronous active learning course. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 6(1), 68-75.


Stanton, Timothy K. (1987) Liberal Arts, Experiential Learning and Public Service: Necessary Ingredients for Socially Responsible Undergraduate Education. Paper Presented at the Annual Conference of the National Society for Internships and Experiential Education (16th Smugglers' Notch, VT, October 1987).

Umbach, Paul D., and Matthew R. Wawrzynski (2005). Faculty do matter: The role of college faculty in student learning and engagement. Research in Higher Education, 46(2), 153-184.


Wieman, Carl E. (2014). Large-scale comparison of science teaching methods sends clear message. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23), 8319-8320.

Active Learning in Classroom