Active Learning

Active learning is an approach to instruction that involves

actively engaging students with the course material through
discussions, problem solving, case studies, role plays and other
methods. Active learning approaches place a greater degree of
responsibility on the learner than passive approaches such as
lectures, but instructor guidance is still crucial in the active
learning classroom. Active learning activities may range in length
from a couple of minutes to whole class sessions or may take
place over multiple class sessions.
Incorporate Active Learning in Your CourseActive
learning activities can be used to:
Activity
As you work through this module, choose at least 3 new active learning activities that you
have not heard about before, and think of ways in which you could incorporate them into
your teaching.

Which of the following learning activities have

you experienced as a student or used as a
teacher?
1-Minute Papers/Reflections

Post-it Parade

Think-Pair-Share

Think Aloud

Case Studies

Group Text Reading

Peer-Review

Respond, React, Reply

Pro-Con Grids

Social Annotation of Text

Buzz Groups

Complete Turn Taking

Round Tables

Line-up

Debates

Dotmocracy

Snowball

Fishbowl
 Quescussion

Index Card Pass

ns.

https://www.skillshub.com/blog/active-learning-str

15 Active Learning
Strategies and Examples
Active learning has taken modern education and corporate learning and
development (L&D) by storm. It is a learner-centred approach that
emphasises engagement, interaction, and reflection.
This paradigm shift from traditional teaching to active learning
underscores the learner’s role in constructing knowledge. Rather than
being just a recipient of information, the learner becomes an active
participant in a two-way process, whereby learning is imprinted through
memorable, interactive activities and challenges.
With today’s dynamic global environment, active learning has become
more critical in L&D than ever before. This teaching approach
encourages employees to play an active role in their own education,
fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptability, vital in the
ever-evolving world of work.
What is Active Learning and How Does it
Work?
First defined in 1991 by educational theorists Charles C. Bonwell and
James A. Eison, the method includes “anything that involves students in
doing things and thinking about the things they are doing.” It’s a
reciprocal process where cognition and demonstration combine to
reinforce key learning points.
A recent study conducted at Carnegie Mellon University’s Human-
Computer Interaction Institute concluded that “active learning can put
students in the driver’s seat of their lessons. Active learning techniques
encourage students to produce thoughts and get feedback through
interactive settings rather than passively receiving information as is
common in pervasive approaches to education like lectures and
readings.”
Active learning allows students to analyse, synthesise and apply
knowledge rather than passively receive information. It fosters learner
engagement, interaction, and deeper understanding, moving beyond the
memorization of facts to cultivate higher-order thinking skills.
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Key Components of Active Learning Strategies

At the heart of active learning are three fundamental
components: Engagement, Reflection, and Application. Learners
actively engage with the material, reflect on the content’s relevance and
meaning, and apply what they’ve learned in practical, often
collaborative, situations.
Here’s how those three components work in more detail:
Engagement: This aspect describes a mix of concentration and interest.
Students focus on the topic in hand because it is taught in a manner that
makes it intrinsically interesting.
Reflection: Students are asked to consciously reflect on the subjects they
have been learning. This helps personalise and imprint the knowledge,
and the repetition of key points helps fix them in memory.
Application: This aspect focuses on the practical use of key pieces of
learning. By making the topic practical, students learn how useful the
subject can be, motivating them to remember and focus.
Another key element of active learning is that it’s frequently
collaborative. Not only do learners benefit from interaction with the
educator, but they join forces in team exercises, or share their opinions
and experiences in group discussion.

Benefits of Active Learning

Active learning has a plethora of benefits, some of which include:

Boosting Retention
Active learning strategies help learners retain information better. When
learners actively engage with content—discussing, debating, teaching, or
applying it—they’re more likely to remember it. Part of the reason for this
is that activities help personalise the learning content, creating
appreciation and some of the positive emotions that make an experience
memorable. Information Processing Theory explains retention in three
stages – sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.

Critical Thinking
Active learning cultivates critical thinking skills. Learners don’t just absorb
information; they analyse, evaluate, and synthesise it, fostering problem-solving
and decision-making skills. Critical thinking is considered a soft skill and is
essential to any modern educational programme, from social science to the
humanities, hard science, and vocational subjects.

Collaboration
Active learning often involves teamwork and collaboration. Through group
activities and discussions, learners develop interpersonal skills and learn to work
effectively as a team. This is particularly helpful in workplace settings where
learners can support one another in the shared goal of picking up new skills they
can use at work.
Increasing Engagement
Active learning increases learner engagement. Interactive activities
stimulate interest and motivate learners, contributing to a more
enjoyable and effective learning experience. By creating engaging
interactive content, you can avoid the glazed eyes or after-lunch slump
of less involving courses!

15 Active Learning Examples

Now that we understand active learning and its benefits, let’s delve into some
practical strategies to implement this learning approach.

1. Think-Pair-Share
Think-Pair-Share encourages collaboration and peer learning. Learners think about
a question or problem individually, pair up to discuss their thoughts, then share
their insights with the larger group. This method combines social learning
activities like collaboration and reflection in a way that draws out the strengths of
both modalities.

2. Three-Step Interviews
Three-Step interviews allow learners to apply different questioning strategies and
reflect on understanding. They take turns acting as the interviewer, interviewee, and
observer, promoting active engagement and deep reflection. This kind of active
learning works particularly well for courses emphasising social and negotiation
skills, including hospitality, politics, journalism, and sales.

3. Case Studies
Using case studies enables learners to apply concepts to real-world scenarios. This
strategy fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills, linking theoretical
learning to practical application. Case studies should be designed to chime with
course participants’ lives and experiences, allowing them to offer their own
personal insights. This allows them to become emotionally and intellectually
involved in the subject under discussion, and the learning is likely to stick.

4. Role-Play
Role-play enhances empathy and problem-solving skills. By acting out scenarios,
learners gain insights into different perspectives and learn to navigate complex
situations. It can be particularly instructive to ask learners to inhabit both sides of
an interaction, for instance, a police officer and suspect, or sales professional and
buyer. Not all students will be comfortable in such a performative exercise,
however.

5. Flipped Classroom
In a flipped classroom, learners explore content independently before class, freeing
up classroom time for active discussions and problem-solving activities. This
method works best in a highly motivated educational setting, such as vocational
training resulting in professional qualifications. An obvious drawback is that, if
students don’t prepare, they’ll get very little out of the class-based content. It’s also
important for participants to reflect on in-class discussions after each session.

6. The Muddiest Point

The Muddiest Point requires learners to reflect on challenging areas, providing
invaluable feedback for the educator. The educator will typically ask “what didn’t
you understand?” or “what point did you find most complex?” and then follow up
with a focused session exploring that concept. This technique helps identify
misconceptions and knowledge gaps, as well as improving future iterations of
course content.
7. Problem-Based Learning
Problem-Based Learning cultivates critical thinking and decision-making skills.
Learners tackle real-world problems, applying knowledge and skills in a practical
context. Rather than the theoretical situations covered in a typical case study,
problem-based learning might take a story from the news or social media and
explore it under the lens of the topic in hand. This makes the subject feel more
relevant to the students, and more useful.

8. Simulations and Gamification

Simulations and gamification create immersive learning experiences. These
methods engage learners in an interactive, competitive environment, enhancing
motivation and learning outcomes. Such games could involve anything from
quizzes to physical games or puzzles to be solved by teams. Some subjects will
lend themselves to this better than others, and competitive workplaces, such as
sales teams, may prove more comfortable with such challenges.

9. Peer Teaching
Peer teaching reinforces understanding and builds confidence in knowledge. By
teaching their peers, learners gain a deeper understanding and consolidate their
learning. The classic American “show and tell” in junior school is an example of
this, but adult learners can also benefit from sharing their experiences or explaining
a point with reference to an example from their own working lives.

10. Debates and Discussions

Debates and discussions encourage active participation and analysis. They foster
critical thinking and the ability to articulate and defend viewpoints. Although a
little out of favour in modern schools, nevertheless this classic strategy serves to
imprint key issues in social, cultural, and political thinking. It’s possible to reduce
the antagonistic elements of debates by imposing strict discourse rules (such as
addressing the chair or avoiding ad hominem attacks).

11. Interactive Quizzes and Polls

Interactive quizzes and polls engage learners and assess knowledge. They make
learning fun, while also serving as valuable tools for instant feedback. These can
work just as well in-person as they might online, or in blended learning settings.
They are essential as part of any eLearning Platform that offers online courses –
as both a measurement tool and a method of monitoring progress and content
effectiveness.

12. Experiential Learning

Experiential learning involves hands-on activities for practical skill development.
Learners gain practical experience, increasing the transfer of learning to real-
world situations. For situations in which site visits are impossible, bringing pieces
of the subject into the classroom can be highly instructive. First aid lessons require
this aspect, and children love this aspect of learning. It’s worth not neglecting this
for adult learners of any subject, however.

13. Brainstorming Sessions

Brainstorming sessions stimulate creativity and idea generation. They foster open-
mindedness, encouraging learners to consider various possibilities and solutions.
When brainstorming, it’s vital not to make any value judgments on suggestions, but
simply to group and list student ideas. Once everyone has had their say, the
educator and class can begin to identify common themes and recurring ideas.
14. Field Trips and Site Visits
Field trips and site visits connect learning to real-world situations. They enhance
understanding and contextualization of knowledge. Site visits are fun and
instructive and add much-needed variety to an in-person course. They often
introduce students to hands-on skills they might pursue in greater depth, or to
potential workplaces or causes they can become invested in.

15. Learning Circles and Communities

Learning circles and communities help foster collaboration and knowledge sharing.
They create a supportive learning environment where learners can learn from one
another, share insights, and collaboratively solve problems. With digital courses,
it’s often important to create a forum for learners where mutual encouragement and
support can occur. When classes are held in-person, students can be encouraged to
help one another with coursework and collaborative projects.

Implementing Active Learning Strategies

Key Considerations
When incorporating active learning strategies, consider the learning objectives,
the learners’ characteristics and needs, and the available resources. It’s also
important to ask what students want to get out of the course (rather than any
objective need for certification or qualification).
The right blend of active learning strategies can enhance the learning experience,
making it more engaging, meaningful, and effective.
For instance, you’ll need a very different approach with a community of language
learners from different countries, with varying levels of proficiency, than you
would teaching an established workplace group where the main variable is
seniority.
Let’s break these variables down a little:
Student Objectives: What would each student like to get out of the class, in terms
of educational purpose and enhancement of their working or home life?
Student Characteristics: What proficiency and understanding level are your
students at? If it’s a workplace course, what level of seniority do they have (how
easily can the effect change)? If you have shy students, how can you involve them
in activities without undue pressure?
Student Needs: What is the practical outcome supposed to be? It could be a
qualification, a certificate, or simply a better understanding of a topic. It’s also
worth asking, going into a class, if anyone has any additional needs, since you may
have students with dyslexia, ADHD, or other learning challenges.
Available Resources: Do you provide paper and pens, devices, calculators? Do
you invite guest speakers? Are their physical challenges and hands-on experiences?
Do you provide meals? All these ingredients could affect the success of your
course.

Challenges of Active Learning Strategies

Active learning strategies, while beneficial, pose certain challenges. They require
time, resources, and planning. They also require students to buy into a style of
learning that some may not be familiar with.
Let’s unpack three more common challenges of active learning in a little more
detail:
Student Hesitancy: To make active learning inviting, it’s best to design courses so
that students come to expect and are prepared for this style of education from day
one. Begin with simple exercises like a current knowledge quiz or simple pair
exercises, and then progress to more involved exercises.
It’s also important to be clear with instructions and allow time for students to get
used to being active rather than passive participants. Explain why you’re using
these methods, rather than more rote methods of learning. If students believe it’s in
their best interests to participate, they will.
Lack of Collaboration: Before you can expect a group of disparate individuals to
work together, they must feel comfortable together. Begin with simple introductory
exercises, so students get to know one another before being asked to share more
personal experiences. Where students are too shy to choose partners, it’s okay to
assign partners for them, so long as you attend to any obvious signs of discomfort.
Running out of Time: This is very common. When students are engaged, they can
lose track of time. It’s often a good sign!
However, to avoid your course running out of control, make sure you do time trials
of collaborative exercises, and be very upfront with any timescales you impose.
You can even use a bell or whistle to warn students when they have five or two
minutes left to finish up an exercise.
All these challenges can be overcome through careful design, strategic planning,
scene setting, and the use of technology to streamline and support the learning
process.
Remember that active learning is often a process of trial and error. What works
well with one group may not prove so successful with another. It’s worth having
alternative exercises to hand in case it becomes obvious that you need to pivot to a
different approach.

Measuring the Impact of Active Learning Strategies

Methods to measure the effectiveness of active learning include surveys,
assessments, observation, and feedback. Make sure you incorporate a bit of time for
learners to complete satisfaction surveys or training feedback forms and make it
as easy as possible to do so anonymously. Don’t make these too lengthy but do
allow space for comments.
It’s essential to evaluate not only engagement and knowledge acquisition but also
the development of skills and attitudes and the transfer of learning to real-world
scenarios. Ideally, whoever has commissioned the course will have some method
for following up and measuring KPIs after some weeks or months have passed. Ask
if you can receive a copy of this information too.

Final Insights
Active learning, with its focus on engagement, reflection, and application, offers
numerous benefits. It boosts retention, enhances critical thinking, fosters
collaboration, and increases engagement.
At Skillshub, we fully commit to active learning, and incorporate many of its
strategies into our learning solutions, creating eLearning content which is
engaging, active and involving.
Our offerings are designed to facilitate active learning, equipping learners with the
knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to thrive in today’s dynamic world.
If you’re ready to incorporate active learning into your L&D strategy with the help
of an eLearning company, get in touch with us today!

Sean McPheat
Sean is the CEO of Skillshub. He’s a published author and has been featured on
CNN, BBC and ITV as a leading authority in the learning and development
industry. Sean is responsible for the vision and strategy at Skillshub, helping to
ensure innovation within the company.