Student Engagement & Active Learning - Concordia University of Edmonton

Active learning is anything course related that all students are called upon to do other than simply watching, listening, and taking notes (Felder & Brent, 2009).

Why is student engagement through active learning so important?

Research shows (Freeman et al., 2014; Theobald et al., 2020) that students who are actively engaged in learning:

participate more in learning activities leading to better understanding and retention of information
are motivated to ask questions and engage in a deeper exploration of the topic
put more effort into their studies resulting in higher overall academic achievement
contribute to a more collaborative, dynamic, and positive classroom environment
develop better critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills
are better positioned to navigate challenges and adapt to new learning and working environments

Source: University of Central Florida – Teaching Methods Overview

Active Learning: An Introduction

Felder and Brent (2009) provide instructors with a clear and relatable introduction to active learning in a university classroom. Click the button to read their article.

Read

Video: The Active Learning Method

“Active learning” means you participate, collaborate with others, and apply concepts to the real world. Watch the video to learn more.

Watch

Getting Started With Active Learning

Incorporate opportunities for student engagement into every lesson. Click to explore activities that can be easily incorporated into your lesson planning.

Explore

References

Felder, R. M., & Brent, R. (2009). Active Learning: An Introduction. ASQ Higher Education Brief, 2, 4-9. https://www.engr.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/drive/1YB2KK3wLqP3EhXyYdKtE9-4mBJzc2rc2/Active%20Learning%20Tutorial.pdf

Freeman, S., Eddy, S. L., McDonough, M., Smith, M. K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H., & Wenderoth, M. P. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23), 8410–8415. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1319030111

Theobald, E. J., Hill, M. J., Tran, E., Agrawal, S., Arroyo, E. N., Behling, S., Chambwe, N., Cintrón, D. L., Cooper, J. D., Dunster, G., Grummer, J. A., Hennessey, K., Hsiao, J., Iranon, N., Jones, L., Jordt, H., Keller, M., Lacey, M. E., Littlefield, C. E., … Freeman, S. (2020). Active learning narrows achievement gaps for underrepresented students in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(12), 6476–6483. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1916903117