Active Learning

Active learning involves students in course material whereby students become actively engaged in their own learning, while educators take on more of a facilitating role. Active learning may involve discussion, reading, writing, games, simulations, group projects and more. Active learning curriculum is designed to foster deeper and longer retention of material and knowledge processing than generally afforded by passive learning strategies.

is an umbrella term that refers to several models of instruction that focus the responsibility of learning on learners. Bonwell and Eison (1991) popularized this approach to instruction. This "buzz word" of the 1980s became their 1990s report to the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE). In this report they discuss a variety of methodologies for promoting "active learning." According to Mayer (2004) strategies like “active learning" developed out of the work of an earlier group of theorists -- those promoting discovery learning.

It has been suggested that students who actively engage with the material are more likely to recall information later and be able to use that information in different contexts (Bruner, 1961). However this claim is not well supported by the literature (Mayer, 2004; Kirschner, Sweller, and Clark, 2006).

Related FUSE Topics

Passive Learning

Problem-Based Learning

References

biblio

External Resources/Links

The Active Learning Site, maintained by Dr. Charles Bonwell

Active Learning, wikipedia entry

Active Learning with PowerPoint, U. of Minnesota Center for Teaching and Learning

Active and Cooperative Learning, maintained by R.M Felder of N.C. State University