UW-Stout
Teaching and Learning Center
June 2007
Active Learning Strategies
This page lists urls that will help you use active learning in your classes. Most of the sites define active learning, explain its benefits, and clearly present strategies that you can use in class.
Active Learning Strategies
Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology
Illinois State University
http://www.cat.ilstu.edu/additional/active.php
Clear helpful how-to-do-it articles on these areas:
What is Active Learning?, Motivating & Engaging Students, Collaborative/Cooperative Learning, Problem-/Inquiry-Based Learning, Other Resources
See especially “Active Learning” by Kathleen McKinney
http://www.cat.ilstu.edu/additional/tips/newActive.php
Lists 12 active learning strategies that you can use.
Active Learning Online
Abilene Christian University Adams Center for Teaching Excellence
http://www.acu.edu/cte/activelearning/
This site explains numerous strategies; each strategy has instructions and a video demo. Excellent place to start.
Using Active Learning in the Classroom
Florida State Teaching and Learning Center
http://ctl.sdsu.edu/guide/8-Using_Active_Learning.pdf
In this article you will find a definition of Active Learning and instructions on implementing 12 strategies, many of them are broken down into three or four substrategies.
Interactive Lectures: summaries of 36 formats
Workshops by Thiagi. (Training Games and Interactive Experiential Strategies)
http://www.thiagi.com/interactive-lectures.html
Though focused on lectures, this site actually describes many active techniques. Probably the best resources-to-use site on the web. The 36 formats are each broken down into Basic Idea, Application, Sample Topics, and “Flow” (how to do it).
What do students want (and what really motivates them)?
Richard Strong, Harvey F. Silver and Amy Robinson
The Middleweb Listserv
http://www.middleweb.com/StdntMotv.html
Discusses fostering creativity and originality in class.
Technology as Media: The Learner Centered Perspective
James A. Levin and Bertram C. Bruce
http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/jim-levin/levin-bruce-aera.html
Discusses four uses of technology to enhance learning.