Ashley Howard

It is always important to consider the physical/technological and the student constraints to planned active learning activities.  It is important that all activities are equally accessible to students.  Rubrics should be detailed and must apply directly to the course learning outcomes.  

I would apply both of these tenets in my approach as a student-centered instructor.

What is your favorite active learning activity to use in a writing intensive course? 

Both students and instructors can come to the active learning environment with biases that present a barrier to learning.  Teachers may feel students aren't up to the task of the student-centered approach, and students may feel that teachers using this method aren't really performing the task of instruction.  

Active learning gives students more agency and control over their learning than traditional methods.  This model abandons the "sage on the stage" for the student at the center of the classroom.  Active learning is collaborative with the teacher in a facilitator role.  This makes learning more engaging for the student and leads to better learning outcomes.  

Jigsaw activities where students teach their peers about a course-related subject or peer review activities are two examples of active learning methods.