Definition and Importance of Active Learning | Origin: EL113
This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:
Active Learning in an Online Environment --> Definition and Importance of Active Learning
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
Active learning is helpful for a variety of learning styles. I can see how I can apply this to my specialty.
Effective online instruction requires thoughtful design of active learning strategies that keep students engaged and accountable for their learning. While student-centered approaches are essential, instructors still play a key role in facilitating, guiding, and structuring meaningful activities such as reflection, collaboration, and practice-based assignments. The strongest online courses intentionally incorporate a variety of these strategies to support deeper learning rather than relying on any single approach.
Active learning engages the students in the process of learning rather than just letting them listen to you talk. Using a variety of instructional tools will promote movement and targeted learning goals, even in a remote environment.
Active learning strategies are important to incorporate in the online learning environment to keep students engaged and focused.
This module helped me understand how active learning shifts the focus from memorizing to actually thinking and engaging with the material. It also made me realize how important it is that activities (like discussion boards or group work) have a clear purpose, otherwise students probably won’t engage with them.
I plan to apply this by being more intentional with any activities I use and making sure there’s a clear reason behind them. I also think it’s important to explain expectations so learners feel comfortable and more willing to participate.
Active learning is the key to student-centered learning. It is one of the most effective teaching methods because it focuses on engaging students in the learning process. Instead of just being "spoon fed" the information, students are able to participate in obtaining knowledge through various formats. I intend to apply this to all my didactic and lab classes to keep students engaged. I plan to incorporate many activities to reinforce the materials they have learned or have been given.
Comment on Justice Osei-Tutu's post: I agree with your narrative regarding active learning participation through small and large group assignments that encourage students interacting with students and the role of the instructor designated as a mentor and facilitator.
Active learning requires students to self-reflect, through journaling or discussion, by analyzing their learning processes, experiences, and outcomes to improve future performance. It involves utilizing journalistic questions—Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why (and not necessarily in that order)—to develop their critical thinking about their educational journey.
Journalistic Questions for Active Reflection:
- What: What did I learn? What went well, and what could be done better? What was the goal?
- How: How did I accomplish this? How did I feel about the task? How did I handle challenges?
- Why: Why is this important? Why did I choose this strategy? Why did I struggle to receive feedback?
- Who: Who helped me? Who did I work together with? Who was engaged in this experience?
- When: When did I lose focus
- When did the discovery occur? When will I apply this in the future?
- Where: Where did I confront a problem? Where can I use this knowledge next?
The above highlights regarding self-reflection remind me that they would be found under "create" (higher-level functioning) within Bloom's Taxonomy.
Active learning keeps students more engaged and lessons can be developed to reach all types of learners.
I learned that active learning guides students from passive listening to actively participating in the learning process. Student activity and participation are fundamental principles of active learning, encompassing actions such as speaking, listening, writing, reading, and reflecting on course materials, that greatly increase student interest, engagement, and motivation. To encourage greater participation, I plan to place more emphasis on creating more interactive content. After completing this module, I gained several ideas for enriching my course content to enhance students' learning processes in a more meaningful way. Since I'm halfway through this semester, I plan to implement this in the next semester.
From this module, I’ve learned that active learning shifts the responsibility of learning away from the instructor and toward the student, emphasizing participation, collaboration, and reflection rather than passive listening. It encourages students to take ownership of their education through discussion, problem-solving, and critical analysis skills that are increasingly vital in both academic and professional contexts.
I also gained insight into the historical context of active learning, particularly its rise in the 1980s and 1990s when educators began recognizing that traditional lecture methods often failed to promote critical thinking or long-term retention. The approach aligns well with modern educational goals, especially in online learning environments, where student engagement can be more challenging.
I intend to make learning more interactive, student-centered, and focused on developing critical thinking and real-world problem-solving skills.
I learned that active learning engages students through discussion, reflection, collaboration, and problem-solving. I plan to apply this by using more student-centered activities, such as discussions, short writing tasks, and reflective exercises, to promote critical thinking and real-world connections.
I've learned the importance of active learning for online and F2F teaching, as students retain more information when they are actively learning vs passive learning being force feed information.
Thinking back on the days of passive listening during my education, I understand completely how active learning can transform a students educational experience. I plan to incorporate more group activities as Marc Presky noted that students born after 1994 are more likely to enjoy group activities.
Comment on Kathryn Sellers's post: This lesson is based on the best evidence based practices which supports improved outcomes through active learning strategies.
It's important to be interactive so the learning is active vs. passive
Instructors must provide an environment where students are interested in learning.
as instructors we have to make sure our lessons are mixed with the active learning, not just passive learning
