Active Learning Resources
Active Learning is any activity in which students engage actively (rather than passively) with course materials during class time. Traditional classroom activities such as lectures are considered passive learning as students are limited to listening and taking notes.
Active learning promotes higher-order thinking, helping students to improve their analytical, synthesis, and critical thinking skills. It can take many forms, including collaborative or discussion-based activities, gamification, and verbal or written response interactions, including reflection.
Benefits to Students
- Improved learning
- Better retention of material
- Engages students with material (active vs passive learning)
Benefits to Instructors
- Provide ongoing (informal) assessment of student learning progress
- More flexible approach to teaching
Active Learning Teaching Methods
Engaging students in active learning is a positive way to improve the learning experience and learning outcomes, but it can be tricky to determine what active learning technique is best for your class.
Wondering what kinds of instructional activities to use in your class setting? Need a specific type of activity to complete your lesson plan? The Active Learning Library of searchable activities (external link) as well as the tables below can help you find the best activity type for your classroom and provide inspiration for incorporating active learning in the classroom.
Detailed information about each of the activities is available in the (google doc) Best Practices: Active Learning (external link) guide and the (google doc) Classroom Assessment Techniques Overview (external link) .
Find activities to support your teaching by searching the tables of small, medium, large or any-sized classes below.
Small: Less than 25 students
Medium: Between 25 and 80 students
Large: More than 80 students
Note that many of these activities can be adapted for smaller or larger classes.
| Activity Name | Activity Length | Preparation Required | Supplies Required |
| Role Play | Medium Long |
Instructor Student |
None |
| Jigsaw | Medium Loing |
Instructor | None |
| Fishbowl Discussion | Long | Instructor | None |
| Quescussion | Medium Long |
Instructor | None |
| Pro/Con Grid | Medium Long |
Instructor | None |
| Debate | Long | Instructor Student |
None |
| Gallery Walk | Long | Instructor | Paper, markers/stickers or Internet-enabled Device |
| Dot-mocracy | Medium Long |
Instructor | Paper, markers/stickers or Internet-enabled Device |
| Activity Name | Activity Length | Preparation Required | Supplies Required |
| Role Play | Medium Long |
Instructor Student |
None |
| Jigsaw | Medium Loing |
Instructor | None |
| Fishbowl Discussion | Long | Instructor | None |
| Quescussion | Medium Long |
Instructor | None |
| Pro/Con Grid | Medium Long |
Instructor | None |
| Debate | Long | Instructor Student |
None |
| Gallery Walk | Long | Instructor | Paper, markers/stickers or Internet-enabled Device |
| Dot-mocracy | Medium Long |
Instructor | Paper, markers/stickers or Internet-enabled Device |
| Panel Discussion | Long | Instructor Student |
None |
| Activity Name | Activity Length | Preparation Required | Supplies Required |
| Panel Discussion | Long | Instructor Student |
None |
| Buzz Groups | Medium Long |
Instructor | None |
| Activity Name | Activity Length | Preparation Required | Supplies Required |
| Think-Pair-Share | Short Medium |
None | None |
| 1-Minute Paper | Short | None | None |
| Activity Records | Short Medium |
None | None |
| Muddiest/Clearest Point | Short | None | None |
| Peer Review | Long | Instructor Student |
None |
| Kahoot | Short Medium |
Instructor | Internet-enabled device |
| Poll Everywhere | Short Medium |
Instructor | Internet-enabled device |
| Mentimeter | Short Medium |
Instructor | Internet-enabled device |
| (google doc) Informal In-class Assessments (external link, opens in new window) | Varied | Varied | None |
Find activities to support your teaching by searching the tables of short, medium, and long activities below.
Short: Less than 5 minutes
Medium: Between 5 and 20 minutes
Long: Longer than 20 minutes
| Activity Name | Class Size | Preparation Required | Supplies Required |
| 1- Minute Paper | Any | None | None |
| Muddiest/Clearest Point | Any | None | None |
| One-sentence Summary | Any | None | None |
| Poll Everywhere | Any | Yes (Instructor) | Internet-enabled Device |
| Kahoot | Any | Yes (Instructor) | Internet-enabled Device |
| Activity Name | Class Size | Preparation Required | Supplies Required |
| Think-Pair-Share | Any | None | None |
| Activity Records | Any | None | None |
| Dot-mocracy | Any | Instructor | Paper and Markers/stickers or Internet-enabled Device |
| Kahoot | Any | Instructor | Internet-enabled Device |
| Poll Everywhere | Any | Instructor | Internet-enabled Device |
| Mentimeter | Any | Instructor | Internet-enabled Device |
| Problem Recognition Tasks | Any | Instructor | None |
| Applications Cards | Any | Instructor | None |
| Documented Problem Solutions | Any | Instructor | None |
| Directed Paraphrasing | Any | Instructor | None |
| Student-Generated Test Questions | Any | Instructor | None |
| Categorizing Grid | Any | Instructor | None |
| Defining Features Matrix | Any | Instructor | None |
| Word Journal | Any | None | None |
| What, How, Why Outline | Any | Instructor | None |
| Activity Name | Class Size | Preparation Required | Supplies Required |
| Peer Review | Any | Instructor and Student | None |
| Role Play | Small Medium |
Instructor and Student | None |
| Jigsaw | Small Medium |
Instructor | None |
| Fishbowl Discussion | Small Medium |
Instructor | None |
| Panel Discussion | Medium Large |
Instructor and Student | None |
| Buzz Groups | Large | Instructor | None |
| Quescussion | Small Medium |
Instructor | None |
| Pro/Con Grid | Small Medium |
Instructor | None |
| Debate | Small Medium |
Instructor | None |
| Gallery Walk | Small Medium |
Instructor | Paper, markers/stickers or Internet-enabled Device |
| Dot-mocracy | Small Medium |
Instructor | Paper, markers/stickers or Internet-enabled Device |
| Chain/Collaborative Notes | Any | Instructor | None |
| Memory Matrix | Any | Instructor | None |
| Analytic Memos/Briefings | Any | None | None |
| What, How, Why Outline | Any | None | None |
| Word Journal | Any | None | None |
| Annotated Portfolios | Any | Student | None |
Find activities to support your teaching by searching the tables of activity types below.
| Activity Name | Activity Length | Class Size | Preparation Required |
| Think-Pair-Share | Short Medium |
Any | None |
| 1-Minute Paper | Short | Any | None |
| Activity Records | Short Medium |
Any | None |
| Muddiest/Clearest Point | Short | Any | None |
| Peer Review | Long | Any | Instructor Student |
| Activity Name | Activity Length | Class Size | Preparation Required |
| Role Play | Medium Long |
Small Medium |
Instructor Student |
| Jigsaw | Medium Long |
Small Medium | Instructor |
| Fishbowl Discussion | Long | Small Medium |
Instructor |
| Panel Discussion | Long | Medium Large |
Instructor Student |
| Buzz Groups | Medium Long |
Large | Instructor |
| Quescussion | Medium Long |
Small Medium |
Instructor |
| Pro/Con Grid | Medium Long |
Small Medium |
Instructor |
| Debate | Long | Small Medium |
Instructor Student |
| Gallery Walk | Long | Small Medium |
Instructor |
| Dot-mocracy | Medium Long |
Small Medium |
Instructor |
| Activity Name | Activity Lengtyh | Class Size | Preparation Required |
| Kahoot | Short Medium |
Any | Instructor |
| Poll Everywhere | Short Medium |
Any | Instructor |
| Mentimeter | Short Medium |
Any | Instructor |
| Activity Name | Activity Length | Class Size | Preparation Required |
| Problem Recognition Tasks | Short Medium |
Any | Instructor |
| Documented Problem Solutions | Medium | Any | Instructor |
| Directed Paraphrasing | Medium | Any | Instructor |
| Application Cards | Short Medium |
Any | Instructor |
| Student-Generated Test Questions | Medium | Any | Instructor |
| Chain/Collaborative Notes | Medium Long |
Any | Instructor |
| Memory Matrix | Medium Long |
Any | Instructor |
| One-sentence Summary | Short | Any | None |
| Categorizing Grid | Medium | Any | Instructor |
| Defining Features Matrix | Medium | Any | Instructor |
| What, How, Why Outline | Medium Long |
Any | None |
| Analytic Memos/Briefings | Long | Any | None |
| Word Journal | Medium Long |
Any | None |
| Approximate Analogies | Short Medium |
Any | None |
| Annotated Portfolios | Long | Any | Student |
Find activities to support your teaching by searching the tables of activity types below.
Student-to-Peer: Students work collaboratively with their peers
Student-to-Self: Students work individually, typically in reflective practice
Student-to-Instructor: Students engage with the instructor directly
| Activity Name | Activity Length | Preparation Required | Intensity of Interaction |
| Think-Pair-Share | Short Medium |
None | Low |
| Peer Review | Medium Long |
Instructor Student |
Medium |
| Role Play | Medium Long |
Instructor Student |
High |
| Jigsaw | Medium Long |
Instructor | Medium |
| Fishbowl Discussion | Long | Instructor | High |
| Panel Discussion | Long | Instructor Student |
High |
| Buzz Groups | Medium Long |
Instructor | Medium |
| Quescussion | Medium Long |
Instructor | Medium |
| Pro/Con Grid | Medium Long |
Instructor | Medium |
| Debate | Long | Instructor Student |
High |
| Gallery Walk | Long | Instructor | Medium |
| Dot-mocracy | Medium Long |
Instructor | Medium |
| Chain/Collaborative Notes | Medium Long |
Instructor | Medium |
| Activity Name | Activity Length | Preparation Required | Intensity of Interaction |
| 1- Minute Paper | Short | None | Low |
| Activity Records | Short Medium |
None | Low |
| Activity Name | Activity Length | Preparation Required | Intensity of Ineraction |
| Muddiest/Clearest Point | Short | None | Low |
| Kahoot | Short Medium |
Instructor | Low |
| Poll Everywhere | Short Medium |
Instructor | Low |
| Mentimeter | Short Medium |
Instructor | Low |
| Problem Recognition Tasks | Short Medium |
Instructor | Medium |
| Documented Problem Solutions | Instructor | Medium | |
| Directed Paraphrasing | Instructor | Medium | |
| Applications Cards | Short Medium |
Instructor | Medium |
| Student-Generated Test Questions | Medium | Instructor | Medium |
| Memory Matrix | Medium Long |
Instructor | Medium |
| One-sentence Summary | Short | None | Medium |
| Categorizing Grid | Medium | Instructor | Medium |
| Defining Featuers Matrix | Medium | Instructor | Medium |
| What, how, why Outline | Medium Long |
None | Medium |
| Analytic Memos/Briefings | Long | None | Medium |
| Word Journal | Medium Long |
None | Medium |
| Approximate Analogies | Short Medium |
None | Medium |
| Annotated Portfolios | Long | Instructor Student |
Medium |
Find activities to support your teaching based on preparation needed to be completed by instructors or students.
| Activity Name | Activity Length | Supplies Required | Intensity of Interaction |
| Annotated Portfolios | Long | None | Medium |
| Peer Review | Medium Long |
None | Medium |
| Role Play | Medium Long |
None | High |
| Panel Discussion | Long | None | High |
| Debate | Long | None | High |
| Activity Name | Activity Length | Supplies Required | Intensity of Interaction |
| Kahoot | Short Medium |
Internet-enabled Device | Low |
| Poll Everywhere | Short Medium |
Internet-enabled Device | Low |
| Mentimeter | Short Medium |
Internet-enabled Device | Low |
| Problem Recognition Tasks | Short Medium |
None | Medium |
| Documented Problem Solutions | Medium | None | Medium |
| Directed Paraphrasing | Medium | None | Medium |
| Applications Cards | None | None | Medium |
| Student-Generated Test Questions | None | Medium | |
| Memory Matrix | Medium Long |
None | Medium |
| Categorizing Grid | Medium | None | Medium |
| Defining Featuers Matrix | Medium | None | Medium |
| Annotated Portfolios | Long | None | Medium |
| Peer Review | Medium Long |
None | Medium |
| Role Play | Medium Long |
None | High |
| Jigsaw | Medium Long |
None | Medium |
| Fishbowl Discussion | Long | None | High |
| Panel Discussion | Long | None | High |
| Buzz Groups | Medium Long |
None | Medium |
| Quescussion | Medium Long |
None | Medium |
| Pro/Con Grid | Medium Long |
None | Medium |
| Debate | Long | None | High |
| Gallery Walk | Long | Paper and markers/stickers or Internet-enabled device |
Medium |
| Dot-mocracy | Medium Long |
Paper and markers/stickers or Internet-enabled device |
Medium |
| Chain/Collaborative Notes | Medium Long |
None | Medium |
| Activity Name | Activity Length | Supplies Required | Intensity of Ineraction |
| Muddiest/Clearest Point | Short | None | Low |
| One-sentence Summary | Short | None | Medium |
| What, how, why Outline | Medium Long |
None | Medium |
| Analytic Memos/Briefings | Long | None | Medium |
| Word Journal | Medium Long |
None | Medium |
| Approximate Analogies | Short Medium |
None | Medium |
| 1- Minute Paper | Short | None | Low |
| Activity Records | Short Medium |
None | Low |
| Think-Pair-Share | Short Medium |
None | Low |
Classroom Configurations and Teaching Methods
The arrangement of furniture in your classroom can help improve student learning. Depending on your classroom configuration, different teaching methods and activities may be more effective. Use the diagrams and matrices below to identify the configuration of your classroom and the best teaching methods and techniques.
If you are teaching in a room with moveable furniture, you can re-arrange the furniture to suit your preferred teaching methods and techniques using the configurations below.
Classroom Type Teaching Methods and Techniques Matrix (external link, opens in new window)
Traditional Classroom Configurations (external link, opens in new window)
Collaborative Classroom Configurations (external link)
High Engagement Classroom Configurations (external link, opens in new window)
Looking for more Teaching Resources?
Check out the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching's Resources Page for more information about course design and delivery, assessments, teaching with technology, experiential learning, and more!