Active Learning Activities

Active learning activities are tailored to specific learning outcomes and content. They incorporate one or more of the evidence-based strategies. Structured to expose their theoretical underpinnings, the activities can be used by practitioners and researchers alike.

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54 Activities

100 years of work (Public Domain)
Applied arts

100 Years of Work

This is a jigsaw activity where students map key developments in workplace design over 100 years.

Chemistry STEM

Keeping Up With the Trends

This activity is aimed at getting students to be able to write sound, scientific rationales for observed phenomena.

Photo by Noom Peerapong from Unsplash
Humanities Social sciences

Finding Catharsis in Film and Media

Students analyze a film or piece of media watched in the course using two concepts: climax and catharsis.

Humanities Social sciences

Group Work Project Contracting

For instructors planning student group work projects over many weeks or months.

Mathematics STEM

Two-stage Testing for Second-year Math Students

Students are given four 2-stage tests throughout a semester; 1st stage written individually, 2nd students work in groups.

Photo by Conny Schneider from Unsplash
Humanities Social sciences

Put Your Theory on Trial

Scaffolded debate that explores the nuances of a belief that the teacher has introduced.

Photo by NASA on Unsplash
Applied arts

From Bauhaus to Britney: A Catchall Timeline

Students map key movements in Architecture and Design alongside social, political, artistic, economic, and tech milestones.

Mathematics

Crossing Dimensions: A Math Odyssey into Cross Products

In groups, students learn about orthogonality and cross products by creating geometrical shapes.

Cell Phone and tablet with programming code
Mathematics

Decoding Decimal, Binary & Octal: Number System Adventures

In teams, students explore the binary number system and create parameters for an octal number system.

Chemistry

Crash Course: Collision Theory

Students use PhET simulation to learn how factors affect reaction rate (collision theory) through hands-on activities

Chemistry Biology

To Pass or Not to Pass: Acting out Membrane Transport

Aim of the activity is to increase students’ understanding of molecules’ movement through the cell membrane.

Humanities Social sciences

Can I Use the Internet?

Mathematics STEM

An Abundance of Bells

Humanities

Low Stakes Debate

Humanities

Categorizing for Review

Humanities

5 Senses Lab

Humanities Interdisciplinary

Peer Review, Assessment & Feedback

Chemistry STEM

CLAW At-Home Experiment: Crystallization of Borax

Chemistry STEM

CLAW At-Home Experiment: Organic Chemistry Introduction to Solubility

STEM Physics General

Group Problem Solving with Show and Tell

Chemistry STEM

CLAW At-Home Experiment: Spectrophotometry Using Gatorade

Chemistry STEM

CLAW At-Home Experiment: Volumetric Analysis of Household Acid with Cabbage Juice

Chemistry STEM

CLAW At-Home Experiment: Paper Chromatography of Food Dyes and Ink

Chemistry STEM

CLAW At-Home Experiment: Colligative Properties