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.

Active Learning Activities

32 Results

Photo by Noom Peerapong from Unsplash
Social sciences Humanities

Finding Catharsis in Film and Media

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

Social sciences Humanities

Group Work Project Contracting

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

Photo by Priscilla du Preez from Unsplash
STEM Physics

Running on Water: Activating Prior Knowledge of Static Equilibrium

Students watch, discuss, then analyze the veracity of a video in which hydrophobic shoes allow people to run on water.

Two people in a conversation
Social sciences Psychology

Who Are You? A Multidimensional Examination of Self-Concept

Students investigate their self-concept, compare it to a classmate, assess differences between self- and social perception.

STEM Physics

Card Sorting Activities for Mechanics

STEM Physics

Controversy in the Science Classroom: Nature of Science Quiz

STEM Physics

Physics Worksheet Based Activity

The aim of the activity is the application of concepts and math to solve complex problems.

STEM Physics

Preparation for Future Learning: Electric Flux

Humanities

Categorizing for Review

General STEM Physics

Group Problem Solving with Show and Tell

Students learn to build a conceptual model describing a Mechanics-based situation and practice mathematical problem-solving.

STEM Physics

Model Building

Students learn to build a conceptual model describing a situation involving an accelerating charged particle.

Social sciences Applied arts Health science

Solving World Issues: One Smartphone at a Time

The purpose of this activity is to familiarize students with the potential of online tools for problem-solving.

Social sciences

Schools of Thought in Psychology

Social sciences

Summative Assessment: My Diagnosis Assignment

In this activity, students analyze 5 characters from a film in order to diagnose them using techniques learned in the course.

Social sciences

In-Class Think Pieces: Course Pack

Social sciences

Durkheim Suicide: Functionalist and Conflict Theory

In this activity, students compare 4 psychological perceptive of suicide (anomic, fatalistic, egoistic, and altruistic).

Social sciences History

Reflective Reading on Islam

Students use homework questions to prompt a deeper engagement with the reading material to generate better class discussion.

STEM Physics

Forget the Math! Draw Pictures to Learn the Wave Theory of Light

Social sciences

Who am I: (Mis)conceptions of Self

Social sciences

Holding Your Seat: A Mindfulness Exercise

Social sciences

Defining a Definition

In this single-class activity, students practice problem-solving related to definitions.

STEM Physics

Kinematics Concept Mapping

STEM Physics

Bottle Rocket Tracker

Using video and Tracker software, students learn to analyze and fit equations of motion to raw data.

STEM Physics

Dart Gun Velocity

In this activity, students will find the muzzle velocity of a foam dart gun and predict its maximum range.