Active Learning Activities

Finding Catharsis in Film and Media

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

Real-World Physics: Mini Video Projects

These mini-video projects require students to engage with course concepts and make connections to the world in which we live.

Don’t go NUTS: A Case Study on the Physiology of Stress

Preparation for Future Learning: Electric Flux

Exam Preparation using Case Studies

The aim of this activity is to apply course materials to real-world problems using Case Studies.

Peer Review, Assessment & Feedback

Interrupted Case Study in Material Engineering

This activity uses real life case study examples to give students a more in-depth look at analytics.

Model Building

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

Case Study: Anophthalmia

Case Study: Malignant hyperthermia

Case Study: Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa

Case Study: Discovering the Structure of DNA

This Field Day of Mine

This activity takes a look at the environmental impact of mining and the quantification of environmental contaminants.

Don’t leave it to chance! Testing Biology Data Right the First Time

In this activity students learn how to apply statistics to biological data through a series of mini case studies.

Cytoskeletal Proteins in Amoeba

Taking the role of a biologist, students statistically determine how different drug treatments can affect amoeba cell shape.

A Case for Cystic Fibrosis (CF): A Québec Perspective

In this activity students take on the role of a geneticist helping an individual recently diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.

Disappearing Sea Otters

Students take the role of an ecologist and try to analyze species behaviours and predict population change.

Brazil Nut Tree

Students take on the role of ecologists, tasked with saving the Brazil nut tree from the effects of deforestation.

Mine Ventilation Design

In this semester-long activity, students design and analyze mine ventilation systems as well as problem-solving skills.

Alien Cell Dissection

Students learn to apply their knowledge of normal "terrestrial" cells to a new scenario (an alien cell).

Peer Review Calibration and Constructive Feedback Workshop

This activity's goal is to familiarize students with the peer review process and teach them how to accept peer criticism.

Genetics: Patterns of Inheritance

Students analyze a pedigree chart to identify which individuals are carriers of the disease Alkaptonuria (ALK).

Chemicards

Using cards in a "Chemicard' deck, students determine which ionic compounds are most likely to form.

Projectile Tracker

Students use the Tracker software to analyze projectile motion to determine which equations fit the plots produced.