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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107 Activities

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Health science STEM

Safety Prevention in Each Developmental Stage

In this roll the dice game, students will identify injuries to be awarded points. The team with the most points wins.

Humanities Social sciences

Group Work Project Contracting

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

Photo by Ramon Salinero from unsplash
Biology STEM

Electron Odyssey: Journey through the Mitochondria’s Electron Transport Chain

Students play the roles of protein complexes to see how electrons, protons, and energy moves through the ETC to produce ATP.

Interdisciplinary

Library Scavenger Hunt: Let the Race Begin

This activity is designed to familiarise students with library search engines, library spaces and APA/MLA reference guides.

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 Stephanie Klepacki on Unsplash
Interdisciplinary

Past, Present & Future: A Belize Timeline

Students collaborate to create a historical timeline for a country they will soon be travelling to.

Health science

PatientGPT: Using AI to Compile Mental Health Case Studies

Student groups will generate an assigned patient profile and care plan by using AI, verify the references and present.

Photo by Priscilla du Preez from Unsplash
Physics STEM

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.

Health science

Navigating the Grey: Ethics in Nursing

In this card sorting activity, students create categories with words related to ethics in nursing.

Interdisciplinary

Find Someone Who… An Icebreaker With Purpose

In this activity, students try to find someone for each list item. Items highlight key issues explored in the course.

Relay runner on starting line
Health science

The Amazing Race: An Ethical Quest

In this activity, teams of students race to complete a series of challenges related to ethics in nursing.

Languages and Literature

Silent Discussion

Conduct a discussion in your class without students ever speaking a word!

Languages and Literature

Reimagining the Reading Quiz: Peer Instruction in English

Students do a reading quiz in class and revise their answers after developing and sharing a rationale for their choice.

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.

Health science

Safety First! Rank and Sort Case for Clinical Reasoning Skills

Case-based ranking & sorting activities based on pre-class quiz on exercise safety in a client with a cardiac condition.

Elementary school science teacher in biology class
Interdisciplinary

Snowball Starter: Goals of Science Education

In this activity, the snowball strategy links students' prior beliefs to a deeper inquiry of science education goals.

Physics

Nature of Science Ice-Breaker

A first class ice-breaker activity introducing the nature of science.

Health science

COPD Pathophysiology: Construct One Patient Description

Create a clinical presentation for a COPD patient, linked to pathophysiology & differentiated from other COPD conditions

Psychology Social sciences

Love at First Insight: Crafting Dating Profiles for Therapeutic Techniques

Students create a dating profile that highlights the key feature of the major Abnormality Models in Psychology.

Health science Interdisciplinary

Role Reveal 201: Exploring Interdisciplinary Collaboration

In teams, students from each discipline complete a patient interview then contrast their approaches.

Health science Interdisciplinary

Team Dynamics Rx (Part 2): Motivating Change For Better Health

In teams, students learn through role play to effectively motivate a client to want to change

Health science Interdisciplinary

Team Dynamics Rx (Part 1): Building Trust for Better Patient Outcomes

In teams, students learn through role play to effectively work together as a team and to build trust with a patient

Health science Interdisciplinary

Collaborative VeinVentures: Mastering Blood Draws Together

In teams, students read through a script, role play drawing blood, and discuss issues that arise between professions