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

33 Results

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Social sciences Psychology

Dragon’s Den – Brain Exploration Techniques

Students engage in a gamified activity mimicking the popular tv show the Dragon's Den.

Social sciences Humanities

Group Work Project Contracting

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

Photo by Conny Schneider from Unsplash
Social sciences Humanities

Put Your Theory on Trial

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

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.

Young university students studying with computer in cafe. Group of people in campus library. College teenager using laptop at table. Group study for school assignment.
Psychology

Sensation and Perception Lab

The lab explores the senses of taste, smell, touch, proprioception and vision.

Physics

Nature of Science Ice-Breaker

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

Social sciences Psychology

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.

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.

Humanities

Low Stakes Debate

Interdisciplinary Humanities

Peer Review, Assessment & Feedback

STEM Physics

Two Stage Quiz

This activity gives the students the opportunity to talk about the concepts seen in class and to discuss with their peers.

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.

STEM Physics

Circuits: Card Sorting With Multiple Representations (E&M)

Students develop their ability to reason about physics concepts in terms of multiple representations, beyond just equations.

STEM Physics

Electrostatics: Card Sorting With Mutiple Representations (E&M)

Students associate configurations of charges with their characteristics from word, diagram & graph representations.

General

Managing Major Weather Hazards in Recreation

Students in this activity, create & perform a skit to demonstrate how a group should respond to various weather events.

STEM Physics

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

Social sciences Humanities

Ctrl + Alt + Del: PTSD and Neuroplasticity

General

Race for the Hat!

STEM Physics

Engineering Physics IF-AT

STEM Physics

Dark Lords IF-AT

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.