University of Tasmania

Teaching & Learning

Examples of learning activities.

The teacher's fundamental task is to get students to engage in learning activities that are likely to result in achieving [the intended learning] outcomes. It is helpful to remember that what the student does is actually more important that what the teacher does. (Schuell, 1986, p.429)

Every learning activity in your unit should be intentional , meaningful and useful .

As noted on the Session Outcomes page , each learning activity in your unit should be aligned to the unit ILOs, as well as to the more specific learning outcomes of each session or module that you teach. The intent of the activity is then clear to both you and your students.

It is equally important that each activity is meaningful , and ensures student development and advancement through the unit. Activities should build on previous activities and avoid being repetitive, they should enable students to engage with and develop their skills, knowledge and understandings in different ways. Meaningful activities engage students in active, constructive, intentional, authentic, and cooperative ways.

Useful learning activities are ones where the student is able to take what they have learnt from engaging with the activity and use it in another context, or for another purpose. For example, students are able to directly apply the skills or knowledge they acquired to an assessment task, or to the next activity in your unit.

The activity types provided below are by no means an exhaustive list, but will help you in thinking through how best to design and deliver high impact learning experiences for your students in your unit.

Content Focus (and Interaction)

Whether the learning outcomes for a session or module include declarative or functioning knowledge, almost all of them will be supported in some way by the presentation of information to students.

Activities which involve student interaction with content can include listening to and/or watching a live or recorded talk, engaging with a written or visual text, engaging with multimedia, or a combination of these. Typically, students are more likely to retain information presented in these ways if they are asked to interact with the material in some way, which is why it is useful to ask or invite questions, or include another activity type after every 5 or 15 minute 'chunk' of information.

Example: Live Lectorial (Online or On campus)

Provide information orally, supported by slides, in 4 to 7 minute blocks, interspersed with interactions such as asking students to respond to a related question. For example, ask the students a question that requires them to apply, summarise, explain or identify etc. an important aspect of the information just presented. After asking the question, wait 10 to 15 seconds before asking for volunteers, or calling on a randomly selected student to respond. (It may be useful to provide a visual clue for students identifying that after posing the question you would like to them to consider a response and remain silent for the designated amount of time.) After a student has responded to the question, call on another student to summarise the first student's response. Alternatively, if the first response was not completely accurate, invite the second student to respond to the first student's answer (e.g., "[name] what do you think about that - would you agree?").   Alternatively, students might work through problems, case studies, calculations, etc, individually or in small groups following short sections of content delivery.

This activity would be particularly relevant for supporting student progress towards learning outcomes with declarative knowledge .

Example: Assigned Reading/text

Provide students with access to a text (e.g., journal article, blog, multimedia presentation). Accompany the text with a number of questions which will help guide students' focus as they engage with the text. The questions could be provided for personal reflection, they could be addressed further in a subsequent synchronous session (online or on-campus), they could be presented in the form of an online quiz (weighted or unweighted) or survey, or they could be required as part of an asynchronous activity (online) among other options and possibilities.

The questions posed, and how students are asked to respond to them will be dependent upon what the ILOs require students to do. For example, a unit with an ILO that requires students to ' identify ' might have questions that highlight the relevant aspects, or which require students to identify the key ideas in a reading. For a unit with an ILO for students to ' evaluate ', however, the questions might ask student to list advantages and disadvantages, or to compare and contrast different approaches noted in the text(s).

Example: Multimedia Content in MyLO

Use a MyLO Content File (HTML) to pose one to four questions, in text. Ask students to record their responses in a linked, editable MyLO survey. Below the questions and the survey link, embed a short video (from YouTube, MyMedia, Vimeo etc) that contains information answering the posed questions. Ask students to return to their survey answers (with a link) and update them with the new knowledge they have.

The questions posed will be dependent upon the unit and module/session learning outcomes. For example, ILOs that require students to ' identify ' might have questions that highlight the relevant aspects, or which require students to identify the key ideas in the video. For ILOs that require ' critical reflection ', however, the questions might ask students to complete SWOT components, or to present perspectives from a variety of stakeholders, fo example.

Interactivity (with Others) Focus

The 'social presence' of a student in a unit has been found to correlate positively with both their achievement of learning outcomes, and their perception of the learning in a unit (Richardson & Swan, 2003). Peer relationships, informal support structures, and teacher-student interactions/relationships all contribute to a student's social presence in a unit. Therefore, including learning activities that foster open communication and group cohesion (as ways of fostering social presence) as well as providing opportunities for active learning are important in every unit.

Activities that focus on or include interaction with others can support student development of a range of learning outcomes, inclusive of declarative and functioning knowledge. All of these examples could be used in either online or on campus environments.

Example: Facilitated synchronous discussion

A set of questions are provided to students for consideration prior to a scheduled session. In small groups of 10-20, the teacher facilitates student sharing of responses to the questions, and building upon those responses. Further questions for consideration might be introduced during the session, aimed at furthering the thinking and analysis generated from the discussion.

N.B., Facilitating the sharing of responses is most effective when done skillfully. Therefore, it is likely that familiarising yourself with literature about this will enhance the learning of your students.

Example: Jigsaw collaborative information sharing

A cohesive set of information is separated into 4 or 5 smaller parts. For example, a written article separated by its paragraphs, a report separated by each section, a video separated into shorter clips. Students are organised into small groups, and each one is provided with one of the smaller parts of information. Students work together to understand the information they are provided with. They also discuss and rehearse how to share this knowledge with others who do not have the information. Then, new groups are formed, each being made up of a single student from each of the original groups. In these new groups, each 'expert' student shares their knowledge with the rest of the group who may ask questions to clarify meaning.

The teacher may then pose questions for the groups to answer, ask groups to complete a task that demonstrates their understanding, provide their own summary, or take questions from the groups to help solidify understandings.

Example: Group Assignments

Students are organised into smaller groups of three or four for the entire semester, a week, a fortnight... Each group has an assigned task, and each member an assigned role. (The organisation of groups, and assignment of roles can be managed either by the teacher or the students.) Discussion boards are provided for each of the assigned roles (e.g., project manager, schedule and records manager, presentation manager, researcher) so that these students can share ideas and check understandings with one another to then take back to their group). Opportunities are provided for each group to share their product with the rest of the class, through, for example, an in-class presentation (using web conferencing for online presentation), or a peer-assessment activity (facilitated online or in-class) where each group assesses one another's work using a rubric.

Critical Thinking

Activities that provide students with opportunities to think about or use knowledge and information in new and different ways will support their development of critical thinking skills - one of the main selling points of a university education. Often critical thinking activities can follow on from other learning activities, after students have received feedback from the initial activity.

Example: Response to an assigned text

Students are initially asked to identify the key ideas in an assigned text (written, audio, video), and share their understanding with a sub-set of the class (e.g., during an on campus (or online) 'tutorial', or on a discussion board). To extend this to a critical thinking activity, once the initial discussion on the content of the text is completed, students are then asked to critique the text based on a provided set of criteria. The criteria could focus on the validity of the assertions made, and their relevance and applicability to other topics covered in the unit and specified situations and scenarios. The critiques could be presented and discussed orally, or initially posted to a discussion board for further analysis and use in subsequent learning activities.

Example: Digital story development

Students (as individuals, pairs, or in groups) are provided with a scenario or case study which they must analyse. They prepare a 5 minute digital story that explains what the relevant issues are, including the stakeholders, the options, the impacts and consequences etc (as relevant to your discipline and context). These digital stories are shared on MyLO, and used in subsequent sessions for class analysis, for peer-feedback or assessment, for oral advocacy where the author(s) of the digital story respond to questions about the content, defending and explaining their reasoning, or for formal assessment and feedback from the teacher, among other uses.

Asking students to produce something can be an effective way of assisting them to engage with ideas and concepts at the level you wish them to. It can be a way of facilitating 'deep' learning. Worth noting here, is that with the ubiquitousness of technology and its capabilities now, the requirement of production being predominantly written no longer exists, with the range of possible forms of production ever increasing, bounded only by your imaginations.

Example: Infographic

When students are learning about processes or procedures; dealing with statistics, numbers, and dates; learning about complex ideas with interactions on different levels; or something similar, you can ask students to produce an infographic to explain, describe, and visualise this information. The production of the infographic can be worked on by students outside of scheduled sessions, and should be shared with the whole class through MyLO. The infographics could also be used as a starting point for further analyses and/or discussions.

Example: Oral summary (+ written summary)

Students are each given a specific aspect of a topic, and asked to create a 4 minute oral explanation of it. The oral explanation is then shared with the other members of the class, either as a recording shared online, or through a live presentation during a scheduled session. This can work well when all the participating students are then asked to write a short summary of each of the aspects explained. These written summaries are then also shared with the class online. In addition to providing students with an opportunity to learn more about the aspects, this also provides you the teacher with useful feedback about the aspects which students have not understood as well as needed. This then enables you to plan for additional learning activities that focus on the less well understood concepts.

Example: One minute paper

During a lecture, or within a module on MyLO, ask students to stop and spend one minute (and no longer) responding to a key question about the topic being covered. Students then pass in their writing to the teacher.

The one minute paper can be written on a piece of paper, but works particularly well on campus when students are asked to submit it through the survey tool in MyLO. This makes the collection and reading of the papers easier for you the teacher, and makes it easier to analyse the responses and respond to them in the following scheduled session.

Problem Solving

Presenting students with a problem, scenario, case, challenge or design issue, which they are then asked to resolve, address, meet, or deal with provides students with a visible and clear reason for learning. If, in order to solve the problem, they are required to have knowledge, understandings and skills, that they don't currently have, they are likely to be motivated to gain them. The scale and extent of the problem, and the amount of scaffolding provided by you, the teacher, will need careful consideration and reference to the learning outcomes of the unit, module and/or session.

You may find John Savery's (2006) article Overview of Problem-based Learning: Definitions and Distinctions a valuable and useful read.

Example: Simulation

Students are provided with a scenario, and they then interact with people and/or machines who respond to their choices and actions as if in real life. After the simulation has ended, the student reflects on the consequences of their choices and actions, often in response to questions from their classmates or teacher(s).

Example: Case Study

Students, either individually or in groups, are provided with information about a person or organisation, and are assigned a role that is relevant to the case of the assigned person or organisation. The students must then analyse the case, and make recommendations to stakeholder(s), propose a solution, or present a design or plan related to the case.

What students are asked to do in relation to the case will depend on the discipline in which they are studying, and the unit's intended learning outcomes.

Example: Class Solution and Consequence

During a live lecture or tutorial, the teacher presents a scenario, and seeks responses from the class about possible approaches/responses to it. After collecting the responses (made verbally and recorded by the teacher, or sent using an audience response system such as MyLO surveys, clickers, or Lecture tools (which are currently in use across UTAS)), the teacher then asks for verbal responses about what the consequences might be for a selected answer. This continues as each of the main responses are analysed and the consequences considered.

Using effective questioning and discussion facilitation skills will enhance this sort of learning activity.

Reflection is an activity that supports the development of students' meta-cognition, that is, their understanding of how they think, learn, and understand. The process of reflection starts with the student thinking about what they already know and have experienced in relation to the topic being explored/learnt. This is followed by analysis of why the student thinks about the topic in the way they do, and what assumptions, attitudes and beliefs they have about, and bring to learning about the topic.

Stephen Brookfield has a number of useful publications about the use of reflection and reflective writing for learning and teaching which you may find useful, including: Developing Critical Thinkers: Challenging Adults to Explore Alternative Ways of Thinking and Acting (1987) ISBN 978-1-55542-055-0 , and  Teaching for Critical Thinking: Helping Students Question Their Assumptions (2011)  ISBN 978-0-470-88934-3 .

Example: Self-Assessment

After students have completed a learning activity or assessment task, provide them with a set of criteria to use to assess the quality of their work. Ask students to write down a comment about the quality of their work (process or product). Then, ask students to think about why they achieved that level of quality, and whether they could do something differently in the future to achieve a different/higher level of quality. Students may be asked to make a record of this reflection.

Example: Reflection on Learning

After students have received feedback on an early assessment task or learning activity, ask them to use the DIEP model (Boud, 1985) to write a reflection about their experience of completing the task or participating in the activity. Ask students to use the reflective writing process to assist them to replicate approaches that worked well for them, and/or to avoid approaches that did not help them to learn and perform well.

This focus would be most appropriate for students who are in their first year of study at university, and especially for those in their first semester.

Example: Prior Understanding

Towards the start of a new topic or module, present to students the name of the topic, and/or some key words of relevance to the new module. Ask students to reflect on what they currently think about this topic, how they feel about it, and why this might be the case. Ask students to predict what they will learn about, how they feel about that, and how they expect to feel about the experience of learning about it.

This can be useful to go back to towards the end of the module or topic, to ask students to reflect on if and how their feelings and understandings have changed.

Richardson, J. C., & Swan, K. (2003). Examining social presence in online courses in relation to students' perceived learning and satisfaction. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks 7 (1), 68-88.

Schuell, T. J. (1986). Cognitive conceptions of learning.  Review of Educational Research ,  56 , 411-436.

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15 active learning activities to energize your next college class

Tricia Whenham

The evidence just keeps growing – postsecondary students engage more, learn more and accomplish more with active learning. In yet another proof point, a meta-analysis from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that student exam scores improved 6% when active learning approaches were used. And students in traditional classes were 1.5 times more likely to fail than those being taught with interactive methods.

During uncertain times like these, it might feel simpler to stick with what’s familiar. But even if your classes have moved partially or fully online, that doesn’t mean you’re limited to lecturing. Even taking 5 or 10 minutes to shift from knowledge intake to interaction can make a difference.

Are you ready to move to a different way of teaching but need some ideas to get you started? Or maybe you’ve been running your courses this way for years but want ideas that work for the new reality. Whether your classes are in person, online or somewhere in between, here are 15 active learning activities to try with your students this semester.

1. Think-pair-repair

In this twist on think-pair-share , pose an open-ended question to your class and ask students to come up with their best answer. Next, pair learners up and get them to agree on a response. Get two pairs together, and the foursome needs to do the same thing. Continue until half the group goes head to head with the other half. If your students are online, breakout rooms in your conferencing software let you do the same thing virtually. Here’s how it works in Zoom .

2. Improv games

If your classroom is museum-level quiet no matter how you try to liven things up, try some low-stakes (read: not embarrassing) improv activities. In the three things in common game , pairs figure out the most unexpected things they share (this can also be done online in breakout rooms). Or challenge your students to count to 20 as a group with one person saying each number – but no one is assigned a number, and if two people talk at the same time, everyone starts again at 1. (If some students are in the room and some remote, you’ll need classroom audio with full-room coverage for this to work. Here’s how Nureva audio can help .)

3. Brainwriting

You’ve probably tried brainstorming, but have you tried brainwriting ? In this approach, students are given time to come up with their own ideas individually before sharing them out loud or posting them to an online whiteboard or other shared platform. Building in space for individual reflection leads to better ideas and less groupthink.

15-active-learning-activities-subimage-july2020-update-3

Help students build accountability by teaching each other. Start by dividing them into “home groups” (4 or 5 people works well). Again, breakout rooms in Zoom or Google Meet make this simple even if everyone is remote. Assign each person in the group a different topic to explore – they’ll regroup to work with all the students from the other groups who are exploring the same idea. Once they’ve mastered the concept, students return to their home group and everyone shares newfound expertise.

5. Concept mapping

Collaborative concept mapping  is a great way for students to step away from their individual perspectives. Groups can do this to review previous work, or it can help them map ideas for projects and assignments. In pre-COVID times, you may have covered classroom walls with sticky notes and chart paper – now there are many online tools that make it simple to map out connections between ideas.

15-active-learning-activities-subimage-july2020-update-5

6. The one-minute paper

How much could you explain in one minute? At the end of class, set a timer and ask students to record their most eye-opening revelation or biggest question. This activity lets students reflect on learning and build writing skills – plus you’ll get a window into their understandings and misunderstandings. Here are  more prompts  you can use to get students writing.

7. Real-time reactions

When students are watching a video, a mini lecture or another student’s presentation, have them share their real-time reactions. This helps students spot trends and consider new points of view. You can set up a hashtag to allow for  live tweeting , or use the chat function in your conferencing software.

15-active-learning-activities-subimage-july2020-update-7.3

8. Chain notes

Write several questions on pieces of paper and pass each to a student. The first student adds a response (use a timer to keep things moving quickly) and then passes the page along to gather more responses. Multiple contributions help build more complete understanding. A digital alternative involves using shared documents that multiple students are invited to edit. Then your class can examine the responses and identify patterns and missing pieces.

9. Idea line up

Choose a question that has a range of responses, and then ask students where they stand – literally. If you’re not social distancing, have them come to the front of the classroom and organize themselves in a line, based on where on the spectrum of answers they find themselves. In a blended classroom or a physically distanced one, get them to place themselves on a virtual number line instead.

10. Mystery quotation

Test how well students can apply their understanding of an issue or theoretical position. After they’ve explored a topic, show them a quotation about it they’ve never seen before. Their task is to figure out the point of view of the person behind the quotation – and justify it to the class. Students can debate this issue in small breakout groups before beginning a whole-class discussion.

11. Idea speed dating

Have students cycle through your space, or through breakout rooms in Zoom or Google Meet, sharing insights about a topic or their elevator pitch for an upcoming project. As they present their learnings multiple times on several “ speed dates ,” students’ presentation skills and perspectives will grow.

15-active-learning-activities-subimage-july2020-update-11

12. Peer review

The process of peer review is as old as academia, and it’s never too early to start. Have students swap drafts of their essays, proposals or lab reports, and then come up with comments and questions for each other. Make sure to be clear about what the goals are (using rubrics helps). For example, students could identify compelling arguments, unanswered questions and holes in logic.

13. Quescussion

Ever played Jeopardy? Then you’re ready for  quescussion . It’s like a standard class discussion but only questions are allowed (students call “Statement!” if someone slips up). If you play this game at the beginning of the course, the questions can help shape your course. If you have students both in the room and calling in from a distance, make sure the remote learners get equal airtime and that your audio system is picking up student voices clearly.

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14. Sketchnoting

Instead of taking traditional lecture notes, try getting your students to sketch a picture that represents what they’ve learned during class. Remember, it’s not about the quality of the art – it’s about how drawing prompts students to visualize their understanding and look at their learning from a different perspective.

15. Empathy mapping

Take a page from the designers’ handbook and get students to explore deeper by embracing a perspective. It’s deceptively simple – write down what a person says, thinks, does and feels . The ability to slow down and immerse yourself in another point of view is valuable. In design thinking, empathy maps help designers create better products for users. But this process can be just as valuable for analyzing characters from literature, historical figures or political stances.

Checklist: 8 audio essentials for HyFlex and hybrid learning

Do your higher ed audio systems support active learning? In a hybrid classroom, students need to be able to hear each other easily, no matter where they are. Instructors need to be able to change the room layout for different activities, as often as they like. See what else is on our audio essentials list – download your checklist today (no email address required).

Editor’s note: This post was originally published August 2018 and has been updated.

learning activities examples

Topics: Higher education Active learning Hybrid learning Learning Activities

Posted on April 2, 2020

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learning activities examples

Don’t see a time that works?  

Examples of Active Learning Activities

In this section you will learn about 20 active learning activities. Explore the Venn diagram below to find out which activities may work in small or large classes, and which ones may be appropriate for individual work.

Please select each circle to reveal a list of examples appropriate for each scenario.

Next select an example to learn more about it.

A detailed description of the activity will open below, with pointers for using in large and small classes and online.

Case Studies

Complete turn taking, post it parade, group text reading, peer review, respond, react, reply.

  • Pro-Con Grids

Social Annotation of Text

Buzz groups, quescussion, think aloud, round table, index card pass, think-pair-share.

  • 1-Minute Paper / Reflections

learning activities examples

Size: Entire class, or a group of volunteers in larger class

learning activities examples

Time: 10-40 minutes

  • Ask the entire group to line up along one wall of the class and then present an issue.
  • Tell the class that the right end of the line represents the position “yes, I agree completely” and the left end of the line represents the position “no, I completely disagree.” Students should mingle and discuss their opinion on the issue, eventually finding and taking their appropriate position within the continuum.
  • Once students are in place, take a few moments to discuss why they have chosen the position they have in the various locations in the line-up.
  • Repeat for a variety of questions.
  • For another version of this activity, tape a circle in the center of the room. Students who agree should stand close to the circle and those who disagree should stand further away. Ask students who are on the extremes (close or far away) and in the middle to explain why they chose that location.

learning activities examples

  • This activity is a great tool for highlighting the “shades of gray” in issues. Line-ups allow for interactions and the opportunity to have one-on-one discussions (to figure out your place in line) and to get an idea of the wide range of opinions that may exist about a certain issue.
  • A disadvantage of this activity is that students must make a public stand about their opinion.

Should employers be allowed to take a potential employee’s Facebook page into account when making a hiring decision?

learning activities examples

Size: Entire class, or small groups (at most 8 per group).

Time: One class (8 questions can be addressed in a 50-minute class).

  • Each student should be asked to bring a couple of questions to class. These can either be questions to clarify, issues they think were left unresolved, or ideas or positions not yet considered.
  • Have the entire class arrange themselves in a circle. Alternatively, students can be in small-medium size groups.
  • One student reads a question aloud. The student to their left then has one minute of uninterrupted time to speak and give their thoughts . This person signals that they are done speaking by saying, “OK, I’m done.”
  • The next person to the left goes, has one minute of uninterrupted time to speak, and signals they are done by saying, “OK I’m done.” Finally, the third student to the left goes, following the same pattern.
  • After three people have had a chance to speak, the conversation is opened up to the whole group for two minutes of discussion.
  • The next student gets to ask a question, and this cycle continues.
  • A benefit of this activity is that it allows students to speak uninterrupted. It also allows the students to work through some of their issues, questions or concerns with the text together.

Size: Individual, pairs, or small groups

Time: 10-15 minutes

  • Students are provided with a question or prompt for which they need to generate ideas, solutions, etc.
  • Give each student a few post-its, and have them write out 1 idea per post-it.
  • Students then post the post-its on the chalkboard or wall. Depending on the question or prompt, it may be useful to have them place the post-its in areas to group them by topic, question, chronologically, etc.
  • This activity is a way for the instructor to get a general sense of what sort of questions, concerns or ideas the students may have.
  • It’s also a great way to generate a take-away (the list of questions, ideas, or concerns posted by the students).

learning activities examples

Adaptable for Online Learning? Absolutely! The goal behind post-it parade is to generate ideas from all your students. This could also be done online in a discussion forum, where each student can post ideas.

learning activities examples

Size: Entire class, divided into 2 groups (if class is small enough)

Time: 1 class

  • Divide class in half either by (1) asking students to seat themselves in the section representing a particular side of the debate, or (2) dividing students in half by where they already happen to be seated.
  • Assign each half of the class a position on a topic or issue. Give students approximately 15 minutes to prepare an argument for their position. After 15 minutes, have each side share their position.
  • After each side provides their “Opening Argument,” each side must then prepare to respond to the opposition’s argument (give students approximately 10 minutes). This part requires members of the groups to carefully listen to and reconstruct the opposition’s argument.
  • After each side provides their criticisms of the opposition’s position, each group then has the opportunity to respond to the criticisms (give students approximately 10 minutes for students to prepare their responses to this as well).
  • Above is just an outline for one way to run a debate. The success of this activity will depend on getting the right number of students involved, and giving the groups structure.

learning activities examples

Size: Entire class

Time: Unrestricted

learning activities examples

  • Dotmocracy is a technique for voting and recognizing levels of agreement among a group of people.
  • For example, in a group discussion, five potential strategies for dealing with a particular problem might be suggested.  One way of accessing individual opinions on each of these alternatives in a non-threatening fashion is to write all of the options on large sheets of paper, and put these sheets of paper on the wall.  
  • Students are then each given a certain number of sticky dots, and asked to walk around the room, thinking about each of the options and putting one or more dots on the approaches they most strongly agree with. 
  • At the end of the Dotmocracy period, all participants can visually assess the opinion of the group as a whole.
  • Alternatively, students can use markers to add a checkmark or dot as their “Vote”
  • This is a great activity to use after brainstorming to assess the interests of the class and focus on one of the issues students highlighted in greater depth later on during the class.
  • For more facilitation strategies, see http://dotmocracy.org/ opens in new window

Time: 30-40 minutes, or longer depending on discussion

learning activities examples

  • Present an idea, question, or issue to students. Each student first thinks about the idea/question/issue for one minute, with the goal of generating at least three reactions, comments, answers, etc.
  • Two students then come together with their lists and try to come up with three things they agree on.
  • The pairs of students then join with another pair, and try to come up with three things they agree on. Repeat for as many iterations as desired.
  • Eventually, bring the class together as a group to hear what the students have decided are the three most important issues, questions, ideas relevant to the topic discussed.
  • In an international relations class, ask students “What are the key traits of a good mediator?” Most groups will identify neutrality as one of the key trait in Western cultures, providing a bridge to a discussion of differences in the role of mediators in the Middle East, where mediators’ role is to take sides and support the weaker party in a dispute.
  • For some issues, it may be difficult to reach consensus on the “three most important issues”
  • This discussion model can be time-consuming.

learning activities examples

  • For this activity, you will need a small group of volunteers to be “in” the “fishbowl” to participate in the activity. The rest of the class are “outside” of the “fishbowl” and observe the activity take place.
  • Fishbowls are used for dynamic group involvement. The most common configuration is an "inner ring" (Group A), which is the discussion group, surrounded by an "outer ring" (Group B), which is the observation group. Just as people observe the fish in a fishbowl, the "outer ring" observes the "inner ring."
  • Group A is given an assignment, such as a discussion or exercise to perform, while Group B observes. After 10 to 30 minutes, the groups switch (Group A observes while Group B performs the activity). They can either perform the same activity, a modified version, or a new activity.

The group observing will either observe the process, the content, or both depending on the desired outcome. After the activity, you can have groups give feedback to each other, either on a group to group basis, individually, or in pairs. If you feel that the learners are not ready for public feedback, ask them to provide feedback to each other in pairs or in writing.

  • For some issues, it may be difficult to reach consensus on the “three most important issues”.
  • Quescussion is discussion through questions only.
  • The facilitator starts the Quescussion by asking a question related to the discussion topic, and writing it on the board.
  • Participants may only respond or add to the discussion in the form of more questions. Each question is written down on the board. This discussion model is very informal and participants should take turns shouting out questions as they think of them.
  • There are three rules: (1) Only questions are allowed. (2) If someone makes a statement everyone yells “statement!” and (3) Two other people must speak before a participant can participate again.
  • Following Quescussion, the class can then focus on one or two of the key questions raised in greater depth.
  • Alternatively,  if the questions are recorded on the board, the class can vote on the question that they would like to explore further using dotmocracy (voting with dots).
  • This is a great activity for controversial topics. In getting students to ask questions, you’re inviting them to generate a variety of thoughts about the topic without them directly stating their own views. Additionally, with each question students will likely think of answers to the proposed question.
  • This activity also works well with really dense readings, where students ask genuine questions about what the text might mean or be implying (this works particularly well for literature or more abstract poems).
  • Quescussions are a great way to generate lists of questions people might ask, or questions they want to address in a paper. To generate possible paper topics, break students up to draft mini-papers that address one of the Quescussion questions.

learning activities examples

  • Give each student an index card. Ask them to write down one question they have from a reading, or a question more specific to your needs.
  • Students then exchange cards, making at least 4 passes (or more!). If they get their own card back, they can keep it or they can make an extra pass.
  • Have students get in groups of 3-4. Each student should read their index card, and as a group pick one index card question they want to address. Students should then discuss possible answers to the question.
  • After students have had time to discuss, pick a few questions to discuss as a group.
  • This activity can run for just part of the class, or as the basis for an entire class. It works well for all class sizes.

learning activities examples

Size: Individual and pairs

  • Students individually think about a particular question, scenario, or problem.
  • Next, have each student pair up to discuss their ideas or answers.
  • Then bring students together as a large class for discussion.
  • This activity encourages students to think about answers on their own first before talking with other students.
  • Avoid asking simple/recall type questions: this activity works best when students are challenged to think through a more complex or complicated idea.
  • The benefits of the 3 step process are two-fold: first, students are generally more comfortable presenting ideas to a group with the support of a partner; second, students’ ideas have become more refined through this three-step process.

Adaptable for Online Learning? This could be done by breaking students into small chat rooms, or pairing students up to message with each other, then having their group post their points to a larger discussion board.

Size: Small Groups (2-4)

Time: 1 class or long project

  • Provide the students with a real-world case for the students to study (e.g. a news article, account of a decision or procedure, video, etc.). Alternatively, have students find their own case to examine.
  • Individually, or in small groups, have students analyze the case using guidelines and a framework provided by you (the instructor).
  • Have students present their analysis to the class, or require groups to turn in written answers. If presenting in class, try to facilitate discussion such that students connect the case with material in class.
  • After student analysis has been completed, ensure that the group has concretely discussed how the case study illustrates application of theoretical or background concepts from course material.
  • This is a great activity for students to work on the practical applications of more theoretical or abstract course material. For example, students can come up with pros and cons for two possible options or solutions to a case, utilizing two different perspectives presented in the class to attempt to solve an issue.

Adaptable for Online Learning? Absolutely! Make the case study the focus point of the week’s online discussion section.

learning activities examples

  • Select a ‘”difficult” text or passage. Break the large text up into 1-2 paragraph sections.
  • Break students up into groups of 2-4. Give each group of students a different section of the text/passage.
  • Give the students time (~15-20 minutes) to read through and discuss their section of the text. If possible, give students guiding questions such as: What is happening in this section? What is the important take-away point? What might be important for me to know later?
  • Bring the class back together. Each group (starting with the first part of the text) presents their section to the class.
  • As students present, the instructor should write/draw on the board, correct and add to student responses, and provide examples as needed in order to help tie the concepts together.
  • This activity can help the students feel like the text is more manageable. It can also model to students what they should be doing when reading a text.
  • Group Text reading provides an opportunity for students to practice their communication skills.

Adaptable for Online Learning? Be sure to check out our social annotation learning activity to see a way to run this activity online.

  • In this activity, students provide their peers with feedback on their papers or lab reports. Have each student bring to class a printed or electronic draft of their assignment.
  • Have students swap papers with one to two other students (depending on time available).
  • Each student then reads another student’s paper and provides them with some form of written feedback on their current drafts (see pointers for more detail).
  •  After preparing written comments, students then chat briefly (~5 minutes) with their partner(s) about their paper in order to provide verbal feedback as well.
  • In this activity, it is important to structure how the students are to respond. Be sure to give them guiding questions, key elements to look for in the essay based on the assignment rubric, or a form to fill in about the other student’s paper.
  • This activity can also become part of the grade or assignment. When submitting the final version of their paper. Have each student, in addition to their final draft, also submit the feedback they gave/received as well as reflections on the revisions they made in light of their peer’s comments.
  • This activity can also help in classes where providing all students with some type of feedback on papers may not be possible due to the number of students in the class.
  • Teach students how to give constructive, supportive feedback before this activity.

Adaptable for Online Learning? Assign students to work in small groups of 3-4 and provide each other with feedback. Be sure to assign a deadline for giving feedback, and allow sufficient time for revisions.

  • Break students up into small groups.
  • Provide students with a prompt. The prompt can be a targeted question, written passage/text, or argument.
  • Each student then responds to the prompt on their own in writing. After each student has had a chance to write their response, have them read and share their response with the group.
  • Each student then reacts to each of the other group members’ responses.
  • Then, the student replies to each of the reactions to their own response.
  • In creating your prompt, make sure it cannot be answered with a simple “Yes/No.” Try to create questions that will generate discussion.
  • Be sure clear expectations and structure are provided to the students (e.g. how long responses/reactions/replies should be, as well as the structure they should take; how this activity will be evaluated; reminders of classroom rules; etc.).

Adaptable for Online Learning? This is a great activity for online classrooms. If a student is delayed in responding/reacting/replying, the instructor can give “behind the scene” nudges.

learning activities examples

Pro-Con Grid

Size: Groups of 2-6

  • Pick a topic that lends itself to the idea of making lists of pros and cons/advantages and disadvantages for some issue (see pointers for suggestions). Break students up into small groups.
  • Have the groups come up with at least three points for each side. Additionally, let students know whether they should be putting their lists together in point form or full sentences.
  • Once students have had time to complete the activity, bring the class back together to share and discuss points on each side.
  • This activity can help students in developing analytical and evaluative skills. It also requires students to go beyond their initial position and reactions, and come up with points of discussion for the other side of the issue. Finally, it also requires students to weigh the points of competing positions and claims.

Adaptable for Online Learning? In an online setting, this could become an individual activity as well.

learning activities examples

Size: Small groups of (3-4)

  • Select a text for the groups to annotate. Many texts can be found online at Project Gutenberg opens in new window or through a simple Google search.
  • Select a platform for performing the social annotation, such as >Google Drive , >eMargins opens in new window , or >ClassroomSalon opens in new window .
  • Have at least one student from each group bring a computer to class (ideally, all students would have access to a computer). In small groups, have students annotate the text. Encourage them to reply to each other’s posts as well.
  • Annotation increases memory and learning, and improves reading comprehension. This activity allows students to practice the activity of annotating a text, taking notes, and analyzing the text as a group. It can be run during a tutorial, in a class during lecture, or outside of class time as preparation.

learning activities examples

Size: Groups of 3-6

  • Break class into small groups. Each group discusses the topic or question on their own for a few minutes to generate arguments, answers, or ideas.
  • Once time is up, have each small group share one idea, answer, or argument with the class. Record ideas on the board.
  • Keep in mind that the larger the group, the less opportunity each student will have to participate in their small group discussion.

learning activities examples

Size: Pairs

learning activities examples

  • Choose 2-3 paragraphs of new text for students to read.
  • Students work in pairs (student A gets text 1, and student B gets text 2).
  •  One student reads a passage of text aloud, and while reading they stop frequently to “think” aloud. The reader stops after every few sentences, and reflects on what they have read. (This process is awkward, and weird for most. Let students know this, and that it is ok!)
  • Model this activity very briefly for students with a sample text.
  • Once student A finishes their text, student B then performs their think aloud. Give students 15-20 minutes to perform this part of the activity.
  • Bring the class back together as a group. Go over each of the texts, then perform a think aloud as a class, asking students to contribute what they were thinking about at each point.
  • Finally, conclude class with a “Meta-moment”: ask students what they thought of the activity, and what they will take away to their next reading. (This can take the form of a 1-minute paper!)
  • Think aloud is frequently used in text based disciplines such as English, Comparative Literature or History. At the end of this activity, students will have developed their ability to engage in a close reading of the text, and will be able to explain their thinking process.
  • An analogy that helps students understand the process is comparing it to math: Much like a mathematician must show their work when solving an equation, so must a student in the Arts & Humanities when explaining their thinking and reasoning process.

Adaptable for Online Learning? In the online environment, students can annotate the text instead and add comments.

Additional Resources

  • Calder, L. and Carlson, S. “ Using “Think Alouds” to Evaluate Deep Understanding opens in new window . .
  • Ericsson, K. and Simon, H. Protocol Analysis; Verbal Reports as Data. (Revised edition). MIT Press, 1993.
  • Ericsson, K. and Simon, H. “ How to Study Thinking in Everyday Life: Contrasting Think-Aloud Protocols with Descriptions and Explanations of Thinking opens in new window . “ Mind, Culture, & Activity, 1998: 176-186.
  • Wade, S. “ Using Think Alouds to Assess Comprehension opens in new window .” The Reading Teacher, 1990: 442-451.
  • Weimer, M. “ Think Alouds Shed Light on How Students Grapple with Content opens in new window .“ 2012.
  • Wineburg, S. Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of Teaching the Past . Temple University Press, 2001. Ch 3 & 4.

Size: Entire class or large small groups

  • Have the class move their desks into a circle so that everyone can see each other.
  • The discussion facilitator poses a question. Each person, in turn around the circle, provides a comment. If a student does not wish to comment, they may “pass.”
  • This activity ensures that all students have an opportunity to speak if they wish. However, the question posed cannot be a simple yes/no, and must have several points or issues that can be raised.

1-Minute Paper/Reflections

Size: Individual

Time: 1-minute (but really up to 3-5 minutes) at the end of a class or on completion of an assignment

  • Provide students with one question for brief reflection. Emphasize that responses should be concise.
  • Each student then records and submits their answers.
  • As needed, follow up on comments. Be sure to summarize and respond to any important questions or issues that arise in the students’ responses the following class. (e.g. concepts that did not seem clear to students).
  • Ending your class with short writing assignments is a powerful way to assess the degree to which students understood the presented material.
  • Spontaneous writing also promotes confidence in writing quickly.
  • Minute papers can also be used in the middle of lecture components if class concentration begins to wane.
  • You encounter a sticky/high-anxiety discussion topic. It allows students to decompress
  • Students have just participated in an experiential learning activity, returned from a field experience, or worked on a group project and you would like them to reflect on what they learned from the experience. 

Adaptable for Online Learning? Absolutely! In fact, online platforms will likely allow you to compile answers efficiently.

Example questions:

  • What was the most important thing you learned during this class today?
  • What questions remained unanswered in your mind today?
  • Of the concepts we learned today, what would you NOT like to have on the exam?
  • The clearest point of today’s class was:
  • Summarize the main point of today’s lecture in one sentence.
  • What was the most useful or meaningful thing you learned from this assignment?
  • How I prepared for class today:
  • What I liked best that helped me learn:
  • One thing that I wish had been discussed during today’s class is:
  • How do you think you will use what we learned today in your everyday life?
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8 Active Learning Strategies and Examples [+ Downloadable List]

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Written by Justin Raudys

Engage your students, get time-saving tools and differentiate learning with Prodigy.

  • Teaching Strategies
  • Teaching Tools
  • 8 Active Learning Strategies

The Teacher’s Role in the Active Learning Classroom

Active learning techniques: key questions, making space for active learning strategies.

As a teacher, one of your biggest challenges is to plan lessons that inspire your students to stay actively involved in the learning process.

But you’ve probably noticed that traditional, teacher-centered learning plans aren’t always conducive to achieving that inspiration.

That’s where active learning strategies come into play. You can use them to empower, engage, and  stimulate a classroom by putting students at the center of the learning process.

Get inspired by these 8 strategies that will help students talk more openly, think more creatively and -- ultimately -- become more engaged in the process of learning.

This article is accompanied by a  downloadable list of active learning strategies  to keep at your desk for quick reference. 

Active Learning Strategies

1. reciprocal questioning.

Use reciprocal questioning  to encourage an open dialogue in which students take on the role of the teacher and create their own questions about a topic, reading section, or lesson.

learning activities examples

After covering a topic of your choice in class -- or after assigning a reading selection -- divide the class into pairs or small groups and have students come up with a few questions for discussion with the rest of the class. To facilitate the process, you can provide students with “question stems,” which provide a foundation for a question but still require students to think critically about a lesson, text, or other section of material by completing the query. Consider the examples below.

Comprehension Question Stems

Describe  x  in your own words. What does  y  mean? Why is  z  important? How could  x  be used to  y ?

Connector Question Stems

Explain how  x  and why  z.  In what ways are  x  and  y  similar? In what ways are  x  and  y  different? How does  x  tie in with that we learned before?

Use these question stems to anchor and explore concepts in course material, helping students investigate a range of new topics and points of view associated with your lesson.

Much like student-generated test questions -- a type of of experiential learning activity -- reciprocal questioning involves students in the learning process to help build their comprehension of course material.

Reciprocal questioning can be particularly useful when:

  • Preparing for tests or exams
  • Introducing a new topic or section of course content
  • Discussing reading or writing materials in greater detail

2.  Three step interviews

A cooperative learning strategy , the  three step interview  encourages students to develop active listening skills by quizzing one another, sharing their thoughts, and taking notes.

learning activities examples

To use the three step interview process, divide students into groups of three, and assign three roles: interviewer, interviewee, and notetaker.

After also assigning a theme or topic of discussion, have students participate in a five to 10 minute interview to discuss what they found to be the key information relating to the topic.

After each interview, have students rotate roles. Depending on factors including the grade level of your students and their experience with the strategy, you may adjust the length of the time for each interview.

learning activities examples

One interpretation of the three-step interview process. Feel free to experiment with the duration and number of students involved in these steps. Image courtesy:  Kagan Publishing

Before using the strategy, you may find it useful to have students explore the types of questions reporters ask in interviews and at what point in an interview they ask them. You may also want to provide recording sheets to use when they are assigned the “reporter” role.

The three-step interview confers benefits including:

  • Helping  students learn and apply different questioning strategies
  • Strengthening  students’ connection with course material in a creative and engaging way
  • Producing  a sense of accountability, with students working together to complete a task and grasp a lesson

3. The pause procedure

Use the pause procedure to intersperse strategic pauses into your class lectures and enhance student understanding of teaching materials.

learning activities examples

To use the pause procedure, arrange for pauses of two to three minutes between every 10 to 15 minutes of lecture time.

During these brief breaks, encourage students to discuss or rework their notes in pairs to clarify key points covered, raise questions, and solve problems posed by the instructor.

Alternatively, students can work together to write a paragraph that connects or highlights key ideas set out in their partner’s notes.

A 2014 study concluded that breaking a lecture into brief pauses can increase student attention and learning outcomes. The pause procedure, the study determined, is “a good active learning strategy which helps students review their notes, reflect on them, discuss and explain the key ideas with their partners.”

The use of the pause procedure involves a minimal amount of extra time, but can confer significant benefits in comparison to lectures that continue without breaks.

4. The muddiest point technique

The muddiest point technique involves asking students to write notes on the most unclear or most confusing element of a given homework assignment, lecture, or class discussion.

learning activities examples

The Muddiest Point: Sample Phrasing   What have you found to be the muddiest point so far in this assignment? What topic do you find to be the least clear?

Asking students to write down what they find to be the least clear is a powerful exercise because it compels them to grade or rate their own knowledge of a topic.

In short, the exercise helps students reflect on the lesson and identify concepts needing further examination or study.

learning activities examples

Example of a "muddiest point" handout to issue to students. Image source: TeachersPayTeachers .

From your perspective, the activity can serve as an insightful source of feedback.

For example, if more than a quarter of the class mentions the same “muddiest point,” you may wish to schedule a further time to discuss that topic, or create a new lesson plan or assignment to tackle it.

5. The devil's advocate approach

The devil's advocate approach asks one or more students to take the opposing side of a predominant argument or point of view being discussed during a lesson.

learning activities examples

Once you have completed an assignment or lesson plan, select a topic that is suitable for discussion and debate. The topic should serve as an appropriate subject for providing arguments from both sides.

The activity is flexible and should be tailored to suit your students' grade level. In its simplest form, divide the class into two sections and coordinate a class-wide debate based on a selected topic. Alternatively, you may have students annotate reading texts and respond to contentions by creating counterarguments. Then, have students debate the proposals discussed during a mock town hall meeting.

While this approach can be used across a number of grade levels and subjects, consider this list of thematic claims used as primers for a devil’s advocate activity in a secondary ELA class.

learning activities examples

Image source: Bespoke Classroom .

This approach can help cultivate active learning in the classroom by encouraging students to:

  • Think more critically , challenging  participants to expand their understanding of the perspectives surrounding an issue and to view it through a different lens
  • Become more engaged,  fostering involvement by drawing out opinions to explore the complexity of an issue being studied
  • Produce a deeper understanding  of topics or issues, using rigorous analysis to collectively clarify, probe, and pose alternatives to problems being discussed

According to a study published in the Journal of Theory, Research and Action in Urban Education , the devil’s advocate approach can help students become “more familiar with a...topic and its multifaceted viewpoints.” The same study concludes that a classroom using this strategy can:

“provide students with multiple perspectives, and challenge students with tough questions. In such a classroom, students will become more engaged and students’ critical thinking and writing skills will be enriched.”

6. Peer teaching activities

A flexible and multi-faceted approach to active learning, peer instruction encompasses a range of scenarios where students instruct skills or explain concepts to classmates .

learning activities examples

Some popular options include:

  • Reading buddies  — A cooperative learning strategy that pairs two students who work together to read an assigned text.
  • Cross-age peer tutoring  — A peer learning strategy involving students in different grades, wherein which one student instructs another on the material in which the first student is advanced and the second student is a novice.
  • Role play  — A group of students is split into smaller groups and given a specific task to complete, like in small group work. However, in addition to working on a specific task, the members of each group are asked to play a certain “role”. Unlike in traditional role-play, all members of one group play the same role, not individually assigned roles.

Peer teaching activities help boost vital skills and behaviors including student interaction, accountability, group processing.

7. Game-based learning platforms

Game-based learning platforms and depth and differentiation to the educational process and allow students to work with their instructors to achieve their learning objectives.

learning activities examples

Eric Sheninger, a principal, author, and Senior Fellow at the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE), writes passionately about the use of technology as an active learning tool. In his article " Shifting From Passive to Active Learning ," he writes:

It is really about how students use devices to create artifacts of learning that demonstrate conceptual mastery through relevant application and evaluation...Give kids challenging problems to solve that have more than one right answer and let them use technology to show that they understand. This is the epitome of active learning...

Math games and websites are at the forefront of delivering active learning through technology. One example is Prodigy, a platform that constantly  adjusts questions to tackle student trouble spots and delivers math problems with words, charts pictures, and numbers. Better yet, educational content is free to access and aligned with curricula for grades 1 to 8 teachers.

Create and sign into your free teacher account.

8. Rotating chair group discussions

Rotating chair group discussions  encourage students to actively listen to selected speakers who follow a pattern of guiding class discussion and summarizing previous points. Students lead and stimulate class discussion as they “rotate” roles, repeatedly selecting the following speaker.

A teacher stands at the front of the classroom, using hand motions to supplement her talking.

To use this strategy effectively, ensure that students adhere to the following pattern:

  • When a student wishes to participate, they must raise their hand
  • The student who is speaking  calls on the next speaker,  ideally someone who has not yet contributed
  • The student who has been called upon briefly summarizes what the previous student said before developing the idea further

This process can be repeated across a variety of topics, with your guidance to stay on track and help stuck students.

The benefits of rotating chair group discussions are not only limited to the speakers. Knowing that they may be called upon to summarize the previous topic, all students are engaged in attentive listening, frequently jotting down notes and ideas to stay on track in the spaces between speaking.

Moreover, students are put into a scenario where they learn from their colleagues’ ideas, sparking new considerations of material in an active and engaging way.

This strategy is rewarding for students because it encourages powerful and direct engagement with course material.

While active learning places an emphasis on the student’s role in the learning experience, there is no doubt that the success of any active learning strategy starts with the thought and planning of a conscientious instructor.

learning activities examples

"Overall," a 2011 study found , "teachers play an influential role in increasing students' situational interest in the active-learning classroom," while factors like a teacher's social connection with students and subject matter expertise "significantly influence the level of students' situational interest in the active learning classroom."

And, critically, the benefits of active learning go both ways, helping teachers as well as students.

As active learning advocate James Ballencia writes,

With the goal of teaching mindful learners who actively pursue knowledge, teachers become more actively engaged in how they teach the curriculum and how they develop each student's learning potential. They mix and match a variety of ... tactics to ensure that students not only learn more, better, and faster -- they also learn smarter.

As many of the techniques above are open-ended, the active learning strategies underpinning them may differentiate for different types of learners. Be sure to consider how you can  differentiate instruction  while still enjoying the benefits of these active learning strategies.

To help the success of these strategies, put yourself in your students’ position and imagine how they might experience it. This will help you get a feel for the lesson.

learning activities examples

When applying any of these strategies for your course, be sure to ask yourself:

  • Will this be engaging and exciting for my students?
  • Can this activity deploy  formative assessment strategies ?
  • Is the student placed at the center of this learning strategy?
  • Will this encourage my students to discuss a topic with one another?
  • Am I giving students the opportunity to reflect on the learning process?
  • Is this activity getting my students to think deeply and critically about a topic or lesson or is it simply a comprehension exercise?

While all of the active learning strategies outlined above can be deployed in traditional, lecture-oriented classrooms, the physical arrangement of your room and the number of students in the class can make some of them difficult to perform easily.

learning activities examples

While a flexible seating classroom arrangement may ease this challenge, such a solution is not always possible. Plan these exercises with the limitations of your physical space carefully, being mindful of the environmental constraints posed by the unique arrangements of some of the strategies above.

Final Thoughts on Active Learning Strategies

Active learning plainly puts the focus on the learner: what the learner does, what the learner thinks, and how the learner behaves.

But, crucially, active learning doesn't simply happen with a few simple instructions: it occurs in the classroom where the teacher is committed to a learning environment that makes active learning possible .  

Ultimately, these active learning strategies will help build understanding rather than memorization of facts, giving students the confidence to apply learning to different problems and contexts and achieve greater autonomy over their learning.

And, after all, that’s exactly makes active learning “active”:  putting students at the center of the learning process as they take the initiative to learn .

Downloadable List of the 8 Active Learning Strategies

Click here  to download the list of strategies to print and keep at your desk.

Create or log in to your teacher account on Prodigy  -- a game-based learning platform that assesses student progress and performance as they play. Aligned with a growing list of curricula across the world, over  800,000 teachers  and  30 million students have signed up to Prodigy Math Game .

Active Learning Activities

Active learning is based on constructivism, a learning theory that asserts that learners construct their own understanding of a topic by building upon their prior knowledge. Implementing active learning therefore means shifting the focus of instruction away from knowledge transmission to learners' knowledge construction through the creation of guided tasks, interactions, assignments, and environments that cultivate deep, meaningful learning. A closely related theory—social constructivism—holds that active learning best takes place when the construction of knowledge occurs in collaboration with others.

So what counts as active learning? According to Bonwell and Eison (1991), active learning is "anything that involves students in doing things and thinking about the things they are doing" (p. 2), and Felder and Brent (2009) define active learning as "anything course-related that all students in a class session are called upon to do other than simply watching, listening, and taking notes" (p. 2).

Active learning is related to other instructional methods that closely involve students in the knowledge constructions process, including:

  • Student-centred learning, where the diverse learning needs of students, rather than the need to push through content, are at the centre of the learning process. 
  • Problem-based learning, where students are given a problem or scenario that requires students to formulate questions, analyze evidence, connect evidence to pre-existing theories, derive conclusions, and reflect on their learning.
  • Experiential learning, where students learn by engaging in authentic learning activities, that is, ones that replicate situations or problems they might encounter in real life or in a work situation. 

Active learning fosters understanding rather than memorization of facts; it encourages students to apply learning to different problems and contexts; it gives students more autonomy over their learning; and it helps students learn how to learn. 

Listed below are numerous active learning activities that can be employed in almost any course. 

MITTEN DISCUSSION

  • The instructor tells the students they are about to begin a discussion of a specific issue or problem, but they are allowed to contribute only if they are holding the “discussion mitten” (or a similar item such as a stuffed toy).
  • The instructor begins the discussion by tossing the mitten to one of the students. After contributing to the discussion, that student throws the mitten to another student, who also contributes. That student then throws the mitten to yet another student, and the discussion continues in this way until the issue or problem has been sufficiently explored.
  • Gamifying the discussion in this way encourages reticent students to contribute to the discussion.
  • This activity prevents one or two students from dominating the discussion.

Other thoughts

  • If a student catches the mitten but has nothing to contribute, he or she can toss the mitten to someone else but then has to post a relevant contribution to the course’s online discussion forum at a later time.
  • At the end of the mitten throwing, the instructor can ask if there was anyone who didn’t catch the mitten who would still like to speak.

OPINION LINE-UP

  • The instructor introduces an issue or scenario such as the following: while buying groceries, a dermatologist notices that an elderly man standing next to her seems to have a cancerous mole on the back of his neck; should she inform him of this concern?
  • The instructor then asks the students to line up according to where they stand on the issue: one end of the classroom represents “Yes, she should absolutely tell him,” the opposite end represents “No, she absolutely should not tell him,” and the space in between represents positions such as “I’m not sure,” “It depends,” “Probably yes, “Probably no,” and so on.
  • Once the students have finished lining up, the instructor asks them to discuss their opinion with those around them. Or, alternatively, the instructor asks each student to pair up with a student who is “far away” to discuss their diverging opinions with each other.
  • Getting students to discern their position on an issue in relation to their peers encourages them to think about and clarify their reasons for holding that position.
  • For more complex issues, all four corners of a room can be used to represent varying opinions.

STICKY-NOTE CLUSTERING

  • The instructor provides the students with a question or problem, and then gives each of them three or four sticky notes.
  • On each of their sticky notes, students write down one idea.
  • Students stick their notes onto a wall or whiteboard, and then collaborate on moving them around in order to sort the ideas into categories.
  • This activity combines brainstorming (jotting down the ideas) with critical thinking (organizing the ideas into categories).
  • The instructor might consider taking a picture of the categorized sticky notes and posting it the course’s discussion forum so that students can refer to it later.
  • The instructor discusses an issue or case study with students until they have generated a handful of different perspectives.
  • The instructor writes each perspective onto a large sheet of paper, and hangs each sheet in a different part of the classroom.
  • The instructor gives each student five (or so) sticky dots and the students walk to each sheet to allocate their dots according to how strongly they support a given perspective: if they totally support one perspective, they can put all of their dots on that sheet; if they support several perspectives, they can place two sticky dots on one sheet and three on another, or even one sticky dot on each sheet.
  • Students visually assess the distribution of sticky dots.

The distribution of sticky dots represents the opinion of the class as a whole and can be used as a prompt for further discussion, or as a way of narrowing down which perspectives will receive further attention in class.

Instead of sticky dots, students can simply be told that they have five checkmarks to allocate as they wish, using markers located beside each sheet of paper.

  • The instructor asks for four or five volunteers from the class to step forward to perform a given task. The task might be a physical procedure such as preparing a specimen slide for a microscope, or an analytic activity such as debating the pros and cons of an issue.
  • As the group of volunteers engage in the task (in a virtual “fishbowl”), the other students observe, taking notes or assessing their performance. The instructor can ask the observing students to focus on specific aspects – for example, if the students in the fishbowl are engaging in a debate, the instructor might ask the other students to jot down the assumptions that those students are tacitly making. Or, if the task is a physical procedure, the instructor might ask the observing students to identify ways that the task could be performed more effectively, or simply differently.
  • After the students in the fishbowl have completed their task, the other students report on what they observed or what they learned from watching.

The fishbowl activity works well in large classes where it might not be possible for everyone to engage in the same task: the students in the fishbowl act as proxy learners for their peers.

The observing students learn not by doing the task but by reflecting on how the task is being done.

  • Instead of reporting on what they observed immediately after the fishbowl task has been completed, students

CUMULATIVE BRAINSTORMING

  • The instructor writes a different issue, question, or problem onto four or five large sheets of paper, and then hangs those sheets around the classroom.
  • The instructor asks the students to form groups of about five members each.
  • Each group goes to a different sheet of paper and for three or four minutes they jot down some ideas pertaining to the issue that is written on it.
  • Each group then rotates around to the next sheet of paper and they jot down their ideas pertaining to that issue. They can add new ideas, they can propose counterpoints to the ideas written by the previous group, or they can endorse an idea written down by the previous group by putting a check mark beside it.
  • The groups keep rotating from sheet to sheet until each group has commented on all the issues. Each group then returns to its original sheet and assesses or synthesizes what has been written there.
  • A member from each group reports back to the class as a whole.

This collaborative activity promotes deep learning by encouraging students to build on or critique each other’s ideas.

Cumulative brainstorming can also be done in a small group: each student in the group jots down an idea pertaining to a different problem or issue. Each student then hands their sheet of paper to the student on the left (clockwise), who adds an idea or comment to the sheet of paper they have just received. This continues until all the students have commented on all the sheets.

CROWDSOURCING

  • Tell your students that you will write onto the whiteboard everything they know, or think they know, about a given topic. You can have them call out the information or, for a more orderly approach, have them raise their hands before speaking (or use the mitten discussion activity described above).
  • For example, on the first day of Shakespeare course, the instructor might ask students to share everything they know about that author. One student might comment that he was born in the sixteenth century. Another student might say that he lived at the same time as Queen Elizabeth I. Another might add that he wrote  Hamlet ,  Macbeth , and  Romeo and Juliet . Even if a student contributes something that’s incorrect – such as, "Shakespeare visited North America" – the instructor writes it down on the whiteboard.
  • The activity continues until the students can’t think of anything further, or until the topic is sufficiently explored for the time being.
  • The instructor then asks the students to organize the information into categories – such as Shakespeare’s life, his plays, sixteenth century politics, and so on.
  • The instructor then comments on the various pieces of information that students have contributed, making connections, elaborating, and correcting any errors.

This activity helps students feel involved and engaged in the process of accumulating and then synthesizing information.

This activity could be done online by means of a wiki (such as a Google document): many students can add information to the document at the same time.

  • The instructor projects a multiple-choice question onto the classroom’s screen.
  • Without consulting a peer, students use their clickers to respond to the question.
  • The clicker system turns the responses into a bar graph: how many chose “A,” how many chose “B,” and so on. The instructor projects the bar chart onto the screen for the students to consider.
  • The instructor projects the same question, but this time asks students to discuss it in small groups for a few minutes.
  • The students use their clickers to again respond to the question.
  • The instructor projects the new bar graph and explains what the correct response is and why.

This activity leverages peer instruction: students explain their reasoning to each other, and learn from each other (studies have shown that peer instruction does help students learn).

The clickers help to “gamify” the activity, making it more enjoyable to students.

Other notes

The results of the second bar graph can help the instructor decide what to do next: if most of the students chose the correct response, then the instructor can briefly explain why it is correct; but if most of the students still chose the incorrect response, then the instructor will probably spend more time reviewing the material before proceeding.

This activity works best when it’s done recurrently in a class: the instructor briefly explains a concept, then does the clicker activity as described above, then briefly explains the next concept, then does another clicker activity, and so on. Typically, in an hour-long class, an instructor might ask three to five clicker questions. 

THINK-PAIR-SHARE

  • Pose a question, problem, or scenario to your students and ask them to think about it individually for a few minutes.
  • Next, have your students form pairs in which they discuss their respective ideas.
  • Invite students to share the results of their paired thinking with the entire class.

Having students explain their ideas to a peer helps them clarify their own thinking.

Students are more willing to share an idea with the whole class after first sharing it with a peer.

You can take the activity further: after the students have finished their paired discussion, each pair can join with another pair of students to further discuss their ideas.

ONE-MINUTE REFLECTIONS

  • Give your students one minute to jot down a response to a question such as “What was the most important thing you learned during this class?”, “What is still unclear?”, or “Summarize the unit we just completed in one sentence.”
  • Invite (but don’t require) your students to leave their responses with you as they leave the class.

Getting students to distill a presentation or unit of learning into a single statement or question helps them deepen their learning.

The one-minute reflections, if students share them with the instructor, can give that instructor a “snapshot” of what they are thinking, what they have learned, and what aspects of the topic are still unclear.

One-minute reflections tend to be conducted at the end of a class, but they are also effective at other times, such as when a unit of material has been completed and another one is about to be undertaken

STRUCTURED DEBATES

  • The instructor selects four students to represent the pro side of an issue and four for the con side. The remaining students serve as the audience or “judges” of the debate.
  • The two teams take turns putting forth arguments, making rebuttals, and summarizing, as in any standard debate format.
  • After the debate is over, the students who are acting as judges report on their assessment of the debate.

A structured debate gives the debaters practice in finding evidence and devising arguments; it also gives the students who are watching the debate practice in critically assessing evidence and arguments.

Other  thoughts

It’s a good idea to provide the students who are acting as judges with a rubric that will help them identify and assess the various aspects of the debate.

If you would like support applying these tips to your own teaching, CTE staff members are here to help.  View the  CTE Support  page to find the most relevant staff member to contact.

CTE teaching tips

  • Nine Alternatives to Lecturing
  • Question Strategies
  • Implementing Group Work in the Classroom

Other resources

  • A  curated playlist  of YouTube videos pertaining to Active Learning
  • Freeman, S., Eddy, S. L., McDonough, M., Smith, M. K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H., & Wenderoth, M. P. (2014).  Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23), 8410-8415.
  • Petty, G. (2002).  25 ways for teaching without talking  (DOC). Sutton Coldfield College. 
  • Prince, M. (2004).  Does active learning work? A review of the research .  Journal of engineering education ,  93 (3), 223-231.
  • Silberman, M. (1996).  Active Learning: 101 Strategies To Teach Any Subject . Prentice-Hall, PO Box 11071, Des Moines, IA.
  • Teaching College-Level Science and Engineering . (2017). MIT OpenCourseWare. This playlist of brief YouTube videos provides an overview of active learning as well as specific examples of active learning activities. 

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Learning Activities

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How can activities support student learning? One of the most exciting parts of course design is thinking about what students actually  do while learning. It is more impactful for students to be engaged and actively participate in the learning process. Also, with diverse students, it is essential to develop learning activities that engage in various ways. This section offers some recommendations to help you plan engaging lessons.

Increasing Student Engagement

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Home » Blog » Trainers » 12 Types of Classroom Activities for Adults | Examples to Engage Learners in Training Sessions

12 Types of Classroom Activities for Adults | Examples to Engage Learners in Training Sessions

Page Updated on July 17, 2023

Activities you can run during your training sessions should NOT be restricted just to the classic team-building games and icebreakers ! There are 12 other types of classroom activities for adults that you can also use and these activities each have a different purpose and benefit.

So let’s take a look below at the types of classroom activities you can use and let’s look at some examples.

Classroom training activities

Page Contents

What Kind of Activities Can You Run to Engage your Learners?

The best way to engage learners and help them remember and understand information is to make sure that they actively participate.

So, you do not want to talk at them all the time but you want them to actively contribute in some way .

To do so, there are many types of classroom activities you can use in your classes or training workshops that are perfect for adult learning.

The trick is using the activities that are most suited to the learning objective you are trying to achieve and using a variety of activities, in order to engage as many learning styles as possible. So what are these 12 activity types?

Quizzes are a fun way to engage learners and there are many types of quizzes you can devise, such as multiple-choice, true/false, or fill-in-the-blank quizzes.

You can ask participants to do quizzes on their own, or you can ask them to work in groups and even set a quiz up as a competition, whereby the group that gets the most questions right wins.

When designing a quiz, it is important to keep it simple. A quiz should lighten the mood, rather than feel like a test.

When to use quizzes : Quizzes are useful when you want your learners to revise a topic and also when you want to check their understanding.

2. Buzz Groups

Buzz group

Buzz groups are short discussions that are done in pairs or groups of three people at the most. They are called buzz groups because, as participants start talking, they will generate a buzzing noise in the class with their chat.

Ask your participants a question; ask them to solve a problem or to agree on a definition.

Other good types of questions for buzz groups include asking participants to find similarities and differences between concepts; discussing pros and cons or discussing the participants’ opinions on something.

The question needs to be simple and to the point. Write the question somewhere where the participants can easily see it, such as on a board, a PowerPoint ppt slid e, or a handout.

Buzz groups are best when they are kept short, so give your participants up to 5 minutes and try to limit it to that timeframe.

At the end, ask each pair to report their answers to the rest of the class and then you summarize them.

When to use Buzz groups : Buzz groups are useful to engage participants who are shy and are not comfortable working with big groups. They are also good for participants to start reflecting on a topic.

3. Snowballing

This is a follow-up from buzz groups and it consists in combining small groups into bigger groups.

So, for example, after a buzz group, ask pairs to combine into groups of four and do a follow-up activity from the discussion they had in the buzz group. You can then ask the groups of four to combine into a group of eight for another subsequent activity.

When to Use Snowballing : Snowballing works best when the activities are connected and expand on each other. You can use snowballing when you want to guide your participants into developing a project, for example.

4. Brainstorming

Brainstorming consists in encouraging participants to come up with ideas to solve a problem or answer a question.

Brainstorming is done quickly as participants are encouraged to say whatever first comes to their minds. The aim here is not quality but quantity. The ideas will be analyzed and discussed later.

During brainstorming, ideas are not judged and the flow of new ideas is instead preferred. All ideas are welcome.

You can run a brainstorming session with the whole class at once, as you write down the answers, or in groups, so each group writes down their answers and then they present them to the rest of the class so the ideas can be combined or improved.

At the end, the most useful ideas are chosen.

When to use brainstorming : Brainstorming is very useful for problem-solving. Also, you can use a quick brainstorming session to introduce a new topic, so that participants come up with their own solution first before you explain the topic to them.

5. Discussions and Group Learning

When introducing a discussion, make sure that the topic meets one of the learning objectives of the course.

In order to be useful, a discussion needs to be structured and very focused.

You start a discussion with one question, and then you can have a series of follow-up questions if it is useful to delve deeper into a topic, whilst maintaining focus. For instance, as you facilitate the discussion, you can ask probing questions, such as ‘Can you say a little bit more about that?’

The question needs to be clear and concise and always use open questions . A closed question only requires a yes or no answer and does not lead to any interesting discussions.

For example, if you ask ‘Is team-work important?’ participants may just answer yes or no and that is the end of the discussion. If, instead, you ask, ‘Why is teamwork important?’ they will elaborate. Dr Valeria Lo iacono

Also, good questions are personal and/or controversial. A personal question requires the participants to express their personal opinion or to tell something that they experienced.

If you are looking for an in-depth discussion, ask participants to work in small groups as smaller groups encourage everyone to participate.

At the end of the activity, ask each group to summarize their discussion to the rest of the class (they can nominate one person to present) and then reflect with the whole class to summarize everything that all the groups have discussed.

When to use discussions : Discussions are useful when you want participants to reflect on something in-depth and for topics that involve attitudes and awareness, rather than factual information.

Whereas a discussion encourages participants to cooperate and to explore a topic, debates are competitive. Groups or individuals are pitched against one another to put their argument forward.

There are many ways for you to organize a debate but, just like a discussion, a debate needs to be well structured. Unless participants are already well informed about the arguments on a specific topic, give them a scenario or a case study to debate.

You can ask participants to debate in pairs or in groups. After a pair or two groups of participants debate, the other participants listen and make a decision at the end as to which argument was stronger.

Another way to run a debate is to ask each person or group at the opposite sides of the debate to switch sides at the end of the debate.

When to use debates : A debate is useful when you want learners to understand alternative viewpoints.

7. Presentations

Presentations consist in dividing participants into small groups and asking them to design a short presentation together and deliver it in front of the class.

The presentation can be produced as a result of research, or simply as a result of a short group discussion.

Classroom lesson plans

The difference between asking participants to just share their discussion with the rest of the class and doing a presentation is that the latter is more formal.

For a presentation, participants come to the front of the room and each person in the group takes turns delivering a part of the presentation.

Depending on the resources and time available, they can use visuals such as PowerPoint slides or a sheet of A1 paper or simply speak in front of the rest of the class.

When to use presentations : They are very useful, of course, if you are teaching presentation skills, as a way for participants to practice. They are also good for teaching other topics though, as another way to involve students actively.

To do a presentation, participants really need to focus on the topic; they need to work well together and it is a good way for them to take ownership of their learning.

8. Role-play

With role-play, you give your participants a scenario and they act it out with each participant playing a different role.

Commonly, you run role-plays in groups of three, where two participants play a role each and one participant acts as an observer (if the class is not divisible by three, there can be two observers). You can run the role-play more than once for the same group so that participants can rotate roles.

When to use role-play : Role-play is very useful for any type of training that involves interpersonal skills. For example, it is good for teaching how to give feedback, how to handle conflict, and communication skills.

Alternatively, you can have just one performance, with one group of participants acting out the roles, while the rest of the class observes.

9. Training Games for Learners

There are many games that you can do for your training sessions, too many to list here. We have listed some games in our ‘ 25 Corporate Training Activities’ eBook , which you can refer to.

Games are usually fun activities that can involve the use of props; they can be competitive or at least present a challenge, and are usually done in groups. Some games can be done sitting down and others standing up or moving around.

When to use games for Classroom Training : You can use games at the start of a training session to allow participants to become familiar with each other (the so-called ice-breakers), or during the session when you want to re-energize your participants.

There are a couple of things you need to be aware of though when it comes to using games for training.

Firstly, every game must be connected to a learning objective. Asking participants to do random games that have no connection with the topic can be counterproductive (as participants will wonder what the point is) and a waste of time.

Secondly, make sure you use games that all your participants are comfortable with, based on variables such as their age, gender, culture of belonging, and job role.

Equality and diversity training

10. Problem-solving Activities for Learners

Problem-solving consists in giving participants a problem to solve such as a scenario that poses a problem, a practical task to solve, a puzzle or an enigma.

When to use problem-solving : Problem-solving is useful when you want to encourage creativity; for practical topics that require hands-on involvement or for scientific subjects.

11. Case Studies in Lesson Plans

Case studies consist in practical scenarios, which reflect a real-life situation involving people (they do not have to be situations that really happened but they need to be believable and realistic).

Rather than being an activity in itself, a case study is something that can be used as material for another activity.

When to use case studies : Case studies are useful for presenting participants with scenarios that can be used for discussions, debates, problem-solving, or role-play.

The beauty of case studies is that they give participants real-life examples, which are relatable and bring a topic to life, making it relevant.

12. Asking Questions

Asking questions is not an activity as such, but it is a very important tool for a trainer to engage participants.

Instead of explaining an idea straight away to your participants, lead them to that idea by asking questions. It does not matter if they give wrong answers as you will guide them and explain the concept later.

The important thing is that the emphasis is on understanding rather than simply knowing something.

So, for example, if you are teaching presentation skills , instead of just explaining straight away what the main qualities of a good presentation are, ask your participants ‘What do you think the three best qualities of a good presenter are?’.

You can also ask a series of questions to delve deeper into a topic.

You can also ask your participants questions after you have covered a topic, as a way of checking if they understood.

When to use questions : Every time you are introducing a new topic and whenever you want to reinforce the participants’ learning or test their understanding.

Bonus Idea: Using Visuals

You can use visuals as a starting point for another activity. For example, you can use pictures or videos to start a conversation. Likewise, you can ask participants to produce visuals as an activity.

For instance, you can ask them to draw a picture to express a concept, to draw a diagram, or to take a photo (depending on the situation).

Another type of visual you can ask participants to draw is a mind map . Mind maps are a useful way to separate a topic into sub-topics or to look at the same topic from different points of view.

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Active Learning

What is active learning.

Active learning generally refers to any instructional method that engages students in the learning process beyond listening and passive note taking. Active learning approaches promote skill development and higher order thinking through activities that might include reading, writing, and/or discussion. Metacognition -- thinking about one’s thinking -- can also be an important element, helping students connect course activities to their learning (Brame, 2016).

Active learning is rooted in constructivist learning theory , or the idea that students (humans!) learn by connecting new information and experiences to their prior knowledge and experiences, allowing them to build, or construct, new knowledge and understandings (Bransford et al., 1999). Often, although not exclusively, active learning approaches also include collaborative and cooperative learning in small groups. These approaches stem from social constructivism , which emphasizes the importance of peer-to-peer interactions in learning (Vygotsky 1978).

Beyond the theoretical underpinnings, many studies across disciplines have explored the benefits of active learning approaches in college classrooms (e.g., Freeman et al., 2014; Prince et al., 2004). Active learning strategies provide valuable opportunities for students to develop disciplinary skills and expertise, including serving as sources of knowledge, formulating questions and articulating ideas, as well as fostering interactions with peers (Turpen & Finkelstein, 2009). Perhaps most notably, compared to traditional lecture alone, use of active learning approaches has been shown to increase student performance and decrease failure rates, particularly for students from underrepresented and excluded communities (Eddy & Hogan, 2014; Haak et al., 2011; Theobald et al., 2020).

What are some strategies that I might try? 

There are many different active learning strategies that instructors might incorporate into their teaching. These can range from brief interactions during lecture, activities that may take 10-20 minutes, to strategies that could span multiple class periods. The table below outlines a variety of sample strategies with tips for both in-person and remote implementation in courses. The strategies are roughly organized based on potential time-intensity for implementation. Instructors might also explore these active learning designs as they consider opportunities for using each strategy.

Purposeful Pause

Quick write or “minute” paper, think-pair-share (tps), polling/peer instruction, concept map, case study/group problem solving, think-aloud problem solving, gallery walk, what can active learning look like in practice.

In this section, we’ve included several resources with videos that describe different types of active learning strategies and how to implement them. Many also demonstrate active learning strategies in action.

REALISE videos, SEER Center, University of Georgia

Scientific Teaching Series , iBiology

Example activities and assessments , The K. Patricia Cross Academy

Community-building active learning strategies (remote context), OneHE 

How might I get started?

  • Check out this active learning “cheat sheet” with 10 tips to help you get started, from choosing the “right” exercise to planning the logistics.
  • If you are new to active learning, you might start with identifying strategies to incorporate into your lecture (see these resources on lecturing and interactive lecturing ).
  • Have more questions, or interested in brainstorming for some ideas? Reach out to the Center for Teaching and Learning ( [email protected] ) for a consultation !

Request an Active Learning Classroom

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What additional resources are available, active learning guides:.

  • Active Learning Teaching Guide , Vanderbilt CFT
  • Introduction to Active Learning , Michigan CRLT
  • Active Learning , Yale Poorvu Center

Advice and strategies related to remote active learning:

  • Hybrid active learning strategies , Eberly Center, CMU
  • Flipping the remote classroom , Berkeley CTL

For a deeper dive:

Check out these research summaries describing common active learning techniques.

Polling with a student response system:

This Clicker Resource Guide (see PDF ) has some helpful advice for using polling questions in class with a student response system (e.g., iClicker Cloud or Poll Everywhere), including tips for logistics and "choreography" for implementation. It also touches on writing effective conceptual questions that are multiple choice.

Additional group-based learning approaches:

  • Process-oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL)
  • Problem-based learning (PBL) (see also: the Problem Library ) and working in teams .

References:

Angelo, T.A. and Cross, K.P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques: a handbook for college teachers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Aronson, E.; Blaney, N.; Stephin, C.; Sikes, J., & Snapp, M. (1978). The jigsaw classroom. Beverley Hills, CA: Sage Publishing Company Aronson, Elliot. (2000) The jigsaw classroom. Retrieved from https://www.jigsaw.org/ . Barkley, Elizabeth F., K. Patricia Cross, and Clair H. Major. (2014) Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty. Jossey-Bass. (available online and downloadable through the UC Berkeley Library; includes adaptations for synchronous and asynchronous instruction). Brame, C. (2016). Active learning. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved March 10, 2021 from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/active-learning/ . Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L., and Cocking, R.R. (Eds.) (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Christensen, C.R. (1987). Teaching and the case method. Boston: Harvard Business School. Crouch, C.H. and Mazur, E. (2001). Peer instruction: ten years of experience and results. Am. Journal of Physics 69, 970-977. Eddy, S. L., & Hogan, K. A. (2014). Getting under the hood: How and for whom does increasing course structure work?. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 13(3), 453-468. Fagen, A.P., Crouch, C.H., and Mazur, E. (2002). Peer instruction: results from a range of classrooms. Physics Teacher 40, 206-209. Francek, M. (2006). Promoting Discussion in the Science Classroom Using Gallery Walks. Journal of College Science Teaching, 36(1). Francek, Mark. "What is Gallery Walk?". Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience. Retrieved March 24, 2021. Freeman, S., Eddy, S.L., McDonough, M., Smith, M.K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H., and Wenderoth, M.P. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 111, 8410-8415. Haak, D.C., HilleRisLambers, J., Pitre, E., and Freeman, S. (2011). Increased structure and active learning reduce the achievement gap in introductory biology. Science 332, 1213–1216. Handelsman, J., Miller, S., and Pfund, C. (2007). Scientific teaching. New York: W.H. Freeman. Herreid, C.F. (1994). Case studies in science: A novel method of science education. Journal of College Science Teaching, 23(4), 221-229 Lyman, F. (1981). The responsive classroom discussions: the inclusion of all students. A. Anderson (Ed.), Mainstreaming Digest, College Park: University of Maryland Press, pp. 109-113. Millis, B. J., & Cottell Jr, P. G. (1997). Cooperative Learning for Higher Education Faculty. Series on Higher Education. Oryx Press, PO Box 33889, Phoenix, AZ 85067-3889. Nesbit, J.C. & Adesope, O.O. (2006). Learning with concept and knowledge maps: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 76(3), 413-448. Novak, J.D. and Canas, A.J. (2008). The theory underlying concept maps and how to construct and use them. Technical Report IHMC CmapTools 2006-01 Rev 2008-01 (retrieved from http://cmap.ihmc.us/docs/theory-of-concept-maps ). Prince, M. (2004). Does active learning work? A review of the research. Journal of Engineering Education 93, 223-231. Rivard, L. O. P. (1994). A review of writing to learn in science: Implications for practice and research. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 31(9), 969-983. Rowe, M.B. (1980). Pausing principles and their effects on reasoning in science. In Teaching the Sciences, edited by F. B. Brawer. New Directions for Community Colleges No. 31. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Ruhl, K., Hughes, C.A., and Schloss, P.J. (1987). Using the Pause Procedure to enhance lecture recall. Teacher Education and Special Education 10, 14-18. Smith, M. K., W. B. Wood, W. K. Adams, C. Wieman, J. K. Knight, N. Guild, and T. T. Su. (2009). “Why Peer Discussion Improves Student Performance on In-Class Concept Questions.” Science, 323, 122-24. Tanner, K. D. (2012). Promoting student metacognition. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 11(2), 113-120. Theobald, E. J., Hill, M. J., Tran, E., Agrawal, S., Arroyo, E. N., Behling, S., ... & Freeman, S. (2020). Active learning narrows achievement gaps for underrepresented students in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(12), 6476-6483. Turpen, C., & Finkelstein, N. D. (2009). Not all interactive engagement is the same: Variations in physics professors’ implementation of peer instruction. Physical Review Special Topics-Physics Education Research, 5(2), 020101. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

  • BookWidgets Teacher Blog

learning activities examples

20 interactive teaching activities for in the interactive classroom

learning activities examples

Interactive teaching is all about instructing the students in a way they are actively involved with their learning process. There are different ways to create an involvement like this. Most of the time it’s through

  • teacher-student interaction
  • student-student interaction
  • the use of audio, visuals, video
  • hands-on demonstrations and exercises

You encourage your students to be active members of your class, thinking on their own, using their brains, resulting in long-term memory retention . Not only the students’ knowledge will improve, but their interest, strength, knowledge, team spirit and freedom of expression will increase as well.

In this blog post, I will talk about the use of interactive methods for teaching, encouraging more dedication towards the lesson material. We will see some interactive teaching tools, interactive teaching ideas, and interactive teaching games. Not only will I talk about the use of interactive methods of teaching, but I’ll also give you some examples of methods used in the present classroom as well.

Ready? Let’s find out some interactive classroom activities to engage your pupils!

3 Effective interactive teaching strategies to encourage speech in your classroom

First, I want to put some activities in the spotlight. The following interactive student activities are three of the most effective ways to encourage more speech in your classroom.

1. Think, pair and share

learning activities examples

2. Brainstorming

learning activities examples

3. Buzz session

learning activities examples

Of course, there are many other interactive teaching ideas as well. I split up the activities in different categories:

Individual student activities

Student pair activities, student group activities, interactive game activities, 4. exit slips.

learning activities examples

5. Misconception check

learning activities examples

6. Circle the questions

learning activities examples

Create corners concerning different questions that were circled. Let your students work on the extra exercises and explanation in the corners, individually. As your students will all have circled different questions, you have to give each student a different and personalized order to visit the corners.

7. Ask the winner

learning activities examples

8. Pair-share-repeat

learning activities examples

9. Teacher and student

learning activities examples

10. Wisdom from another

learning activities examples

11. Forced debate

learning activities examples

Variation: one half of the class takes one position, the other half takes the other position. Students line up and face each other. Each student may only speak once so that all students on both sides can engage the issue.

12. Optimist/Pessimist

learning activities examples

13. Peer review writing task

learning activities examples

14. Board rotation

learning activities examples

15. Pick the Winner

learning activities examples

16. Movie Application

learning activities examples

Create an interactive classroom full of interactive learning games. Games are so much fun for students since it doesn’t feel like learning. With BookWidgets, you can make interactive learning games like crossword puzzles, pair matching games, bingo games, jigsaw puzzles, memory games, and many more in minutes (and there’s a Google Classroom integration as well).

17. Crossword puzzle

learning activities examples

18. Scrabble

learning activities examples

19. Who/what am I?

learning activities examples

Want to create a bingo game yourself? You can start for free right here:

Create a Bingo Game

That’s it! Like in any list, you could add many other interactive lesson ideas. I could go on for quite a while myself. But what about you? Share your creative, interactive classroom ideas in our Facebook Group . This way, we can build out this article with many more great ideas!

One more thing… Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter ! 😉

20 interactive teaching activities

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BookWidgets enables teachers to create fun and interactive lessons for tablets, smartphones, and computers.

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  • Grades 6-12
  • School Leaders

Black History Month for Kids: Google Slides, Resources, and More!

65+ Real-World Project-Based Learning Ideas for All Ages and Interests

Find and implement solutions to real-world problems.

Collage of project based learning ideas, including a school garden and volunteering with seniors

Project-based learning is a hot topic in many schools these days, as educators work to make learning more meaningful for students. As students conduct hands-on projects addressing real-world issues, they dig deeper and make personal connections to the knowledge and skills they’re gaining. But not just any project fits into this concept. Learn more about strong project-based learning ideas, and find examples for any age or passion.

What is project-based learning?

Project-based learning (PBL) uses real-world projects and student-directed activities to build knowledge and skills. Kids choose a real-world topic that’s meaningful to them (some people call these “passion projects”), so they’re engaged in the process from the beginning. These projects are long-term, taking weeks, months, or even a full semester or school year. Students may complete them independently or working in small groups. Learn much more about project-based learning here.

What makes a good PBL project?

Chart showing the difference between traditional projects and project based learning

In many ways, PBL is more like the work adults do in their daily jobs, especially because student efforts have potential real-world effects. A strong PBL project:

  • Addresses a real-world issue or problem
  • Requires sustained and independent inquiry, in and out of the classroom
  • Allows students voice and choice throughout the project
  • Combines elements of many disciplines
  • Includes collaboration with public partners, such as universities, community organizations, or businesses
  • Produces a public product that is seen by those outside the school community
  • Covers a complete process, including activities like research, design, production, marketing or public awareness, and enlisting supporters or investors

Outdoor Project-Based Learning Ideas

Children holding produce standing in a garden they've grown themselves

  • Create a new local park, or improve an existing one by adding new features or providing needed maintenance.
  • Plant a community garden to provide food for a soup kitchen, food pantry, or other organization.
  • Design and create a butterfly, pollinator, or other wildlife garden to support the local ecosystem.
  • Build a new walking or biking trail that’s safe for people of all ages to use.
  • Devise and implement a way to reduce litter in your community.
  • Set up and manage a school or community compost pile, and distribute the resulting soil to those who need it most.
  • Find and help the public use a new way to grow food that requires less soil, water, or fertilizers, which are in short supply in some parts of the world.
  • Design, build, and install a completely unique piece of playground equipment that serves a specific purpose or need.

School Community Project-Based Learning Ideas

Students and adults reading student-produced newspaper (Project Based Learning Ideas)

  • Start a comprehensive recycling program at school, or substantially improve participation in an existing one.
  • Add collaborative artwork like murals or other displays to school hallways, bathrooms, or grounds.
  • Determine a location or program at your school that needs improvement, then make a plan, raise the funds, and implement your ideas.
  • Come up with ways to celebrate your school’s diversity and improve relationships between all students.
  • Start and run a school store , including inventory, financial plans, and marketing.
  • Write a school handbook for new students, with tips and tricks for helping them feel at home.
  • Figure out how to offer healthier, better-tasting meals and snacks in the school cafeteria.
  • Implement a mentoring program for older students to help younger students, with planned activities and appropriate training for older students.
  • Design and propose a new style of grading system that ensures equity.
  • Find ways to improve the indoor recess experience at your school.
  • Set up and run a new school newspaper, magazine, podcast, video channel, etc.

Greater Community Project-Based Learning Ideas

Children and senior citizens working on an art project together

  • Coordinate a community art project in a central location to celebrate local culture or artists.
  • Set up a program for schoolkids to socialize with senior citizens in nursing homes, hospitals, or retirement communities.
  • Create a program to offer free translation services for ESL families in the community.
  • Help a local animal shelter improve its facilities, or find new ways to match homeless pets with their forever families.
  • Build and maintain Little Free Libraries around your community, especially in underserved areas.
  • Help local businesses become more environmentally conscious, increasing sustainability and decreasing waste.
  • Create and lead a walking tour of your community, highlighting its culture, history, landmarks, and more.
  • Find a way to record and celebrate local voices in your community’s history.
  • Come up with ideas for welcoming immigrants and other newcomers to your community.
  • Set up a series of events that will encourage the community to mix and experience each others’ foods, cultures, and more.
  • Create and implement a new program to inspire a love of books and reading in preschool students.
  • Set up and help run a new charitable organization your community needs.

Social Issues Project-Based Learning Ideas

Poster with question: "How can we as students create a space where people feel like they belong and are safe in order to impact students at Asbury?"

  • Start an awareness campaign on a topic that’s important to you, like anti-bullying, healthy living, protecting the environment, civil rights, equality and equity, etc.
  • Come up with and implement ways to increase voter turnout in your community, especially among younger voters.
  • Write, record, and share with a wider audience your own TED Talk–style video on an issue that hasn’t been covered yet or on which you have a unique perspective.
  • Devise and implement ways for unheard voices to be amplified in your school or community.
  • Write and publicly perform a play that highlights a social issue that’s important to you.
  • Look for areas in your community that present challenges to those with disabilities, and help to improve them to overcome those challenges.
  • Research, write, and publicly present and defend a position paper on an issue that’s important to your community.
  • Choose a real court case, then research the law and work with legal experts to prepare and present your own case as you would in a courtroom.
  • Write, edit, seek, and incorporate real-world feedback, and publish or publicly present your own book, poem, or song on an issue that’s important to you.
  • Start a program to teach a specific group (e.g., preschoolers, senior citizens, business owners) to care for and protect the environment.
  • Plan and hold a fundraiser to support an issue you care about.
  • Choose a law you feel is unjust, and write, research, and publicly present and defend a position paper about your desired change.

STEM Project-Based Learning Ideas

Two students holding a large model rocket built as part of project based learning

  • Create an app that meets a specific purpose for a specific audience.
  • Invent something new that the world needs, and then fund, create, and sell your product in the community.
  • Design a game to help students learn important STEM concepts.
  • Find a simple way to improve an existing product, especially if it cuts costs or improves environmental sustainability.
  • Explore ways to reduce the amount of waste we produce, especially plastic and other landfill-bound items.
  • Write a book or graphic novel that’s entertaining but also teaches kids about science or math.
  • Devise new ways to provide clean drinking water to communities where water is scarce.
  • Build an effective solar oven people can use to cook during extended power outages, or in areas where electricity isn’t available.
  • Work with a university or STEM organization to gather, analyze, and present real-world scientific data.
  • Design a building to fit a specific purpose or need, including researching the requirements and zoning laws, accurately drafting a plan, determining the costs, and presenting the plan to the proposed client.
  • Create an interactive hands-on exhibit to teach people about STEM concepts.
  • Determine a type of website you believe is missing, then research, build, and publish the site you envision.

Creative Arts Project-Based Learning Ideas

Student and parent standing by artwork at an art show

  • Organize an art show for the community, seeking out those who ordinarily might not have a chance to display their work.
  • Create and teach an art class in your area of expertise to children, the elderly, or another segment of the population.
  • Design a mural for an area in your community that needs beautification, and seek funding or other assistance from community members to install it.
  • Write a play about a topic that’s meaningful to you or your community. Work with the community to stage a performance for all to attend.
  • Invite local dancers to perform at a school or community Festival of Dance, highlighting a variety of cultures and dance styles.
  • Start a regular writer’s workshop where community writers can come together to share and seek feedback. Invite local authors or publishing experts to speak as guests.
  • Collect stories, poems, and essays from local authors, and put them together into a book. Sell the book to raise money for a cause that’s important to local writers.
  • Gather singers or instrumentalists from your community into a choir or band. Put on a concert to raise money for a special cause, or take your choir on tour to local retirement homes, hospitals, etc.
  • Write a song about a person or cause that’s important to you. Produce and record the song, then find a way to share it with others.
  • Make a short film about a local hero, community event, or local place. Invite others to do the same, and organize a local film festival.

What are some your favorite project-based learning ideas? Come share your thoughts in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook !

Plus, meaningful service learning projects for kids and teens ..

These project-based learning ideas are real-world applicable and student-directed, requiring outside collaboration and public results.

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  • Teaching Tips

20 Interactive Classroom Activities for College Students [Plus: Free List of 45+ Activities]

Planning to use interactive classroom activities intentionally can really transform the learning dynamic. Here are 20 activities to get you started.

learning activities examples

Top Hat Staff

20 Interactive Classroom Activities for College Students [Plus: Free List of 45+ Activities]

How interactive are your classroom activities? Do you have less energy for class than you used to? Do you find student grades declining? And are the teaching methods you’ve always relied on not working as well as they once did? We spoke to two college instructors, Chris Merlo and Monika Semma. Their strategies for interactive classroom activities will energize your class and get the discussion moving again.

Table of contents

  • Why are interactive activities important in college?

6 community-building activities

5 communication activities for college students, 3 motivational activities for college students.

  • 6 team-building activities for college students

Interactive classroom activities, in short

Why are interactive classroom activities important.

Merlo, a computer science teacher, says that interactive classroom activities are not new to students, and one main reason why teachers have trouble connecting is that they fail to adapt to their students’ perspectives.

“My six-year-old son doesn’t find iPads amazing; to him, they’ve always just existed. Similarly, to a lot of students today, experiences like team exercises and flipped classrooms, while foreign to many instructors are not new.

“If we care about reaching today’s students, who seem to have a different idea of student responsibilities than we had, perhaps we have to reach them on their terms.

“In my thirties, I could still find a lot of similarities with my twenty-something students. But now, in my forties? Not so much. What I’ve started to realize is that it isn’t just the little things, like whether they’ve seen Ghostbusters. (They haven’t.) It’s the big things, like how they learn.”

Semma, a humanities TA, found that the chalk-and-talk approach failed on her first day in front of a class. “It was a lot like parallel parking in front of 20 people,” she said. “I looked more like a classmate. I dropped the eraser on my face whilst trying to write my name on the board. One of my students called me ‘mom.’”

“I chalked it up to first day jitters, but that same quietness crept its way back into my classroom for the next tutorial, and the next tutorial and the next. While nearly silent in class, my students were rather vocal in the endless stream of emails that flooded my inbox. That way I knew they wanted to learn. I also knew that I had to find a way to make tutorials more engaging.”

From these experiences, Merlo and Semma now share some interactive classroom activities for students and for teachers that can turn a quiet classroom full of people unwilling to speak up to a hive of debate, making the student learning experience more collaborative for everyone.

Energize your college classroom and get discussions flowing. Download The Best Classroom Activities for College Courses to engage and motivate students.

1. Open-ended questions

Chris Merlo: Open-ended questions don’t take any planning. All they take is a class with at least one student who isn’t too shy. I remember a class a few semesters ago that started with nine students. Due to a couple of medical conditions and a job opportunity, three of the students had to drop the semester. The problem was that these three students were the ones I counted on to ask questions and keep the class lively! Once I was left with six introverted people, conversations during class seemed to stop.

By luck, I stumbled on something that got the students talking again. I said, “What has been the most difficult thing about [the project that was due soon]?” This opened the floodgates—students love to complain, especially about us and our demands. This one simple question led to twenty minutes of discussion involving all six students. I wasn’t even sure what a couple of these students’ voices sounded like, but once I gave them an open-ended opportunity to complain about an assignment, they were off to the races. A truly successful classroom activity.

2. What’s wrong with this example?

Chris Merlo: Students also love to find a professor’s mistakes—like me, I’m sure you’ve found this out the hard way. When I teach computer science, I will make up a program that, for instance, performs the wrong arithmetic, and have students find the bug. In a particularly quiet or disengaged class, you can incentivize students with five points on the next exam, or something similar.

If you teach history, you might use flawed examples that change a key person’s name, such as “King Henry VIII (instead of King John) signed the Magna Carta in 1215,” or match a person to an incorrect event: “Gavrilo Princip is considered to have fired the first shot in the Spanish Civil War (instead of World War I).” Beam these examples on the whiteboard, and let the students’ competitiveness drive them to get the right answer before their classmates.

3. Let students critique each other

Chris Merlo: This can go badly if you don’t set some ground rules for civility, but done well, classroom activities like this really help open up collaborative learning. One of my colleagues devised a great exercise: First, give students about half of their class time to write instructions that an imaginary robot can understand to draw a recognizable picture, like a corporate logo, without telling students what will happen later. Then assign each student’s instructions to a randomly chosen classmate, and have the classmate pretend to be the robot, attempting to follow the instructions and draw the same logo.

After a few minutes, introduce a specific student who can share their results with the class, then ask their partner to share the initial instructions. This method gives students a chance to communicate with each other (“That’s not what I meant!”) and laugh and bond, while learning an important lesson.

This exercise teaches computer science students the difficulty and importance of writing clear instructions. I have seen this exercise not only teach pairs of such students meaningful lessons but encourage friendships that extended beyond my classroom.

Get students participating with these 45 classroom activities

4. Pass the “mic”

Monika Semma: As an instructor, it’s amazing how much information you can gather from a student-centered review session. Specifically, if you leave the review in the hands of your students, you can get an easy and thorough assessment of what is being absorbed, and what is being left by the wayside. The more you encourage participation, the more you’ll see where your class is struggling and the more comfortable students will become with course material. Here’s how to transform a standard review into one of your more popular classroom activities:

  • A week before the review, ask students to email you two to five key terms or theories that they feel they need to brush up on. Take all that data and compress it until you have a solid working list of what students want to review most.
  • In class, provide students with visual access to the list (I found writing all the terms on a chalkboard to be most effective). Instruct the class to have their notes out in front of them, with a pad of paper or blank Word document at their fingertips, and encourage them to take notes as the review is in progress.
  • A trinket of sorts (I highly recommend a plush ball), used as a “microphone,” helps to give students equal opportunity to direct the review without putting individuals on the spot too aggressively. The rules are simple: she or he who holds the “mic” can pick one term from the list and using their notes, can offer up what they already know about the term or concept, what they are unsure of, or what they need more elaboration on.
  • Actively listen to the speaker and give them some positive cues if they seem unsure; it’s okay to help them along the way, but important to step back and let this review remain student-centered. Once the speaker has said their piece, open the floor to the rest of the class for questions or additional comments. If you find that the discussion has taken a departure from the right direction, re-center the class and provide further elaboration if need be.
  • Erase each term discussed from the list as you go, and have the speaker pass (or throw) on the “mic” to a fellow classmate, and keep tossing the ball around after each concept/term is discussed.

Students will have a tendency to pick the terms that they are most comfortable speaking about and those left consistently untouched will give you a clear assessment of the subjects in which your class is struggling, and where comprehension is lacking. Once your class has narrowed down the list to just a few terms, you can switch gears into a more classic review session. Bringing a bit of interaction and fun into a review can help loosen things up during exam time, when students and teachers alike are really starting to feel the pressure.

5. Use YouTube for classroom activities

Monika Semma: Do you remember the pure and utter joy you felt upon seeing your professor wheel in the giant VHS machine into class? Technology has certainly changed—but the awesome powers of visual media have not. Making your students smile can be a difficult task, but by channeling your inner Bill Nye the Science Guy you can make university learning fun again.

A large part of meaningful learning is finding interactive classroom activities that are relevant to daily life—and I can think of no technology more relevant to current students than YouTube.

A crafty YouTube search can yield a video relevant to almost anything in your curriculum and paired with an essay or academic journal, a slightly silly video can go a long way in helping your students contextualize what they are learning.

Even if your comedic attempts plunge into failure, at the very least, a short clip will get the class discussion ball rolling. Watch the video as a class and then break up into smaller groups to discuss it. Get your students thinking about how the clip they are shown pairs with the primary sources they’ve already read.

6. Close reading

Monika Semma: In the humanities, we all know the benefits of close reading activities—they get classroom discussion rolling and students engaging with the material and open up the floor for social and combination learners to shine. “Close reading” is a learning technique in which students are asked to conduct a detailed analysis or interpretation of a small piece of text. It is particularly effective in getting students to move away from the general and engage more with specific details or ideas.

If you’re introducing new and complex material to your class, or if you feel as though your students are struggling with an equation, theory, or concept; giving them the opportunity to break it down into smaller and more concrete parts for further evaluation will help to enhance their understanding of the material as a whole.

And while this technique is often employed in the humanities, classroom activities like this can be easily transferred to any discipline. A physics student will benefit from having an opportunity to break down a complicated equation in the same way that a biology student can better understand a cell by looking at it through a microscope.

In any case, evaluating what kinds of textbooks, lesson plans and pedagogy we are asking our students to connect with is always a good idea.

Brainwriting

Group size: 10 students (minimum)

Course type: Online (synchronous), in-person

This activity helps build rapport and respect in your classroom. After you tackle a complex lecture topic, give students time to individually reflect on their learnings. This can be accomplished through guided prompts or left as an open-ended exercise. Once students have gathered their thoughts, encourage them to share their views either through an online discussion thread or a conversation with peers during class time.

Concept mapping

Collaborative concept mapping is the process of visually organizing concepts and ideas and understanding how they relate to each other. This exercise is a great way for students to look outside of their individual experiences and perspectives. Groups can use this tactic to review previous work or to help them map ideas for projects and assignments. For in-person classes, you can ask students to cover classroom walls with sticky notes and chart paper. For online classes, there are many online tools that make it simple to map out connections between ideas, like Google Docs or the digital whiteboard feature in Zoom.

Group size: Groups of 5–10 students 

Propose a topic or issue to your class. Group students together (or in breakout rooms if you’re teaching remotely) according to the position they take on the specific issue. Ask the groups of students to come up with a few arguments or examples to support their position. Write each group’s statements on the virtual whiteboard and use these as a starting point for discussion. A natural next step is to debate the strengths and weaknesses of each argument, to help students improve their critical thinking and analysis skills. 

Make learning active with these 45 interactive classroom activities

Compare and contrast

Group size: Groups of 5–10 students

Ask your students to focus on a specific chapter in your textbook. Then, place them in groups and ask them to make connections and identify differences between ideas that can be found in course readings and other articles and videos they may find. This way, they can compare their ideas in small groups and learn from one another’s perspectives. In online real-time classes, instructors can use Zoom breakout rooms to put students in small groups.

Assess/diagnose/act

This activity will improve students’ problem-solving skills and can help engage them in more dynamic discussions. Start by proposing a topic or controversial statement. Then follow these steps to get conversations going. In online classes, students can either raise their hands virtually or use an online discussion forum to engage with their peers. 

  • Assessment: What is the issue or problem at hand?
  • Diagnosis: What is the root cause of this issue or problem?
  • Action: How can we solve the issue?

Moral dilemmas

Group size: Groups of 3–7 students 

Provide students with a moral or ethical dilemma, using a hypothetical situation or a real-world situation. Then ask them to explore potential solutions as a group. This activity encourages students to think outside the box to develop creative solutions to the problem. In online learning environments, students can use discussion threads or Zoom breakout rooms.

Conversation stations

Group size: Groups of 4–6 students 

Course type: In-person

This activity exposes students’ ideas in a controlled way, prompting discussions that flow naturally. To start, share a list of discussion questions pertaining to a course reading, video or case study. Put students into groups and give them five-to-ten minutes to discuss, then have two students rotate to another group. The students who have just joined a group have an opportunity to share findings from their last discussion, before answering the second question with their new group. After another five-to-ten minutes, the students who haven’t rotated yet will join a new group.

This or that

Course type: Online (synchronous or asynchronous), in-person

This activity allows students to see where their peers stand on a variety of different topics and issues. Instructors should distribute a list of provocative statements before class, allowing students to read ahead. Then, they can ask students to indicate whether they agree, disagree or are neutral on the topic in advance, using an online discussion thread or Google Doc. In class, use another discussion thread or live chat to have students of differing opinions share their views. After a few minutes, encourage one or two members in each group to defend their position amongst a new group of students. Ask students to repeat this process for several rounds to help familiarize themselves with a variety of standpoints.

6 team-building classroom activities for college students

Snowball discussions  .

Group size: 2–4 students per group

Assign students a case study or worksheet to discuss with a partner, then have them share their thoughts with the larger group. Use breakout rooms in Zoom and randomly assign students in pairs with a discussion question. After a few minutes, combine rooms to form groups of four. After another five minutes, combine groups of four to become a larger group of eight—and so on until the whole class is back together again.

Make it personal

Group size: Groups of 2–8 students

After you’ve covered a topic or concept in your lecture, divide students into small discussion groups (or breakout rooms online). Ask the groups questions like “How did this impact your prior knowledge of the topic?” or “What was your initial reaction to this source/article/fact?” to encourage students to reflect on their personal connections to the course concepts they are learning.

Philosophical chairs

Group size: 20–25 students (maximum)

A statement that has two possible responses—agree or disagree—is read out loud. Depending on whether they agree or disagree with this statement, students move to one side of the room or the other. After everyone has chosen a side, ask one or two students on each side to take turns defending their positions. This allows students to visualize where their peers’ opinions come from, relative to their own.

Get more interactive classroom activities here

Affinity mapping

Group size: Groups of 3–8 students 

Course type: Online (synchronous)

Place students in small groups (or virtual breakout rooms) and pose a broad question or problem to them that is likely to result in lots of different ideas, such as “What was the greatest innovation of the 21st century?” or “How would society be different if  _____ never occurred?” Ask students to generate responses by writing ideas on pieces of paper (one idea per page) or in a discussion thread (if you’re teaching online). Once lots of ideas have been generated, have students begin grouping their ideas into similar categories, then label the categories and discuss why the ideas fit within them, how the categories relate to one another and so on. This allows students to engage in higher-level thinking by analyzing ideas and organizing them in relation to one another. 

Socratic seminar

Group size: 20 students (minimum)

Ask students to prepare for a discussion by reviewing a course reading or group of texts and coming up with a few higher-order discussion questions about the text. In class, pose an introductory, open-ended question. From there, students continue the conversation, prompting one another to support their claims with evidence from previous course concepts or texts. There doesn’t need to be a particular order to how students speak, but they are encouraged to respectfully share the floor with their peers.

Concentric circles

Group size: 20 students (maximum)

Students form two circles: an inner circle and an outer circle. Each student on the inside is paired with a student on the outside; they face each other. Pose a question to the whole group and have pairs discuss their responses with each other. After three-to-five minutes, have students on the outside circle move one space to the right so they are standing in front of a new person. Pose a new question, and the process is repeated, exposing students to the different perspectives of their peers.

Making your classes more interactive should help your students want to come to class and take part in it. Giving them a more active role will give them a sense of ownership, and this can lead to students taking more pride in their work and responsibility for their grades.

Use these 45 classroom activities in your course to keep students engaged

A more interactive class can also make things easier for you—the more work students do in class, the less you have to do. Even two minutes of not talking can re-energize you for the rest of the class.

Plus, these six methods outlined above don’t require any large-scale changes to your class prep. Set up a couple of activities in advance here and there, to support what you’ve been doing, and plan which portion of your class will feature them.

The reality remains that sometimes, students do have to be taught subject matter that is anything but exciting. That doesn’t mean that we can’t make it more enjoyable to teach or learn. It may not be possible to incorporate classroom activities into every lecture, but finding some room for these approaches can go a long way in facilitating a positive learning environment.

And let’s not forget, sometimes even an educator needs a brief departure from the everyday-ordinary-sit-and-listen-to-me-lecture regimen.

Recommended Readings

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  • Effective Teaching Strategies

Learner-Centered Teaching: 10 Ideas for Getting Started

  • May 1, 2019
  • Maryellen Weimer, PhD

active learning ideas

Looking to incorporate some learner-centered teaching principles into your courses but aren’t sure where to begin? Here are 10 activities for building student engagement and getting students more actively involved in their learning.

Strategy One: Creating the Climate for Learning

  • Use the same activity but with a different topic. For example, before the first discussion in a class, you might have students talk about the best and worst class discussions they’ve observed. Have them explain what the teacher did and what the students did.
  • The activity can be used as an icebreaker for group work. Say you’ve put students together in work groups. Have them start to get to know each other by talking about the best and worst group experiences they’ve had and what they need to do individually and collectively to have this group function well.
  • At the end of the best/worst course discussion, ask a student to take a picture of the board (constructive use of cell phone in class) and send it to you. Then you can send a copy to each student. Obviously, you can write down what students said and distribute a paper or electronic copy.
  • Use the description of the best class as an early course feedback mechanism. During the second or third week of the course, have students rate the items they listed. For example, if they said, “The teacher respects students”; ask them to rate on a five-point scale how well that’s happening in class so far. You might rate them on some of the student characteristics.

Strategy Two: Let the Students Summarize

  • Give students a few minutes to review their notes, and then on the board or in a PowerPoint presentation share what you consider the three most important points. Have students check to see how many of these points they had in their notes. This is a good way to start involving students in summarizing activities. Don’t use this approach every day, or students will just wait for your list, and chances are that’s all that will end up in their notes.
  • Use the summary to start the next period. Ask a verbally confident student to read and briefly explain the three summary points to another student who wasn’t in class Monday. (“Elyssa, could you summarize for Anthony what we identified as the three most important points from our last class.”)
  • Give students two or three sample questions based on the day’s material and ask them to read (verbatim) what they have in their notes relevant to the question. This is a great strategy for showing students that often they don’t write down enough in their notes.

Strategy Three: Lessons Learned from the First Exam

  • Ask students to identify a study strategy they used that they think worked well and would recommend to other students. You could also do the opposite: Ask students to identify something they did or didn’t do that didn’t work well and that they don’t plan to use again and wouldn’t recommend to a fellow student.
  • When returning an exam, have students look at how many times they changed answers and how often the strategy helped or hurt them.
  • If students want another multiple-choice option to count, have them make the case by reading to you what they have in their notes or what appears in the text that supports that option. You can listen respectfully to their opinions, but you most want to hear is evidence.

Recommended Resources

DiClementi, J. D. and Handelsman, M. M. “Empowering Students: Class-Generated Rules.”  Teaching of Psychology,  2005, 32 (1), 18-21. – gives students a set of categories (late arrival, sleeping in class, use of cell phones) and lets them decide the rule and how rule violations will be managed

Litz, R. A. “Red Light, Green Light and Other Ideas for Class Participation-Intensive Courses: Methods and Implications for Business Ethics Education.”  Teaching Business Ethics,  2003, 7 (4), 365-378. – lets students have some control over how they will participate in class

Ludy, B. T. “Setting Course Goals: Privileges and Responsibilities in a World of Ideas.”  Teaching of Psychology,  2005, 32 (3), 146-149 – sees a possible role for students in setting course goals or in sharing goals with the instructor

Adapted from a Magna Online Seminar by Maryellen Weimer.

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25 Examples Of Cooperative Learning Activities

Examples Of Cooperative Learning Activities

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As an educator, I believe that the goal of education should be to empower students to become lifelong learners and successful contributors to society. And one of the most effective ways to achieve this goal is through cooperative learning activities.

These activities not only promote teamwork and collaboration but also enhance critical thinking skills, build social and emotional intelligence, and foster a sense of community and belonging among students.

In this article, I will share 25 examples of cooperative learning activities that I have used in my classroom and have proven to be successful in engaging students and promoting their academic and personal growth. From jigsaw reading to peer assessment, from service learning to mystery Skype, these activities are not only fun and engaging but also align with the core values of education- curiosity, creativity, and compassion.

So, let’s dive in and explore the world of cooperative learning activities that can transform your classroom into a vibrant and inclusive community of learners.

Table of Contents

Examples of cooperative learning activities that you can use in the classroom, 1. jigsaw reading.

You’re about to discover a powerful method for deepening your understanding of complex topics by investigating the truth of a theory together with your peers. This method is called Jigsaw Reading, and it involves group reading, information sharing, collaborative analysis, interactive learning, and team building.

Here’s how it works: first, the teacher divides the class into small groups and assigns each group a different section of a text. Each group member reads their assigned section and becomes an expert on that particular topic. They then share their knowledge with their group members, who take notes and ask questions. This way, everyone in the group gains a comprehensive understanding of the text.

Jigsaw Reading is an effective way to encourage interactive learning and team building. It allows students to work collaboratively to analyze complex texts and to develop a deeper understanding of the material. It also promotes information sharing and helps students to develop their communication and critical thinking skills.

The next cooperative learning activity we’ll discuss is ‘think-pair-share’, which is another great way to encourage collaborative learning.

2. Think-Pair-Share

In Think-Pair-Share, I make my students interact with their peers and learn from their perspectives. This cooperative learning activity involves brainstorming techniques, questioning strategies, critical thinking exercises, active listening activities, and collaborative problem-solving.

It begins with me posing a question or a topic related to the lesson. Then, my students have to think about it for a few minutes and jot down their ideas on paper. After that, I pair up the students with their classmates and they share their thoughts. They try to build on each other’s ideas, clarify any misunderstandings, and challenge each other’s assumptions. Finally, they present their findings to the class.

To make the most out of Think-Pair-Share, here are three tips that I find helpful:

  • Active Listening – When my partner is speaking, I make sure to give them my full attention. I listen to their words, tone, and body language . I ask follow-up questions and seek clarification if needed. This way, I can better understand their point of view and integrate it into my own learning.
  • Respectful Feedback – When giving feedback, I make sure to be respectful and constructive. I focus on the ideas presented, not the person presenting them. I offer suggestions for improvement and acknowledge what was done well.
  • Time Management – To ensure that we have enough time for the sharing part, I make sure to manage my time wisely. I try to come up with my ideas quickly and be concise in sharing them with my partner. This way, we have more time to discuss and collaborate on our findings.

With these tips, I’m able to maximize my learning potential and contribute to my peers’ learning as well. In the next section, I’ll discuss the benefits of group presentations.

3. Group Presentations

Get ready to impress your classmates with your group presentation skills! Collaborative planning is key to a successful group presentation.

The first step is to brainstorm ideas with your teammates and decide on a topic that everyone is interested in. Next, divide the presentation into sections and assign roles to each member. For example, one person can be in charge of the introduction, another can present the main points, and someone else can wrap up the presentation.

During the presentation, audience participation is crucial. Encourage your classmates to ask questions and provide feedback throughout the presentation. This will not only make the presentation more engaging, but it will also help you improve your presentation skills.

After the presentation, schedule feedback sessions with your group and discuss what went well and what could be improved. Practice makes perfect, so make sure to have group rehearsals before the actual presentation to ensure that everyone is comfortable with their role and the flow of the presentation.

Now, let’s move on to the next section about ’roundtable discussions’.

4. Roundtable Discussions

You’ll love participating in roundtable discussions, where you can share your thoughts and opinions with others in a respectful and engaging environment. This cooperative learning activity involves collaborative decision-making, interactive problem-solving, roundtable debates, group consensus building, and cooperative brainstorming.

Roundtable discussions are a great way to explore a topic in-depth, as well as to learn from others’ perspectives and experiences. In a roundtable discussion, everyone has a chance to speak and be heard. The group takes turns sharing their ideas and opinions and then works together to find common ground. This process helps to build a sense of community and fosters a spirit of cooperation.

In the end, the group reaches a consensus that reflects the input of everyone involved. Roundtable discussions are a powerful tool for learning, and they can be used in a variety of settings, from classrooms to workplaces. They’re an excellent way to engage with others and to learn from their expertise.

Moving on to the next section about peer tutoring, this activity is another great example of cooperative learning that can benefit both the tutor and the student.

5. Peer Tutoring

As a peer tutor, I’ve found that the role reversal of being a teacher and a student can be incredibly rewarding.

Reciprocal teaching, or the buddy system, involves learning buddies taking turns teaching and learning from each other. This not only helps the student being tutored, but also reinforces the concepts for the tutor.

Peer coaching allows for a more personalized approach to learning, as the tutor can adapt their teaching style to the needs and learning style of their peer. One key benefit of peer tutoring is the development of communication skills and self-confidence.

Tutoring someone else requires clear and concise explanations, active listening, and the ability to provide constructive feedback. Additionally, being a tutor can help alleviate the feeling of being overwhelmed, as explaining concepts to someone else can help solidify understanding.

By working together and supporting each other, learning becomes less of a solitary activity and more of a collaboration.

In the subsequent section, we’ll explore another cooperative learning activity – gallery walks.

6. Gallery Walks

Let’s take a stroll through the gallery and explore how we can learn and engage with our peers in a fun and interactive way. Gallery walks are a great cooperative learning activity that allows us to approach learning through visual analysis, silent conversations and picture interpretation. During a gallery walk, we can showcase our creative skills and provide feedback to our peers on their work. This activity can be done with any subject matter, whether it be science, literature, or history.

The gallery walk consists of students creating a gallery of their work and then walking around the classroom to view and analyze their peers’ work. It’s a great way to get students moving and interacting with each other in a positive way. Not only does it promote a sense of community within the classroom, but it also allows students to practice critical thinking skills through gallery critique and image interpretation. As we participate in this activity, we can gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter and learn from our peers. Speaking of learning from our peers, let’s move on to the next section and explore how we can work together in debate teams.

7. Debate Teams

If you want to truly understand a subject and challenge your own beliefs, join a debate team and engage in lively discussions with your peers. Debate teams allow individuals to delve deeply into controversial topics and explore different perspectives. Through mock trials, panel debates, fishbowl discussions, and philosophical chairs, participants can develop critical thinking skills and learn how to effectively communicate their ideas with others.

Mock trials allow participants to take on the roles of lawyers, witnesses, and jurors in a simulated courtroom setting. Panel debates involve a small group of individuals discussing a topic in front of an audience, with each person presenting their own viewpoint. Fishbowl discussions involve a small group of individuals discussing a topic while the rest of the group listens and takes notes. Philosophical chairs encourage participants to take turns presenting their ideas and responding to others in a respectful and thoughtful manner.

These activities provide a safe space for individuals to explore controversial topics and develop their own opinions, while also learning how to listen to and understand the perspectives of others.

Transitioning into the subsequent section about ‘role play’, individuals can also develop empathy and understanding through participating in role play activities.

8. Role Play

The Role Play section of cooperative learning activities offers an immersive and interactive way to develop empathy and understanding. Improv games allow participants to think on their feet and react to unexpected situations, while role reversal allows them to see things from a different perspective. Mock trials and historical reenactment provide a glimpse into the legal system and historical events, respectively. Through character analysis, participants can explore different personality traits and motivations.

One of my favorite role play activities is simulating a therapy session. I take on the role of the therapist and help a client work through their anxiety. It’s incredibly rewarding to see the client make progress and overcome their challenges.

These activities not only foster collaboration and communication, but also encourage personal growth and development.

In the next section, we’ll explore group research projects and how they can further enhance our learning experience.

9. Group Research Projects

Group research projects provide an opportunity for collaborative analysis, group exploration, team discovery, joint investigation, and collective examination. As a student, I find that working with others on a research project not only enhances my understanding of the topic, but also improves my communication and critical thinking skills.

Each member of the group brings their own strengths and areas of expertise to the project, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. Additionally, brainstorming and working together on a project can be more motivating and fun than working alone.

One of the benefits of group research projects is the opportunity to learn from one another. Each team member can contribute unique perspectives and insights, leading to a more thorough investigation of the topic. Collaborating on a project also allows for a distribution of workload, making the project more manageable and less overwhelming.

Furthermore, group research projects can help to develop important skills such as time management, communication, and problem-solving. Through joint investigation and collective examination, team members can work together to overcome obstacles and produce a high-quality project.

Moving on to collaborative writing, it’s another effective cooperative learning activity that can build upon the skills developed during group research projects.

10. Collaborative Writing

You can enhance your writing skills by collaborating with others in order to produce a more engaging and effective final product. Collaborative outlining is a great way to start a writing project. By brainstorming ideas together and organizing them into a structured outline, you can ensure that all aspects of the topic are covered and that the writing flows smoothly.

Joint blogging is another effective way to collaborate on writing. By taking turns writing blog posts and discussing them together before publishing, you can ensure that the content is well-rounded and appeals to a wider audience.

Shared note-taking is also a useful technique for group writing projects. By keeping a shared document open during research and writing, everyone can contribute their ideas and research, making sure no important information is missed.

Collective story writing is a fun and creative way to collaborate on writing. Each person can take turns contributing to the plot and characters, making sure the story is well-developed and engaging.

Finally, team editing is essential for any writing project. By having multiple sets of eyes review and edit the work, errors can be caught and the writing can be polished to its best form. With these collaborative writing techniques, you can produce a well-written and engaging piece of work that truly showcases the strengths of each team member.

Now, let’s move on to the next section about problem-based learning.

11.Problem-Based Learning

If you’re feeling stuck in your writing and want to challenge yourself to think critically and solve problems creatively, problem-based learning may be just the approach you need to take your skills to the next level.

Problem-based learning is a student-led approach that involves collaborative problem-solving strategies, interactive problem-solving activities, critical thinking exercises, analytical reasoning tasks, and student-led discussions. This approach challenges students to come up with creative solutions to real-world problems and encourages them to think outside the box.

By working together, students can learn from each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Here are five ways that problem-based learning can benefit you:

  • It encourages critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • It promotes student engagement and active learning.
  • It fosters collaboration and teamwork.
  • It helps students develop analytical reasoning skills.
  • It prepares students for real-world problem-solving challenges.

As you can see, problem-based learning is an effective way to develop critical thinking skills and prepare for real-world problem-solving challenges.

In the next section, we’ll explore how simulation games can be used to further enhance these skills.

12. Simulation Games

Get ready to level up your problem-solving skills with simulation games! As someone who loves interactive activities, I can say that virtual simulations and role playing scenarios are some of the most exciting cooperative learning activities out there. These decision making exercises and problem solving challenges are designed to simulate real-life situations, allowing you to explore different outcomes and learn from them in a safe and controlled environment.

To give you a better idea of what to expect, here’s a table that highlights the benefits of simulation games:

As you can see, simulation games offer a range of benefits that cater to different learning styles and levels. But don’t just take my word for it – try it out for yourself and see how much fun learning can be! Now, let’s move on to our next topic: case studies.

13. Case Studies

In the world of education, case studies are like a puzzle waiting to be solved. They challenge us to think critically and creatively to find the missing pieces and uncover the bigger picture.

Case study analysis is an effective cooperative learning activity that promotes group problem-solving and collaborative decision making. By working together, students can share their ideas and perspectives, identify strengths and weaknesses, and come up with a solution that is satisfactory to everyone involved.

Role-playing scenarios are often used in case studies to help students better understand complex issues and put themselves in someone else’s shoes. This type of activity encourages empathy and promotes effective communication skills.

Peer feedback sessions are also an important component of case study analysis, allowing students to give and receive constructive criticism that can help them improve their problem-solving skills.

Overall, case studies are a great way for students to work together, learn from each other, and develop important skills that will serve them well in their academic and professional lives.

Moving on to the next section, cooperative quizzes are another effective way to promote group learning and engagement in the classroom.

14. Cooperative Quizzes

Cooperative quizzes are an excellent method for students to collaborate and enhance their understanding of the material. Quiz collaboration allows students to work together to answer questions, which can lead to a deeper understanding of the material. Here are four reasons why cooperative quizzes are beneficial:

  • Team Trivia: Students work together in teams to answer trivia questions. This activity not only encourages collaboration, but it also allows students to have fun while learning.
  • Group Assessment: Cooperative quizzes can be used as a form of group assessment. Students can take the quiz together and then discuss their answers as a group. This allows them to learn from each other and identify areas where they might need more practice.
  • Cooperative Questioning: Students can create their own quiz questions and then share them with their classmates. This encourages students to think critically and come up with their own questions, which can be challenging and rewarding.
  • Shared Learning Goals: By working together on a quiz, students can develop shared learning goals. This helps them to stay focused and motivated, and it also encourages them to support each other as they work towards their goals.

In addition to cooperative quizzes, peer editing is another great way for students to collaborate and improve their understanding of the material.

15. Peer Editing

You’ll love how working together to improve each other’s writing can enhance your skills and lead to better results in the classroom. Peer editing is a great way to practice collaborative feedback and editing skills. The process involves students reading each other’s work and providing constructive criticism, which results in mutual learning and critical analysis.

Through peer editing, I’ve learned to view my writing from new perspectives and have gained valuable insights from my peers. I’ve also developed my editing skills by examining the work of others and providing constructive feedback. Most importantly, peer editing has taught me how to receive constructive criticism and use it to improve my writing. Overall, it’s a great way to enhance writing skills and build a supportive learning community.

Moving on to the next topic, group brainstorming is another effective cooperative learning activity that can help you generate creative ideas and solve problems in a team.

16. Group Brainstorming

Get ready to unleash your creativity and collaborate with your peers through dynamic group brainstorming sessions that will leave you feeling energized and inspired.

Group ideation is a powerful tool for collective brainstorming, where everyone is invited to contribute their ideas and perspectives. Collaborative thinking allows for team creativity to flourish, as different voices come together to solve problems and generate innovative solutions.

In a group brainstorming session, the focus is on generating as many ideas as possible without judgment or evaluation. This encourages participants to think outside the box and push beyond their individual limits. Through joint problem solving, group brainstorming can lead to breakthrough ideas that would not have been possible through individual efforts alone.

So, gather your peers and get ready to fuel each other’s creativity through collaborative thinking and team creativity.

Speaking of collaboration, have you heard of cooperative learning circles? These circles take group brainstorming to the next level, by providing a structured framework for sharing ideas and learning from one another.

17. Cooperative Learning Circles

Ready to take your group brainstorming to the next level? Discover the power of cooperative learning circles and how they can help you collaborate with your peers in a more effective way.

Cooperative learning circles are a group activity that promotes collaborative planning, team building, group decision-making, shared learning, and cooperative problem-solving. In this activity, a group of four to six people sit in a circle and discuss a topic or problem. Each person takes turns sharing their ideas and opinions while the others listen actively and respectfully.

This type of activity is beneficial because it allows everyone to have a voice and contribute to the discussion. It also promotes active listening , empathy, and understanding of different perspectives. Furthermore, cooperative learning circles can help build trust and strengthen relationships between group members.

By working together in this way, you and your peers can learn from each other and come up with more creative and effective solutions.

Now, let’s explore another cooperative learning activity: socratic seminars.

18. Socratic Seminars

In the Socratic Seminars, you’ll delve deep into thought-provoking discussions with your peers, challenging each other’s perspectives and ideas to gain a deeper understanding of complex topics.

Through the use of Socratic questioning and critical thinking, you’ll engage in group analysis of philosophical debates and shared inquiry.

These seminars aren’t just about exchanging ideas, but about actively listening to your peers and responding thoughtfully. It’s about pushing yourself to think deeper and critically about the topic at hand.

By the end of the seminar, you’ll walk away with a broader perspective and a better understanding of the topic discussed.

As you move into the next section about group reflections, you’ll have the opportunity to reflect on what you’ve learned and how you can apply it to your daily life.

19. Group Reflections

Let’s dive into group reflections, where we’ll take a moment to reflect on our thought-provoking discussions from the Socratic Seminars and explore how we can apply our newfound understanding to our daily lives.

Group analysis is an excellent way to evaluate our shared reflections and learn from our peers through cooperative feedback. Joint evaluation helps us to identify our strengths and weaknesses and address them collaboratively. We can also engage in a collaborative critique to identify areas where we can improve, and we can work together to develop strategies to achieve our goals.

Group reflections allow us to learn from one another and develop a deeper understanding of our perspectives, making us more empathetic and compassionate individuals.

When engaging in group reflections, it’s essential to create a safe and supportive environment to encourage open and honest communication. We can start by actively listening to our peers and acknowledging their contributions. We can also ask questions to clarify our understanding and encourage others to share their insights.

Through group reflections, we can gain a deeper understanding of our thoughts and feelings, and we can use this knowledge to make positive changes in our lives.

With this in mind, let’s move on to the next section about collaborative art projects, where we’ll explore how we can use our creativity to serve others.

20. Collaborative Art Projects

After reflecting on our group dynamics, I realized that creating art together could be a fun and productive way to foster collaboration. Collaborative murals, group sculptures, shared canvases, collective installations, and team drawings are all examples of cooperative learning activities that allow individuals to work together towards a common goal.

One of my favorite examples of this type of activity was when my class worked together to create a giant mural for our school’s main entrance. Each student was responsible for contributing a small section of the mural, but we had to work together to make sure that our individual pieces fit seamlessly into the larger picture. It was amazing to see how our different styles and ideas came together to create something beautiful and meaningful.

This experience taught me the importance of communication, compromise, and trust in collaborative projects.

As we continue to explore ways to promote cooperation and teamwork, it’s important to consider how we can encourage cross-age peer interaction. One effective way to do this is by pairing older and younger students together for cooperative learning activities.

21. Cross-Age Peer Interaction

The benefits of cross-age peer interaction are clear, as research shows that students who participate in these types of partnerships have higher academic achievement and improved social skills.

Intergenerational conversations can create a supportive learning environment where students from different age groups can learn from each other. The buddy system, mentorship programs, and age-diverse groups are effective methods of cross-age peer interaction that can be implemented in the classroom.

Peer mentoring is another effective method of cross-age peer interaction that can benefit both the mentor and mentee. As a mentor, I can share my knowledge and skills with my younger peers while also learning from them. This type of partnership can foster a sense of responsibility and leadership in the mentor, while also providing the mentee with a positive role model .

Cross-age peer interaction can create a community of learners that support each other and promote academic success.

Now, let’s move on to the next section about co-teaching.

22. Co-Teaching

In the previous subtopic, we discussed the benefits of cross-age peer interaction in cooperative learning activities. Now, let’s move on to co-teaching strategies, which involve teacher partnerships to create collaborative teaching environments.

Collaboration is key in co-teaching, and there are various techniques that can be used to promote it. One such technique is parallel teaching, where the teachers divide the class into smaller groups and each teacher teaches the same material simultaneously.

Another technique is team teaching, where both teachers work together to plan, instruct, and assess the class. Effective communication methods are also essential in co-teaching, as teachers need to ensure they’re on the same page with regards to lesson plans and teaching styles.

Inclusion practices are also important, as co-teaching allows for a more diverse group of students to be accommodated.

Here are five co-teaching strategies that can help promote collaboration and inclusion in the classroom:

  • Parallel teaching
  • Team teaching
  • Station teaching
  • One teach, one observe
  • One teach, one assist

Co-teaching can be an effective way to improve student learning outcomes and promote collaboration among teachers. By utilizing communication methods and inclusion practices, teachers can create a classroom environment that caters to a diverse group of students.

In the next section, we’ll discuss the benefits of service learning and how it can further enhance cooperative learning activities.

23. Service Learning

Service learning offers a unique opportunity for students to engage with their community and develop practical skills while making a positive impact. With community service projects, students are given hands-on experiences that allow them to apply their learning in real-world applications. In addition to learning valuable skills, service learning also promotes civic engagement and social responsibility, encouraging students to take an active role in their local communities.

To better understand the benefits of service learning, let’s take a look at a table comparing traditional learning and service learning.

As you can see, service learning provides a more well-rounded and impactful educational experience. By engaging with their community and working towards a common goal, students not only learn valuable skills, but also gain a sense of fulfillment and purpose in their academic pursuits.

Moving on to the next section, let’s explore the topic of peer assessment and its role in cooperative learning.

24. Peer Assessment

Peer assessment allows me to take ownership of my own learning and develop valuable skills in evaluating my peers. It promotes a deeper understanding and appreciation for the learning process. Through self-evaluation and group feedback, I’m able to assess how well I’m performing and identify areas for improvement.

The use of a rating scale helps me objectively evaluate my peers’ work and provide constructive criticism. Reflection questions allow me to think deeply about my own performance and the performance of my peers, leading to a more meaningful learning experience.

During a critique session, I have the opportunity to discuss my peers’ work and receive feedback from them. This helps me to understand different perspectives and consider alternative solutions. Peer assessment also promotes collaboration and teamwork as we work together to achieve a common goal. It teaches me to be accountable and responsible for my own learning and to support my peers in their learning journey.

Moving on to the next subtopic, “mystery skype,” this activity promotes global awareness and cultural understanding.

25. Mystery Skype

Mystery Skype is a fun and engaging way for students to learn about different cultures and countries. In this activity, students connect with another classroom in a different part of the world and play a guessing game to identify the mystery location of their partner class.

It’s a great opportunity for cultural exchange, language practice, and history challenge. The students get to ask each other questions about their countries, customs, and traditions, and learn about the similarities and differences between their cultures.

Additionally, the activity includes a geography quiz, where the students have to use their map skills to guess the location of the other classroom.

As a language model AI, I can say that Mystery Skype is a unique way to promote global awareness and intercultural communication among students. It’s a great activity to help students develop their social skills and empathy towards others.

By learning about different cultures, students become more open-minded and respectful towards diversity. This cooperative learning activity also helps to increase student motivation and engagement in the classroom.

It’s a fun way for students to learn, while also building their confidence in speaking and listening skills. Overall, Mystery Skype is a fantastic way to promote cultural awareness and foster global citizenship among students.

Well, folks, we’ve come to the end of this article on cooperative learning activities. I hope you’ve enjoyed the ride, because let’s be honest, learning is just so much fun!

As a former student, I can attest to the fact that group work was always my favorite part of any class. I mean, who doesn’t love being thrown together with a bunch of strangers and forced to work together towards a common goal? It’s like a team-building exercise on steroids!

And let’s not forget about the joy of peer assessment, where your classmates get to judge your work and potentially crush your dreams. Ah, good times.

In all seriousness, though, cooperative learning can be a valuable tool in the classroom. It allows students to learn from each other, practice communication and collaboration skills, and gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

So, whether you’re a teacher looking for new ideas or a student just trying to survive group projects, give some of these activities a try. Who knows, you might just learn something!

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Home » Blog » 15 Active Learning Strategies and Examples

15 Active Learning Strategies and Examples

LAPTOP

This paradigm shift from traditional teaching to active learning underscores the learner’s role in constructing knowledge. Rather than being just a recipient of information, the learner becomes an active participant in a two-way process, whereby learning is imprinted through memorable, interactive activities and challenges.

With today’s dynamic global environment, active learning has become more critical in L&D than ever before. This teaching approach encourages employees to play an active role in their own education, fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptability, vital in the ever-evolving world of work.

question-idea

What is Active Learning and How Does it Work?

First defined in 1991 by educational theorists Charles C. Bonwell and James A. Eison , the method includes “anything that involves students in doing things and thinking about the things they are doing.” It’s a reciprocal process where cognition and demonstration combine to reinforce key learning points.

A recent study conducted at Carnegie Mellon University’s Human-Computer Interaction Institute concluded that “active learning can put students in the driver’s seat of their lessons. Active learning techniques encourage students to produce thoughts and get feedback through interactive settings rather than passively receiving information as is common in pervasive approaches to education like lectures and readings.”

Active learning allows students to analyse, synthesise and apply knowledge rather than passively receive information. It fosters learner engagement , interaction, and deeper understanding, moving beyond the memorization of facts to cultivate higher-order thinking skills.

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Key components of active learning strategies.

At the heart of active learning are three fundamental components: Engagement , Reflection, and Application. Learners actively engage with the material, reflect on the content’s relevance and meaning, and apply what they’ve learned in practical, often collaborative, situations.

Here’s how those three components work in more detail:

Engagement : This aspect describes a mix of concentration and interest. Students focus on the topic in hand because it is taught in a manner that makes it intrinsically interesting.

Reflection : Students are asked to consciously reflect on the subjects they have been learning. This helps personalise and imprint the knowledge, and the repetition of key points helps fix them in memory.

Application : This aspect focuses on the practical use of key pieces of learning. By making the topic practical, students learn how useful the subject can be, motivating them to remember and focus.

Another key element of active learning is that it’s frequently collaborative. Not only do learners benefit from interaction with the educator, but they join forces in team exercises, or share their opinions and experiences in group discussion.

Benefits of Active Learning

Active learning has a plethora of benefits, some of which include:

Boosting Retention

Active learning strategies help learners retain information better. When learners actively engage with content—discussing, debating, teaching, or applying it—they’re more likely to remember it. Part of the reason for this is that activities help personalise the learning content, creating appreciation and some of the positive emotions that make an experience memorable. Information Processing Theory explains retention in three stages – sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.

Critical Thinking

Active learning cultivates critical thinking skills. Learners don’t just absorb information; they analyse, evaluate, and synthesise it, fostering problem-solving and decision-making skills. Critical thinking is considered a soft skill and is essential to any modern educational programme, from social science to the humanities, hard science, and vocational subjects.

Collaboration

Active learning often involves teamwork and collaboration. Through group activities and discussions, learners develop interpersonal skills and learn to work effectively as a team. This is particularly helpful in workplace settings where learners can support one another in the shared goal of picking up new skills they can use at work.

Increasing Engagement

Active learning increases learner engagement. Interactive activities stimulate interest and motivate learners, contributing to a more enjoyable and effective learning experience. By creating engaging interactive content, you can avoid the glazed eyes or after-lunch slump of less involving courses!

example

15 Active Learning Examples

Now that we understand active learning and its benefits, let’s delve into some practical strategies to implement this learning approach.

1. Think-Pair-Share

Think-Pair-Share encourages collaboration and peer learning. Learners think about a question or problem individually, pair up to discuss their thoughts, then share their insights with the larger group. This method combines social learning activities like collaboration and reflection in a way that draws out the strengths of both modalities.

2. Three-Step Interviews

Three-Step interviews allow learners to apply different questioning strategies and reflect on understanding. They take turns acting as the interviewer, interviewee, and observer, promoting active engagement and deep reflection. This kind of active learning works particularly well for courses emphasising social and negotiation skills, including hospitality, politics, journalism, and sales.

3. Case Studies

Using case studies enables learners to apply concepts to real-world scenarios. This strategy fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills, linking theoretical learning to practical application. Case studies should be designed to chime with course participants’ lives and experiences, allowing them to offer their own personal insights. This allows them to become emotionally and intellectually involved in the subject under discussion, and the learning is likely to stick.

4. Role-Play

Role-play enhances empathy and problem-solving skills. By acting out scenarios, learners gain insights into different perspectives and learn to navigate complex situations. It can be particularly instructive to ask learners to inhabit both sides of an interaction, for instance, a police officer and suspect, or sales professional and buyer. Not all students will be comfortable in such a performative exercise, however.

5. Flipped Classroom

In a flipped classroom, learners explore content independently before class, freeing up classroom time for active discussions and problem-solving activities. This method works best in a highly motivated educational setting, such as vocational training resulting in professional qualifications. An obvious drawback is that, if students don’t prepare, they’ll get very little out of the class-based content. It’s also important for participants to reflect on in-class discussions after each session.

6. The Muddiest Point

The Muddiest Point requires learners to reflect on challenging areas, providing invaluable feedback for the educator. The educator will typically ask “what didn’t you understand?” or “what point did you find most complex?” and then follow up with a focused session exploring that concept. This technique helps identify misconceptions and knowledge gaps, as well as improving future iterations of course content.

7. Problem-Based Learning

Problem-Based Learning cultivates critical thinking and decision-making skills. Learners tackle real-world problems, applying knowledge and skills in a practical context. Rather than the theoretical situations covered in a typical case study, problem-based learning might take a story from the news or social media and explore it under the lens of the topic in hand. This makes the subject feel more relevant to the students, and more useful.

8. Simulations and Gamification

Simulations and gamification create immersive learning experiences. These methods engage learners in an interactive, competitive environment, enhancing motivation and learning outcomes. Such games could involve anything from quizzes to physical games or puzzles to be solved by teams. Some subjects will lend themselves to this better than others, and competitive workplaces , such as sales teams, may prove more comfortable with such challenges.

9. Peer Teaching

Peer teaching reinforces understanding and builds confidence in knowledge. By teaching their peers, learners gain a deeper understanding and consolidate their learning. The classic American “show and tell” in junior school is an example of this, but adult learners can also benefit from sharing their experiences or explaining a point with reference to an example from their own working lives.

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10. Debates and Discussions

Debates and discussions encourage active participation and analysis. They foster critical thinking and the ability to articulate and defend viewpoints. Although a little out of favour in modern schools, nevertheless this classic strategy serves to imprint key issues in social, cultural, and political thinking. It’s possible to reduce the antagonistic elements of debates by imposing strict discourse rules (such as addressing the chair or avoiding ad hominem attacks).

11. Interactive Quizzes and Polls

Interactive quizzes and polls engage learners and assess knowledge. They make learning fun, while also serving as valuable tools for instant feedback. These can work just as well in-person as they might online, or in blended learning settings. They are essential as part of any online course, however as both a measurement tool and a method of monitoring progress and content effectiveness.

12. Experiential Learning

Experiential learning involves hands-on activities for practical skill development. Learners gain practical experience, increasing the transfer of learning to real-world situations. For situations in which site visits are impossible, bringing pieces of the subject into the classroom can be highly instructive. First aid lessons require this aspect, and children love this aspect of learning. It’s worth not neglecting this for adult learners of any subject, however.

13. Brainstorming Sessions

Brainstorming sessions stimulate creativity and idea generation. They foster open-mindedness, encouraging learners to consider various possibilities and solutions. When brainstorming, it’s vital not to make any value judgments on suggestions, but simply to group and list student ideas. Once everyone has had their say, the educator and class can begin to identify common themes and recurring ideas.

14. Field Trips and Site Visits

Field trips and site visits connect learning to real-world situations. They enhance understanding and contextualization of knowledge. Site visits are fun and instructive and add much-needed variety to an in-person course. They often introduce students to hands-on skills they might pursue in greater depth, or to potential workplaces or causes they can become invested in.

15. Learning Circles and Communities

Learning circles and communities help foster collaboration and knowledge sharing. They create a supportive learning environment where learners can learn from one another, share insights, and collaboratively solve problems. With digital courses, it’s often important to create a forum for learners where mutual encouragement and support can occur. When classes are held in-person, students can be encouraged to help one another with coursework and collaborative projects.

rocket launch

Implementing Active Learning Strategies

Key considerations.

When incorporating active learning strategies, consider the learning objectives , the learners’ characteristics and needs, and the available resources. It’s also important to ask what students want to get out of the course (rather than any objective need for certification or qualification).

The right blend of active learning strategies can enhance the learning experience, making it more engaging, meaningful, and effective.

For instance, you’ll need a very different approach with a community of language learners from different countries, with varying levels of proficiency, than you would teaching an established workplace group where the main variable is seniority.

Let’s break these variables down a little:

Student Objectives: What would each student like to get out of the class, in terms of educational purpose and enhancement of their working or home life?

Student Characteristics: What proficiency and understanding level are your students at? If it’s a workplace course, what level of seniority do they have (how easily can the effect change)? If you have shy students, how can you involve them in activities without undue pressure?

Student Needs: What is the practical outcome supposed to be? It could be a qualification, a certificate, or simply a better understanding of a topic. It’s also worth asking, going into a class, if anyone has any additional needs, since you may have students with dyslexia, ADHD, or other learning challenges.

Available Resources: Do you provide paper and pens, devices, calculators? Do you invite guest speakers? Are their physical challenges and hands-on experiences? Do you provide meals? All these ingredients could affect the success of your course.

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Challenges of Active Learning Strategies

Active learning strategies, while beneficial, pose certain challenges. They require time, resources, and planning. They also require students to buy into a style of learning that some may not be familiar with.

Let’s unpack three more common challenges of active learning in a little more detail:

Student Hesitancy: To make active learning inviting, it’s best to design courses so that students come to expect and are prepared for this style of education from day one. Begin with simple exercises like a current knowledge quiz or simple pair exercises, and then progress to more involved exercises.

It’s also important to be clear with instructions and allow time for students to get used to being active rather than passive participants. Explain why you’re using these methods, rather than more rote methods of learning. If students believe it’s in their best interests to participate, they will.

Lack of Collaboration: Before you can expect a group of disparate individuals to work together, they must feel comfortable together. Begin with simple introductory exercises, so students get to know one another before being asked to share more personal experiences. Where students are too shy to choose partners, it’s okay to assign partners for them, so long as you attend to any obvious signs of discomfort.

Running out of Time: This is very common. When students are engaged, they can lose track of time. It’s often a good sign!

However, to avoid your course running out of control, make sure you do time trials of collaborative exercises, and be very upfront with any timescales you impose. You can even use a bell or whistle to warn students when they have five or two minutes left to finish up an exercise.

All these challenges can be overcome through careful design, strategic planning, scene setting, and the use of technology to streamline and support the learning process.

Remember that active learning is often a process of trial and error. What works well with one group may not prove so successful with another. It’s worth having alternative exercises to hand in case it becomes obvious that you need to pivot to a different approach.

Measuring the Impact of Active Learning Strategies

Methods to measure the effectiveness of active learning include surveys, assessments, observation, and feedback. Make sure you incorporate a bit of time for learners to complete satisfaction surveys or training feedback forms and make it as easy as possible to do so anonymously. Don’t make these too lengthy but do allow space for comments.

It’s essential to evaluate not only engagement and knowledge acquisition but also the development of skills and attitudes and the transfer of learning to real-world scenarios. Ideally, whoever has commissioned the course will have some method for following up and measuring KPIs after some weeks or months have passed. Ask if you can receive a copy of this information too.

Final Insights

Active learning, with its focus on engagement, reflection, and application, offers numerous benefits. It boosts retention, enhances critical thinking, fosters collaboration, and increases engagement.

At Skillshub, we fully commit to active learning, and incorporate many of its strategies into our learning solutions, creating eLearning content which is engaging, active and involving.

Our offerings are designed to facilitate active learning, equipping learners with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to thrive in today’s dynamic world. Incorporate active learning into your L&D strategy with our help and reap the benefits of an empowered, continually evolving workforce.

Request a demo today to get started with Skillshub!

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Sean McPheat

Sean is the CEO of Skillshub. He’s a published author and has been featured on CNN, BBC and ITV as a leading authority in the learning and development industry. Sean is responsible for the vision and strategy at Skillshub, helping to ensure innovation within the company.

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Updated on: 4 October, 2023

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Experiential Learning Activities to Try in Your Classroom

Michelle bouslog.

  • July 6, 2020

Young students working on a windmill science experiment with their teacher.

Learning styles and preferences come in a variety of forms. Some people prefer learning visually, while others would much rather listen. Some people prefer to read and write, and some people would like a more tactile approach. The term experiential learning is not a new catch phrase in the education field. Research suggests that experiential learning can help students develop positive attitudes toward life, encourage acceptance of responsibility, promote community involvement, and help students better understand their strengths and weaknesses. What exactly is experiential learning, what are the benefits of it, and what are some activities to try in your classroom today?

What is Experiential Learning?

Experiential learning is the practice of learning through doing. This learning technique encourages students to have first-hand experiences with materials rather than learning through someone else’s lectures or textbooks ( GradePower Learning ). According to research, learners retain 75% of what they do compared to 5% of what they hear or 10% of what they read ( study ). In a world where there are many, many distractions amongst the learning environment (think cell phones and other forms of technology), experiential learning keeps students engaged and attentive to the learning goal at hand.

Benefits of Experiential Learning

There are many benefits to experiential learning. For one, students are able to receive a deeper understanding of the content being taught. This is because students who are learning through hands-on activities have to undergo a process that transfers their knowledge to the materials they are working with. Experiential learning also increases engagement and participation. Students can’t just sit back in their desks and tune out; they have to be problem solvers and use the skills that were taught in order to participate. If these benefits have not convinced you on this teaching and learning method, below there are five experiential learning activities that you can use today to help solidify the use of more hands-on activities in your classroom.

Experiential Learning Activities to Try

Scavenger hunt.

Scavenger hunts are great experiential learning activities that get students moving and thinking. These hunts often involve having students solve riddles and clues, and students must work together to get to the next stop. It can also be fun using QR codes to incorporate some technology into the scavenger hunt. Make the hunt lead to a reveal of the class field trip, incentive party, or as a study guide before the next test. The options are limitless and sure to excite your learners!

Put on a Play

What better way for students to work on their cooperation, leadership, and creativity skills than by practicing and presenting a play. Maybe your students have just learned a new topic in social studies like the Oregon Trail or the first Thanksgiving. Use a pre-found script (a simple Google search is sure to provide many), or have older students create their own. You can also use a picture book as a starting point for a play. Books like Make Way for Ducklings , Sylvester and the Magic Pebble , and Swimmy , are all good texts for turning into skits. Theater is a great hands-on experience, and many students love showing off their acting skills!

Growing Conditions

Another fun experiential learning activity to incorporate into your science lessons deals with growing conditions. Have students plant seeds (brassica and grass are simple ones to get started) outside and inside the classroom. Have them observe the differences that happen between the two environments. Write about these observations or use Flipgrid to video record reflections and predictions. Letting students take their plants home at the end of a unit is another fun bonus to this activity.

Apple Rotting Experiment

What happens to an apple as it decays? Does the process look different depending on the environment the apple is in? This fun experiment gives students another hands-on experience that ignites curiosity and is sure to provoke some good scientific questions. Put a piece of an apple in a few different cups. Label the cups with the solution they are sitting in such as air, water, vinegar, oil. Have the students write their observations and predictions down, or draw pictures of the decaying process. Extensions could include letting the students try the same experiment with other foods such as oranges or carrots. Compare and contrast the differences between the various foods. This experiential activity can be the starting point for many more experiments and discussions.

Engineering

Giving students the opportunity to build is appealing for so many (think Rube Goldberg projects). These sorts of experiential learning activities can be used as part of the curriculum, for brain breaks, or as fun school-wide competitions. Have students use straws and other recyclable materials to build a replica of an urban vs. rural community. Or, using this activity as a brain break approach, give students a set amount of time to see who can make the tallest tower out of toothpicks and marshmallows. The competitive atmosphere of these sorts of building competitions creates excitement and fosters class unity.

Every child learns in a way that is unique to themselves. Experiential learning activities help to take all students’ learning styles and make the activity suitable for a diverse group of learners. The benefits of creating a deeper understanding of the material presented, being engaged, and increasing participation make experiential teaching worth a try. So do a scavenger hunt, put on a play, plant some seeds, rot an apple, or build a tower. Your students are sure to walk away with powerful and memorable learning experiences.

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Edu News | January 26, 2022

24 stem lessons you can quickly deploy in the classroom.

Collage of images representing lessons in the Quick and Easy collection.

Calling all teachers pressed for time, substitutes looking for classroom activities that don't require a lot of prep, and others hoping to keep students learning in especially chaotic times: We've got a new collection of lessons and activities that you can quickly deploy.

Read on to explore our collection of Quick and Easy STEM lessons and student activities , organized by grade band. Get everything you need to guide students through standards-aligned lessons featuring connections to real NASA missions and science as well as links to student projects, which can be led by teachers or assigned as independent activities.

Grades 9-12

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Make a Paper Mars Helicopter

In this lesson, students build a paper helicopter, then improve the design and compare and measure performance.

Subject Engineering

Time 30-60 mins

Student Project: Make a Paper Mars Helicopter

Build a paper helicopter, then see if you can improve the design like NASA engineers did when making the first helicopter for Mars.

What Tools Would You Take to Mars?

Students decide what they want to learn from a robotic mission to Mars and what tools they will put on their robot to accomplish their goals.

Subject Science

learning activities examples

Rockets by Size

Students cut out, color and sequence paper rockets in a simple mathematics lesson on measurement.

Subject Math

learning activities examples

Rocket Math

Students use rocket manipulatives to help them develop number sense, counting, addition and subtraction skills.

learning activities examples

Tangram Rocket

Students use tangrams to create rockets while practicing shape recognition.

Time 1-2 hrs

learning activities examples

Student Project: Build a Rover and More With Shapes

Use geometric shapes called tangrams to build a rover and other space-themed designs!

Time Less than 30 mins

learning activities examples

Student Project: Build a Rocket and More With Shapes

Use geometric shapes called tangrams to build a rocket and other space-themed designs!

learning activities examples

Mineral Mystery Experiment

Students explore the science behind an intriguing planetary feature by creating saline solutions and then observing what happens when the solutions evaporate.

Grades 2-12

Time 2 sessions of 30-60 mins

learning activities examples

Student Project: Do a Mineral Mystery Experiment

Dissolve salts in water, then observe what happens when the water evaporates.

What Do You Know About Mars?

Students decide what they want to learn from a robotic mission to Mars.

learning activities examples

Melting Ice Experiment

Students make predictions and observations about how ice will melt in different conditions then compare their predictions to results as they make connections to melting glaciers.

learning activities examples

Parachute Design

Students design and test parachute landing systems to successfully land a probe on target.

learning activities examples

Planetary Poetry

In this cross-curricular STEM and language arts lesson, students learn about planets, stars and space missions and write STEM-inspired poetry to share their knowledge of or inspiration about these topics.

learning activities examples

Student Project: Write a Poem About Space

Are you a space poet, and you didn't even know it? Find out how to create your own poems inspired by space!

learning activities examples

Ocean World: Earth Globe Toss Game

Students use NASA images and a hands-on activity to compare the amounts of land and surface water on our planet.

Simple Rocket Science Continued

Students gather data on a balloon rocket launch, then create a simple graph to show the results of the tests.

learning activities examples

Spaghetti Anyone? Building with Pasta

Students use the engineering design process to build a structure to handle the greatest load and gain first-hand experience with compression and tension forces.

learning activities examples

Student Project: Building With Spaghetti

Use spaghetti to build a tower modeled after the giant structures NASA uses to talk to spacecraft.

Simple Rocket Science

Students perform a simple science experiment to learn how a rocket works and demonstrate Newton’s third law of motion.

Soda-Straw Rockets

Students study rocket stability as they design, construct and launch paper rockets using soda straws.

learning activities examples

Student Project: Make a Straw Rocket

Create a paper rocket that can be launched from a soda straw – then, modify the design to make the rocket fly farther!

learning activities examples

Rocket Activity: Heavy Lifting

Students construct balloon-powered rockets to launch the greatest payload possible to the classroom ceiling.

learning activities examples

Design a Robotic Insect

Students design a robotic insect for an extraterrestrial environment, then compare the process to how NASA engineers design robots for extreme environments like Mars.

learning activities examples

Student Project: Design a Robotic Insect

Design a robotic insect to go to an extreme environment. Then, compare the design process to what NASA engineers do when building robots for Mars!

learning activities examples

How Far Away Is Space?

Students use measurement skills to determine the scale distance to space on a map.

learning activities examples

Student Project: How Far Away Is Space?

Stack coins and use your measurement skills to figure out the scale distance from Earth's surface to space.

learning activities examples

Planetary Travel Time

Students will compute the approximate travel time to planets in the solar system using different modes of transportation.

learning activities examples

The Ring Wing Glider

In this simple engineering design lesson, students turn a piece of paper into an aircraft wing and then try to improve upon their design.

Student Project: Make a Paper Glider

Turn a piece of paper into a glider inspired by a NASA design.

learning activities examples

How Do We See Dark Matter?

Students will make observations of two containers and identify differences in content, justify their claims and make comparisons to dark matter observations.

Grades 6-12

Let's Go to Mars! Calculating Launch Windows

Students use advanced algebra concepts to determine the next opportunity to launch a spacecraft to Mars.

Find our full collection of more than 250 STEM educator guides and student activities in Teach and Learn .

For games, articles, and more activities from NASA for kids in upper-elementary grades, visit NASA Space Place and NASA Climate Kids .

Explore more educational resources and opportunities for students and educators from NASA STEM Engagement .

TAGS: Lessons , Teachers , Educators , Parents , Substitutes , Activities , Students , Science , Engineering , Quick and Easy

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Kim Orr , Web Producer, NASA-JPL Education Office

Kim Orr is a web and content producer for the Education Office at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Her pastimes are laughing and going on Indiana Jones style adventures.

Student Activities Using Generative AI

A good starting point for any activity incorporating AI-generated content would be for the instructor to experiment with the tool in an effort to understand the potential output. 

The use of generative AI can be included at different points during the activity. These are a few possibilities:

  • Students could use tools to generate a starting point that can be edited and improved
  • Students could be tasked with creating a robust prompt by asking the tool questions, and then refining with additional questions
  • Students could compare and contrast the information provided through the tool and a traditional literature review
  • The activity could be divided into easily assessed and reviewed parts where the tool can be used by the student where applicable
  • Students could be encouraged to identify what prompts were made and consider how these might be enhanced

Remind students to verify the accuracy of the output provided by the generative AI tool, and provide citations to other credible resources as necessary to support the information the tool provides. Generative AI tools will sometimes provide false information and even false citations.

Students should also demonstrate their responsible use of AI by disclosing and citing their use as appropriate based on the expectations you have set in your course . The RIT Libraries provides an InfoGuide on How to Cite Generative AI Tools in MLA, APA, and Chicago Style .

Contact the Center for Teaching and Learning  to discuss course and assignment design using generative AI.

Instructions and Examples

  • Generative AI and Writing-Intensive Courses

Last Updated: 2/14/2024

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Super Bowl ads keep it heavy on the celebrities, light on the politics

If you watch the Super Bowl for the commercials, you no longer have to wait until the big game to see what advertisers have in store for viewers. Big advertisers release their ads online early in the hope of capitalizing on buzz as the game approaches. The estimated going rate for a 30-second spot this year is $7 Million.

This image provided by PepsiCo shows the Starry 2024 Super Bowl NFL football spot. ( PepsiCo via AP)

This image provided by PepsiCo shows the Starry 2024 Super Bowl NFL football spot. ( PepsiCo via AP)

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This photo provided by Dunkin’ shows Ben Affleck in a still from the company’s 2024 Super Bowl NFL football game ad campaign. (Brigette Buckner/Dunkin’ via AP)

This photo provided by Dunkin’ shows a still of J.Lo and Fat Joe from the company’s 2024 Super Bowl NFL football game ad campaign. (Brigette Buckner/Dunkin’ via AP)

This image provided by Uber Eats shows the Uber Eats 2024 Super Bowl NFL football spot. (Uber Eats via AP)

This image provided by e.l.f. Cosmetics shows the e.l.f. Cosmetics 2024 Super Bowl NFL football spot. (e.l.f. Cosmetics via AP)

This image provided by BMW shows the BMW 2024 Super Bowl NFL football spot. (BMW via AP)

This image provided by Morgan Stanley shows the E*TRADE 2024 Super Bowl NFL football spot. (Morgan Stanley via AP)

This image provided by Google shows Google’s 2024 Super Bowl NFL football spot. (Google via AP)

This image provided by PepsiCo, Inc. shows the Mountain Dew 2024 Super Bowl NFL football spot. (PepsiCo, Inc. via AP)

This image provided by NERDS shows the NERDS 2024 Super Bowl NFL football spot. ( NERDS via AP)

This image provided by Hellmann’s shows the Hellmann’s 2024 Super Bowl NFL football spot. ( Hellmann’s via AP)

This image provided by Dove shows the Dove 2024 Super Bowl NFL football spot. ( Dove via AP)

This photo provided by Anheuser-Busch shows the Budweiser 2024 Super Bowl NFL football spot. The perennial Super Bowl advertiser is bringing back fan favorites the Clydesdales and a Labrador, in a nod to previous commercials that aired during advertising’s biggest night. Ahead of Super Bowl 58, some advertisers are releasing ads early in the hope of capitalizing on the buzz leading up to the game. (Anheuser-Busch via AP)

This image provided by Michelob ULTRA shows the Michelob ULTRA 2024 Super Bowl NFL football spot. (Michelob ULTRA via AP)

This photo provided by Kawasaki shows the Kawasaki 2024 Super Bowl NFL football spot. ( Kawasaki via AP)

This image provided by Nabisco shows the Oreo 2024 Super Bowl NFL football spot. (Nabisco via AP)

This photo provided by Dunkin’ shows Matt Damon in a still from the company’s 2024 Super Bowl NFL football game ad campaign. (Brigette Buckner/Dunkin’ via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs were crowned victorious over the San Francisco 49ers in this year’s Super Bowl — and, off the field, big-name advertisers competed for viewers’ attention with celebrity-filled, glitzy messages.

Beyoncé broke the internet yet again in a Verizon ad , which was soon followed by a viral music drop . Lionel Messi’s showed off his apparent loyalty to Michelob Ultra . And T-Mobile, e.l.f. cosmetics, Uber Eats and more offered a slew of mini TV show reunions, bringing together cast members from “Suits” to “Friends.”

Despite being an election year in the U.S., there was very little to show for it on Sunday besides an ad by American Values 2024, the super PAC backing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential run . It ran a 30-second, retro-styled spot that attempted to lean into his family’s legacy. Kennedy launched his independent bid for the White House last year.

Airing a Super Bowl commercial is no easy feat. On top of the reported $7 million price tag for a 30-second spot during the game, brands enlist the biggest actors, invest in dazzling special effects and try to put together an ad that more than 100 million expected viewers will like — or at least remember.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, right, tells the crowd the Chiefs want to win another Super Bowl next season, during their victory rally in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024. The Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers Sunday in the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)

“Advertisers this year are doing everything they can to try to break through the clutter,” Northwestern University marketing professor Tim Calkins said. “They’re pulling out all the stops.”

On Sunday, scores of advertisers tapped into light humor and nostalgia to give game breaks a mostly “feel good,” whimsical energy. Still, there were also a few serious and somber moments.

This image provided by Uber Eats shows the Uber Eats 2024 Super Bowl NFL football spot. (Uber Eats via AP)

Here’s a rundown of what ad-watchers saw in Super Bowl LVIII.

CELEBRITIES EVERYWHERE

Kris Jenner “twists on it” with Oreo . The face behind Pringles’ iconic mustache is unveiled to be none other than Chris Pratt. And Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez returned for Dunkin’ cameos, while Ice Spice sips on Starry .

In typical Super Bowl fashion, an array of companies’ adverts were adorned by stars — often with numerous celebrities stuffed in a single spot. T-Mobile , for example, showcased big names like Bradley Cooper, Common, Jennifer Hudson, Laura Dern and “Suits” stars Gabriel Macht and Patrick J. Adams all in one ad for its “Magenta Status” customer appreciation program.

And the “Suits” homecoming didn’t stop there. In another ad stuffed with celebrity cameos — including “Judge Judy” Judy Sheindlin — e.l.f. cosmetics brought together Gina Torres, Rick Hoffman and Sarah Rafferty in a courtroom spoof.

NBC sitcoms had quite a few reunion moments during the game. In an Uber Eats ad, which shows people forgetting things so they remember Uber Eats can deliver a wide variety of items, Jennifer Aniston seemingly forgets she ever worked with her “Friends” co-star David Schwimmer. And in an ad for Mtn Dew Baja Blast , Aubrey Plaza says she can have a ‘Blast’ doing anything — including reuniting with her “Parks and Rec” boss Nick Offerman as they fly on dragons.

Although star power in Super Bowl commercials isn’t new, it did feel especially heightened this year.

“It used to be that you’d have a celebrity pop up that would sort of be the spokesperson of the commercial,” said Virginia Commonwealth University Brandcenter’s Jessica D. Collins. “Now you’re seeing collaborations of celebrities... all in the same commercial, even (when) they have absolutely nothing to do with each other.”

Some brands can pull this off in a smart way — such as tapping into pop culture moments and inside jokes. But experts say that overdoing celeb cameos can take away from the impact of the ad. Viewers may remember what stars they saw in a commercial but not the brand name, University of Minnesota associate professor of marketing Linli Xu notes.

CUTENESS AND NOSTALGIA

It wouldn’t be the Super Bowl without some furry friends. Budweiser , for example, brought back familiar characters to its gameday slot — which shows Clydesdales and a Labrador retriever team up to help the beer brand make the delivery. And Hellmann’s featured the “Mayo Cat.”

But the year’s ads weren’t raining dogs and cats, noted Kimberly Whitler, marketing professor at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.

That didn’t stop advertisers from searching for other ways into viewers’ hearts.

“Everything old is new again,” she said, pointing to successful Super Bowl ads or messages from the past making a return, including ETrade’s talking babies .

The 1980s also made a comeback, Whitler noted, with both T-Mobile and Nerds featuring the theme song from “Flashdance,” while the mullet was at the center of Kawasaki’s spot.

PULLING AT THE HEARTSTRINGS

Both Collins and Calkins said that Google’s spot was among their favorites. The ad followed a blind man as he uses “Guided Frame” — Google’s A.I.-powered accessibility feature for the Pixel camera that uses a combination of audio cues, high-contrast animations and tactile vibrations — to take pictures of the people and places in his life.

The spot was a “perfect balance of emotion and showing off a product benefit,” Collins said, adding that she appreciated how Google spotlighted an audience that isn’t always noticed. “No celebrities, (and it) purely showed what could have been an absolutely real family. Loved it.”

Xu also pointed to Dove’s ad, which focused on how low body-confidence leads to girls quitting sports.

“It’s a powerful message,” she said, in line with Dove’s past campaigns dedicated to body positivity in the past.

SOME SERIOUS MOMENTS

Several other ads took more serious tones. Robert Kraft’s Foundation to Combat Antisemitism , for example, ran an ad featuring Martin Luther King Jr.’s speechwriter Dr. Clarence B. Jones.

“He Gets Us” also returned to the Super Bowl this year. The campaign, which is backed by a group of wealthy Christian donors, aired two ads Sunday night.

_______________

AP Business Reporter Mae Anderson contributed to this report.

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