Research on how people learn shows that teaching using active learning is more effective than just lecturing. Students in STEM courses where instructors use active learning do better on exams and tests specifically designed to measure conceptual understanding. Students in active learning courses are also less likely to fail or withdraw. This is especially true for students from backgrounds that are underrepresented in STEM subjects or who are first in their families to go to college.
What is active learning?
Active learning is when the instructor stops talking and students make progress toward a learning objective by actively doing something such as working on a problem in a small group or using “clickers” to answer a conceptual question.
There is an abundance of research on the effectiveness of active learning - two recent meta-analyses published in highly respected journals show this:
- Freeman and colleagues (2014) analyzed 225 STEM education studies and found that students in active learning courses perform better on exams, show greater gains in conceptual understanding, and are less likely to fail or withdraw.
- Ruiz-Primo and colleagues (2011) analyzed 310 STEM education studies and found positive effects across STEM disciplines.
This site is designed to point out practical, evidence-based resources for teaching using active learning. Please email any feedback or suggestions for other topics to tides@cns.utexas.edu
