DEFINITION: "Students that are engaged in more activities than just listening. They are involved in dialog, debate, writing, and problem-solving as well as higher order thinking, e.g., analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and creating." Bonwell and Eison, 1991  

Below are resources that can help create a more learner-centered, active learning environment. As a result, students are actively engaged with the content, other students, and the instructor to create deeper meaning for themselves and develop critical skills along the way.

Interview with a Passive Online Learner

Hear a conversation between a reluctant online participant and her instructor, whose actions helped to encourage her involvement in the course. (8 min)

Created by John Graves, Master of Science in Science Education, Montana State University.

See similar videos on the Dialogues in Online Teaching page, a collaboration between Academic Technology and Outreach (ATO) and the Master of Science in Science Education (MSSE) program.

Other Active Learning Strategies

Interactive Techniques: University of South Florida, Academy for Teaching and Learning

Experiential Learning in the Online Classroom, Student Opportunity Center

Experiential Learning in the HyFlex (Hybrid) Classroom, Student Opportunity Center