Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

What Is Meant By the Term Active Learning?

  • By Lisa Schmidt
  • 10/01/18

In general, active learning means students engage with the material, participate in the class, and collaborate with each other. Rather than sitting passively while listening to an instructor, or doing independent heads-down work, the student may work with his or her peers, follow an interactive project-based curriculum, participate in robust discussions, or a variety of other activities, which ensure the student is immersed in the subject at hand.

Researchers have found that the more students are engaged, the greater their progress and retention. When teachers utilize active learning, they often find their pupils display a deeper understanding of the course material. What’s more, today’s Millennial and Generation Z students prefer the more dynamic environment which active learning provides.

In active learning spaces, the teacher may choose to engage the students further by allowing them choices: the choice of tasks to focus on, peers to work with, or where to work within the classroom, and even outside of the classroom, such as in a corridor or other space in the building.

In addition to providing choices, active learning classrooms are most effective when the furnishings are flexible, mobile, and able to support whatever activity is taking place in the space at that time. Ideally, the teacher or students can rearrange the room without help from the custodial staff.

Consider using classroom furniture that can be reconfigured easily. Also, choose chairs that enable students to interact with each other, and with the instructor. This increases the opportunity to build personal connections and social skills. Utilizing a variety of furniture types also supports personal choice and ownership, while providing a space that resonates with students at all levels.

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management October 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

About the Author

Lisa Schmidt, LEED-AP is the director of Strategic Initiatives at National Office Furniture. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • DFW-Area District Opens New Replacement Middle School

    The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District near Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new replacement middle school campus, according to a news release. The new facility for Wayside Middle School, originally established in 1964, was built on the site of the former district administration building and funded through Bond Proposition A in 2023.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • Stanford Completes Construction on Graduate School of Education Facility

    Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., recently announced the end of construction on a new home for its Graduate School of Education, according to a news release. The university partnered with McCarthy Building Companies on the 160,000-square-foot project, which involved two major renovations and one new construction effort.

  • Pitzer College

    Designing for Change in Higher Ed Learning Environments

    Higher education will continue to evolve, and learning environments must evolve with it. By prioritizing adaptable infrastructure, thoughtful reuse, strong energy performance, and wellness-centered design, campuses can create spaces that support learning today while remaining flexible for the future.