This document discusses various active learning strategies for student engagement. It begins by recommending assessing students' prior knowledge through surveys or reflection journals to understand their current level of understanding. It then provides examples of focused reading, concept mapping, interactive games, and having students draw quotes to analyze. Additional strategies discussed include having students demonstrate concepts creatively in groups, critical debates where positions are switched, and designating student roles in "analytic teams" such as proponent, critic, and facilitator. The document concludes by referencing additional resources on active learning strategies.

1. Active Learning
Strategies for Engagement

2. Begin by assessing student’s prior knowledge. This
assures that you begin the content at the
appropriate point – not too basic to bore them, but
not beyond their understanding so you lose them.
– Survey students using Desire2Learn to gauge their
understanding before beginning new content.
– Have students write reflection journals to provide
insight into where they are in their understanding.
– Provide self-assessment quizzes in Desire2Learn that
can be taken as many times as a student desires and
do not “count” in the weight of the course grades.

3. • Focused Reading.
– Prior to a reading assignment, provide students with key
words and themes that should draw their attention.
• Concept mapping.
– Have students develop concept maps from the reading,
course notes, or course concepts. There are several free
tools that students can use.
• Interactive games.
– Review for a test by playing “Jeopardy” or “Millionaire”.
(There are templates below.)

4. Draw a quote.
1. Select quotes from the reading to which you want
students to respond.
2. Put each quote on a slip of paper and have students
draw one.
3. Give them time to consider their quote, and then have
students read their quote and share a new insight,
contradiction, or understanding of that quote.
4. Options:
• Allow others an opportunity to respond.
• Keep moving along with a different student and their quote.
• Whole-class or smaller groups
• Online discussion forum
Barkley, 2010

5. Demonstrate a concept.
• Students will work in groups to unpack a concept or theory
and demonstrate it to the class.
• This is purposefully open-ended allowing students to be
creative –
• they can use approaches such as
– role-playing,
– drawing,
– music, or
– whatever method other than “telling” or “explaining” to
demonstrate the concept.
• Debrief after each “presentation” to reinforce the concept.
Decker, 2012

6. Critical Debate.
1. Assign students to groups that will prepare a defense in favor of
and opposed to a position related to your content.
2. Give them time to prepare their arguments for an in-class debate.
3. Remind them of the value of knowing the opposition’s
arguments.
4. When the class session for the debate arrives, surprise the
students by changing their positions: those who planned to
defend will argue the opposition and vice-versa.
– You may encounter reluctance, but be prepared to explain to students
that this exercise develops their critical thinking skills and extends
their understanding of the issue at hand. This exercise is meant to
challenge their assumptions.
– Debrief at the end.
– Assign a brief reflection paper as a wrap-up. Brookfield, 2011

7. “Analytic Teams”
• With complex content that needs to be
unwrapped, have students work in teams, each
with a specific identified role. Examples of roles:
– Proponent: lists the points you agree with or found
helpful, and why
– Critic: lists the points you disagree with or found
unhelpful, and why
– Example-giver: Identifies examples of key concepts
– Questioner: develops a list of substantive questions
about the material
Barkley, 2010

8. Additional roles:
• Facilitator: The facilitator will keep the discussion on task and direct it as
necessary, making sure the major concepts from the reading and learning
units are presented and kept in perspective. Tries to make the “theory” or
concepts come alive and relevant to the learners.
• Clarifier: The clarifier asks questions that challenge learners to think about
what has been discussed, pays attention to where confusion exists or
where concepts may be cloudy, challenges the conversation to help clarify
reasoning and asks questions that lead the others into application of the
concepts.
• Researcher: The researcher supports the major concepts by providing
additional relevant details and resources to assist everyone in
understanding and applying the concepts.
• Summarizer: provides a summary or synthesis of the most important
points so everyone can see a collective picture and keep on task
Decker, 2012

9. The following slides are from the University of
Minnesota Center for Teaching and Learning.
http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/tutorials/powerpoint/learning/index.html

10. Opening Question:
Example:
Take a moment to reflect on your
experience with PowerPoint.
Come up with a positive and a
negative example.

11. Introductory Think~Pair~Share
Example:
Think of what you know about active learning
strategies.
Turn to a partner and share your knowledge.
Do you have anything to share with the class?

12. Focused Listing
Example:
Take out a sheet of paper and list as
many characteristics of good
lecturing as you can.

13. Brainstorm
Example:
What do you know about the ways students
learn?
Start with your clearest thoughts and then move
on to those that are kind of out there!

14. Remember to stop and ask for
QUESTIONS?

15. Insert a blank slide to get student’s attention and to
remind yourself to slow down.

16. Think~Pair~Share
Example:
Think about how you might use active learning
strategies in your lectures.
Turn to a partner and discuss.
Share your findings with the large group.

17. Note Check
Take a few minutes to compare notes with a
partner:
– Summarize the most important
information.
– Identify (and clarify if possible) any sticking
points.

18. Question & Answer Pairs
Take a minute to come up with one
question.
Then, see if you can stump your
partner!

19. 2-Minute paper
Summarize the most important points
in today’s lecture.

20. If you could ask one last question…
what would it be?

21. One Final Question…
Which of the strategies we’ve covered
would you like to try in your own
classes?

22. References
Barkley, E., (2010). Student engagement techniques: A handbook
for college faculty. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.
Brookfield, S. (2011) Teaching for critical thinking. San Francisco,
CA: Jossey Bass.
Decker, G., (2012) Active learning strategies. Lecture given at
Grand Valley State University.
Center for Teaching and Learning (2008) Twelve active learning
strategies. Retrieved from University of Minnesota website:
http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/tutorials/powerpoint
/learning/index.html