18 Choose Strategies for Active Learning

Student drawing a MindMap on finance
Photo Credit: Graeme Robinson-Clogg

Now that you’ve identified what you need to learn, you can now make a plan for how to learn, and to put it into practice. The best kind of learning is active learning. When you learn actively, you apply a variety of strategies to your course material, including reading, writing, reflecting, solving problems, organizing material visually, self-testing, and working with others.

Active learning requires you to choose a method to process and recall the material you’re learning. Some active learning strategies are:

  • Using flash cards.
  • Making a visual organizer that summarizes key chapter concepts, such as a mind map or chart.
  • Organizing key ideas into a new chart.
  • Answering questions or creating a practice test.
  • Working with a study partner or group.
  • Writing about the material you are learning.

Not only is active learning a more engaging and fun way to study, but it also allows you to use your study time more effectively.[1]

Try it!

  • Consider the material you’re learning in 1 of your courses this week.
  • Create a list of active learning strategies that you can use to study this content.

Extend Your Learning

Check out the following resources:


  1. Michael, J. (2006). Where’s the evidence that active learning works? Advances in Physiology Education, 30(4), 159–167. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00053.2006

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