Active Learning: Eight Models That Shape Instructional Practice

Authors

A.E. Dreyfuss, CUNY New York City College of TechnologyFollow
Ana Fraiman, Northeastern Illinois UniversityFollow
Karmen T. Yu, Montclair State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Fall 2025

Abstract

Developed since the mid-20^th century, several instructional models have provided practical means to shift the emphasis in learning from lecture to engagement by students. The snapshots of models presented in this paper include Cooperative Learning, Problem-Based Learning (PBL), Supplemental Instruction (SI) (also PALS, PASS), Team-Based Learning (TBL), Emerging Scholars Program (Mathematics Workshop, MathExcel), Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL), Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL), and Learning Assistants (LA). These models have been well-disseminated, widely adopted, and incorporated in disciplines beyond their origins. For purposes of exploration and consideration of implementation, these “snapshots” provide an overview. Features of each model are presented, including the initial concern leading to the model’s development, level of introduction in the academic world, implementation overview, and who facilitates the students’ learning. Each model faces challenges in its adoption, often based on its foundational pillars, yet these models – as well as many others not explored here – have demonstrated that learning is based on experiences that encompass more than discipline-specific content.

Comments

This article was originally published in Advances in Peer-Led Learning, available at https://doi.org/10.54935/apll2025-01-03-07

This work is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).