Active Learning

Student in computer lab active learning classroom

Active Learning is a more student centered approach to teaching where students are involved in collaborative and/or group activities that lead them to reflect upon ideas and how they are using and thinking about those ideas. Not only does this approach enhance student engagement in the classroom, it also has been proven successful in raising student learning outcomes and promotes inclusive teaching where students with different learning styles are further supported. Some of the impacts on student success include:

  • Increased class attendance
  • Improved student performance
  • Increased conceptual understanding
  • Drastically reduces failure rates, especially among women and minorities
  • Provides opportunities that strengthen student-to-student relationships which benefit collaborative project outcomes

The Chronicle of Higher Education summarizes some of the key benefits of active learning in the June 29, 2017 article by Shannon Najmabadi:

Does Redesigning Classrooms Make a Difference to Students?

Active Learning Classroom: Kohlberg 116 

An Active Learning Classroom (ALC) is a space designed with enhanced technology and furniture that better supports student engagement and learning through collaborative problem-solving, brainstorming, group discussion, and reflection activities. The presence of collaborative sharing technology allows small groups of students to share content among themselves and with the class as a whole.

Over the Summer of 2017, ITS partnered with faculty, the Facilities department, and the Provost's and Registrar's office to make modifications to Kohlberg 116. Our goal was to create an infrastructure that supported active learning and innovative teaching methodologies on campus. From our collaborative efforts, Kohlberg 116 was renovated and is now a fully functional ALC. It is enhanced with an intentional mix of the digital and analog tools to support lesson activities. These additions support a cooperative effort that may be harder to achieve in a regular classroom.

Features

Kohlberg 116 room features include:

  • Mobile tablet are chairs for flexibility and collaboration
  • Substantial whiteboard space - four additional full sized whiteboards

  • Personal size whiteboards wall mounted for individual and group use

  • Epson Brightlink Projectors - four Brightlink projectors paired with each of the four whiteboards
  • Solstice app wireless projection capability for Mac and Windows users
  • HDMI laptop connection
  • Zone audio for each of the Epson projector
  • Sufficient wireless Internet bandwidth

Reservations

If you would like to reserve Kohlberg 116 for your next meeting or event please make an online reservation on Swat Central. If you are interested in teaching in Kohlberg 116 for your next course please fill out the following form below.

Submit expression of interest form​

Learn more about active learning from the links below:

You can learn more about active learning and sample activities from our help documentation pages using the link below.

Active Learning