Active learning classrooms are spaces that promote collaboration and activity amongst the students in the class. As per the Queen’s University website (2017), they “often involve complex, student-centered interactions between professors, students, local, and global communities. The physical space of an ALC promotes and encourages these interactions though accessible and flexible classroom design.” (para. 2) ALC's use a flipped classroom approach and are “characterized by authentic learning tasks, collaborative learning, limited direct instruction from teachers, and self-initiated individual learning activities” (Rotgans & Scmidt, 2009, p. 64). The goal of ALC's is to give students more opportunity to complete activities the way they believe it should be completed. The teacher still plans the skills and content that the students need to learn but the way that this information is presented is up to the students.
Rotgans and Schmidt (2009) explain the significance of active learning spaces on situational interest. Students were presented with a problem and asked to find a solution. There were few teacher-centered activities as students were expected to solve the problem on their own. The article found that students who engage in ALC's are more likely to be initially interested in a presented topic and are more likely to maintain that level of interest throughout the day. There were several hypotheses made about why this happened; for example, perhaps the students were interested in closing the knowledge gap between what they knew and what they needed to know in order to find the solution. Either way, ALC's increase situational interest which results in higher engagement levels of the students.
The video below gives examples of how classroom teachers can implement active learning strategies in their learning space.
Rotgans and Schmidt (2009) explain the significance of active learning spaces on situational interest. Students were presented with a problem and asked to find a solution. There were few teacher-centered activities as students were expected to solve the problem on their own. The article found that students who engage in ALC's are more likely to be initially interested in a presented topic and are more likely to maintain that level of interest throughout the day. There were several hypotheses made about why this happened; for example, perhaps the students were interested in closing the knowledge gap between what they knew and what they needed to know in order to find the solution. Either way, ALC's increase situational interest which results in higher engagement levels of the students.
The video below gives examples of how classroom teachers can implement active learning strategies in their learning space.
How do you implement an Active Learning Classroom?
Steelcase education provides a step by step process on how to implement active learning strategies in the classroom (Steelcase Education, 2015)