ACTIVE LEARNING TECHNIQUES FOR STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN THE UK AND THE US
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34142/23128046.2026.60.19Keywords:
active learning, college, university, technologies, methods, lecturer, student, UK, USAbstract
This article describes active learning techniques for students that are successfully used in colleges and universities in the United States and the United Kingdom. It has been found that, over the past few decades, teaching has moved away from the traditional ‘lecturer-led’ approach towards active learning, which aims to directly involve students in the learning process. Students prepare for each session, watch videos and complete online activities, which allows the majority of the time allocated to the session to be spent on interaction between students.
As the research indicates, pedagogically valuable experience regarding the use of active learning techniques has been accumulated in higher education institutions in the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Technologies that support active student participation in the educational process include: cooperative learning; fostering critical thinking; organising virtual classes; and the introduction of shared whiteboards and digital games.
It has been established that the leading methods contributing to the successful implementation of active learning in the United States and the United Kingdom include: collaborative exercises, problem-based learning, group work, case-based learning, discussions, simulations and games.
The article sets out the requirements that teachers must adhere to for the successful implementation of active learning: careful planning of active learning sessions with clear instructions; explaining the benefits of active learning to students; obtaining feedback on students’ experiences and making adjustments; helping students to monitor their own progress through reflection; continuously gathering feedback from students on their activities and making changes; and others.
The study also identifies the challenges faced by higher education institutions in the United Kingdom and the United States when implementing active learning techniques. These include: resistance among some students to group work and unfamiliar teaching methods; time constraints on organising active learning; discomfort with the new teaching style; a gap between students’ expectations and the implementation of technologies by lecturers; and several others.
Examples of best practices from universities in the US and the UK regarding the effective implementation of active learning technologies are provided.
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