Promoting and Supporting Active Learning Strategies in the Face of Changes and Challenges: What, Why and How?

Abstract

Active learning strategies are effective in engaging and promoting learning as a process of knowledge construction. Building on constructivism frameworks, active learning is not new; however, it has garnered increasing interest in the academic communities. A wealth of empirical evidence and resources that demonstrate why and how it works have been generated. These resources provide sound and useful pedagogic strategies in the face of challenges arising from the changes in teaching and learning needs. Due to the ramifications of COVID-19 and several education initiatives, the NUS Department of Biological Sciences (DBS) is promoting and supporting active learning strategies that are amenable to technology enhanced learning (TEL) in order to maintain, or even enhance, the quality of learning experiences, and to meet the learning needs of an increasingly diverse student population. To understand the level of awareness and practices of active learning instructional methods in the Department, a survey was conducted among departmental teaching staff. We examined and reflected upon the extent of the level of awareness and practices of active learning instructional methods as well as the challenges and concerns in employing them. We proposed possible strategies to support and promote active learning in the Department in the face of impending changes and challenges in the coming years.