Teaching in Active Learning Classrooms at a Canadian University - Abstract and Evaluation Recommendations

Oct 15, 2026

The article evaluates a campus-wide Active Learning initiative by examining instructors’ experiences teaching in Active Learning Classrooms (ALCs) at a Canadian university. The study includes 21 instructors from different disciplines, interviewed about pedagogical decision-making, course revisions, classroom management strategies, and the impact of ALC physical and audiovisual features. Findings inform recommendations for classroom assignment offices, academic departments, and faculty support centers, emphasizing advance ALC assignment notice, timely self-directed learning opportunities, and orientation plus multimedia documentation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Study evaluation scope

Participants and interview focus

Key findings and recommendations

The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning | Volume 15 | Issue 2 | Article 12 | | --- | --- | | Summer 08-31-2024
Teaching in Active Learning Classrooms Canadian University
Hedieh Najafi
University of Michigan, [hediehna@umich.edu](hediehna@umich.edu)[ ](hediehna@umich.edu)[N. Carol Rolheiser](N. Carol Rolheiser)
University of Toronto, carol.rolheiser@utoronto.ca Kelly Gordon
University of Toronto, [kelly.gordon@utoronto.ca](kelly.gordon@utoronto.ca)
Follow this and additional works at: [https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca](https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca)
[https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2024.2.14408](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2024.2.14408) | at a | Recommended Citation Najafi, H., Rolheiser, N. C., & Gordon, K. (2024). Teaching in active learning classrooms at a Canadian university. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 15(2). [https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2024.2.14408](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2024.2.14408) Teaching in Active Learning Classrooms at a Canadian University Abstract This article describes an evaluation of a campus wide Active Learning initiative to examine instructors’experiences teaching in Active Learning Classrooms (ALCs) at a Canadian University. ALCs at this university differ in size, layout, and audio-visual equipment. The participants were 21 instructors from different disciplines who had taught courses in various ALCs who were interviewed to explore their pedagogical decision-making, teaching experiences, and their access to ALC-specific, pedagogical and technological support. Instructors explained their classroom management strategies specific to ALCs, discussed how physical and technological features of different ALCs impacted the extent of necessary revisions to their courses, and highlighted logistical issues in being assigned to ALCs that may fit the requirements of their courses. Based on the findings, we pose a series of recommendations to offices responsible for classroom assignment, academic departments, and centres for faculty support and development. Overall, instructors would benefit from advance notice of ALC room assignment, just-intime and self-directed opportunities regarding integrating Active Learning strategies in instruction, and access to orientation sessions and multimedia documentation developed for different types of ALCs. Cet article décrit l'évaluation d'une initiative d'apprentissage actif à l'échelle du campus afin d'examiner les expériences des enseignants et des enseignantes dans les salles de classe d'apprentissage actif d'une université canadienne. Les classes d'apprentissage actif de cette université diffèrent par leur taille, leuragencement et leur équipement audiovisuel. Les participants et les participantes étaient 21 enseignantset enseignantes de différentes disciplines qui avaient donné des cours dans diverses classes d’apprentissage actif. Ils ont été interrogés pour explorer leurs décisions pédagogiques, leurs expériences d'enseignement et leur accès à un soutien pédagogique et technologique spécifique aux classes d’apprentissage actif. Les instructeurs et les instructrices ont expliqué leurs stratégies de gestionde classe spécifiques aux classes d’apprentissage actif, discuté de la manière dont les caractéristiques physiques et technologiques des différentes classes d’apprentissage actifont eu un impact sur l'étendue des révisions nécessaires à leurs cours, et ont souligné les problèmes logistiques liés à l'affectation à des classes d’apprentissage actif susceptibles de correspondre aux exigences de leurs cours. Sur la base des résultats, nous formulons une série de recommandations à l'intention des bureaux responsables del'affectation des salles de cours, des départements universitaires et des centres de soutien et dedéveloppement du corps enseignant. Dans l'ensemble, les enseignants et les enseignantes bénéficieraient d'une notification préalable de

FAQs

What campus initiative does the article evaluate?

It evaluates a campus-wide Active Learning initiative focused on teaching in Active Learning Classrooms (ALCs) at a Canadian university.

How were instructors involved in the study?

Twenty-one instructors from different disciplines, who had taught courses in various ALCs, were interviewed to explore teaching experiences and pedagogical decision-making.

What types of recommendations are proposed based on the findings?

The article recommends actions for offices responsible for classroom assignments, academic departments, and faculty support and development centers, including advance notice of ALC assignments and access to orientation and multimedia documentation.

Oct 15, 2026

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