The nature of active learning in secondary schools

In recent years, active learning has been widely advocated in secondary schools. However, there is no clear consensus as to what the term ‘active learning’ means nor unequivocal evidence that the educational claims made for it are justified. It is argued here that a useful distinction needs to be made between active learning in the sense of active learning activities and active learning in the sense of an active pupils’ mental experience. A model of active learning is presented here based on this distinction, in which these two aspects (activities and mental experience) are utilised.