Practices of active learning in public universities in Ethiopia: student and faculty perceptions

As it encourages students to solve problems on their own and guides them throughout the process, the importance of active learning has gained popularity in a growing body of scholarly literature. However, there is a paucity of research on the practice and challenges of active learning in public universities in Ethiopia. This study seeks to examine the attitudes of faculty members and students toward the practices of active learning. Data for the study were collected from randomly selected 1597 participants (404 faculty members and 1193 undergraduate students) in eight public universities. The findings revealed that most of the respondents perceived active learning positively. However, the practice of active learning was found to be low where lecture was the most frequently reported method of instruction. Faculty participants have identified factors that hinder their use of active learning methods. The study has practical implications and contributes to the literature on practices and challenges of active learning strategies in public universities.