Active Teaching–Active Learning: Methods and Variations

Abstract

It is challenging to educate medical students. In medical school, a student undergoes a transformation to physician, the profession responsible for integrating the evolving and expanding scientific basis of disease with a patient’s need for relief of pain and suffering. Society expects the future physician to be a keen problem solver, a self-directed learner, and an integrative thinker. Optimizing active learning modalities facilitates the development of these competencies.

“Flipping the classroom” by reversing the curricular positions of passive and active learning activities heralds the twenty-first century vision for the education of future healthcare professionals. In the “flipped classroom” approach, the students are expected to self-learn foundational information before attending a formal class. This teaching method facilitates the implementation of the principles of constructivist learning theory. The constructivist theory maintains that the learner is active in the construction of new knowledge based on his or her existing knowledge. The in-class time is dedicated to consolidating and integrating knowledge through active student involvement.

Case-based learning (CBL) and team-based learning (TBL) are two pedagogical methods which often use the flipped classroom concept to provide active learning activities. Practical examples of several pedagogical techniques are presented in their original formats in addition to examples of how these formats can be flexed to facilitate active learning across a spectrum of curricula.

The problems, challenges, and opportunities of the flipped classroom and active learning methods are discussed, and recommendations for success are provided.