Active Learning and Flexible Classrooms

Consideration of physical classroom spaces is an important part of instructional design and planning. Active Learning Classrooms (ALCs) and Flexible Classrooms (FCs) support the implementation of active and technology-enabled learning in the classroom while emphasizing group collaboration. At the University of Waterloo, we offer a range of classroom spaces designed to support student engagement and collaboration. While the strategies outlined below can apply to any classroom, this teaching tip focuses on adapting instructional strategies to maximize the use of ALCs and FCs.

ALCs and FCs provide greater opportunity for peer learning, team-based learning, cooperative learning, and blended and flipped learning models (Chui & Cheng, 2017). In ALCs specifically, students can actively engage with technology to support multiple modalities of teaching and learning (Watson & Kenney, 2021). Ultimately, these spaces provide students with agency or choice in what and how they learn. They shift from being passive consumers to active co-creators of their learning (Watson & Kenney, 2021).

The following table outlines some structural differences to consider when determining if an ALC or FC will work well for your course.

Traditional Classrooms

Active Learning Classrooms

Flexible Classrooms
  • Often fixed seating
  • Front-of-room podium
  • Instructor writing space (e.g., whiteboard)
  • Single or double display screen (depending on room size and setup)
  • Range of enrollment capacity
  • Desks organized in pods to facilitate group collaboration
  • Do not have a fixed front-of-classroom
  • Include writable surfaces situated around the room for learners to access
  • Multiple pods of desks with screens and/or monitors student use, that may also be controlled cenetrally
  • Flexible furniture arrangements
  • Do not have a fixed front-of-classroom
  • Include writable surfaces situated around the room for learners to access
  • Often multiple display screens controlled centrally by instructor

Teaching in Active Learning and Flexible Classrooms

Designing a classroom space that emphasizes student active participation is essential to making the most of an ALC and FC. To ensure active engagement throughout the course, consider how the classroom environment promotes and encourages active participation. For example, establish a comfortable atmosphere, support student ownership in the learning process, and ensure students are accountable to you, themselves, and each other.  

The following table offers some modifications to a sample of instructional strategies to make the most of an ALC and FC.

Instructional Strategy Active Learning Classroom Flexible Classroom
Lecturing
  • Mini lectures or lectures divided by activity breaks for students to practice
  • Flipped learning for more applied learning in the classroom
  • Invite in a guest speaker and have students engage with them through the pod base telecom system
  • Mini lectures or lectures divided by activity breaks for students to practice
  • Flipped learning for more applied learning in the classroom
Gallery Walk
  • Use the integrated computers in the pods for students to collaboratively work on a document. The instructor can share each document with the other pods for students to discuss.
  • Use the whiteboards within the pods to facilitate this process. Students will have more space to move around and engage with work than in traditional classrooms.
Crowdsourcing & Concept Mapping Tools
  • Assign a central shared brainstorming software to the entire class to record everything they know about a given topic in their pod group.
  • The instructor will use this software to build connections and categories between topics.
  • The digital file can then be posted to LEARN for students to refer to throughout the term.
  • Assign each pod group a whiteboard to collaboratively document everything they know about a given topic.
  • The instructor will use a whiteboard to collate this information and assign it to a category.
  • The instructor will encourage students to make connections and facilitate a discussion around what they know or think they know about the topic.
Data Visualization
  • Working in their pod groups, have students work collaboratively to find and visualize datasets (depending on the course, data can also be provided).
  • Have students present their visualizations to the class and discuss their methodology and consensus process.
  • Have students organize and visualize the data independently.
  • Encourage students to present their visualizations in their pod group and walk their peers through their visualization process. As a group, have them synthesize their methodology to share with the class.
  • Discuss the data visualization process as a whole group.  

On a positive note, most instructional design strategies will not need major modification to be incorporated into the ALCs and FCs. The features in the room enhance group work and interactive strategies. The most important aspect of the ALC is that each pod includes its own computer to allow for technology-enabled group work.

Setting Up Successful Active Learning

Due to the nature of the pod design in ALCs and the moveable furniture in the FCs, these spaces promote significant peer-to-peer learning opportunities. As a result, it is important to emphasize how to work well in groups. Instructors might want to consider how they will teach students about how to best work in groups and collaborate with their peers. For example, it might be helpful to assign student roles and rotate them throughout the term. It might also be helpful to assign the number of students in each pod to ensure equitable distribution of students. Finally, if students are working in a group for an extended period, it can also be helpful to create group contracts.  

CTE offers numerous resources to support the transition into ALCs and FCs. Overall, the research suggests that in a variety of disciplines, students gain a deeper knowledge of the subject matter in these spaces. The intensively collaborative approach that changes the dynamic between instructor-student and student-student relationships allows for a diverse engagement strategy that meets the needs of a range of learners.

Available Classrooms

Room Type Occupancy Training Required
PHY 235 Active Learning Classroom Maximum: 48 Yes
PAS 1229 Flexible Classroom

Minimum: 25

Maximum: 42		 No
PAS 1241 Flexible Classroom

Minimum: 25

Maximum: 42		 No
B2 350 Flexible Classroom

Minimum: 25

Maximum: 48		 No

If you would like support applying these tips to your own teaching, CTE staff members are here to help. View the CTE Support page to find the most relevant staff member to contact. 

Resources: CTE Teaching Tips

References

This Creative Commons license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon our work non-commercially, as long as they credit us and indicate if changes were made. Use this citation format: Active Learning and Flexible Classrooms. Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Waterloo.

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