Designing for Active Learning with Technology

Move beyond digital activity and design technology-rich lessons where learners investigate, manipulate, explain, decide and create.

• Active learning is not the same as digital busyness — Frequent interaction with an interface can still produce shallow thinking.
• Build decisions into the task — Active learning grows when learners must choose, predict, test and revise.
• Let learners manipulate representations — Use technology to make relationships and systems available for exploration.
• Design talk around the technology — Active learning can be social even when the device is individual.
• Make thinking visible enough to respond to — Active learning should produce evidence teachers and learners can use.