Disrupting Traditional Pedagogy: Active Learning in Practice

Ever wondered what ‘teaching outside the box’ looks like? Disrupting Traditional Pedagogy: Active Learning in Practice answers this question by sharing real stories of innovation in active learning from a variety of contexts and disciplines. The central premise of active learning is that people learn best when they are actively involved in constructing, modelling or representing knowledge and skills, rather than being passive recipients of content as was commonplace in traditional top-down approaches to teaching.

This book is packed with practical ideas which are directly applicable to classroom instruction. However, it also challenges us to think honestly and critically about the successes and challenges of each approach. Every chapter contains a step-by-step guide on how we, as teaching practitioners, can develop similar tasks and environments in our contexts.

Drawing on the University of Sussex’s ‘disruptive by design’ philosophy, this book provides an eclectic anthology of real-life experiments in disrupting outmoded pedagogy. We have explored beyond the perimeters of teacher-centred learning and returned with maps that detail tested routes through the territory of active learning, but also pitfalls to avoid on your own journey. What does ‘teaching beyond the box’ look like? Step outside with us and see for yourself.