Active Learning
Palloff and Pratt approach active learning and constructivism as nearly interchangeable terms for the theory that “learners actively create knowledge and meaning through experimentation, exploration, and the manipulation and testing of ideas in reality” (16). They view community-building as an integral feature of active learning or constructivist pedagogies because “[i]nteraction and feedback from others assist in determining the accuracy and application of ideas” (16).
          While the authors’ simplified approach is appropriate within an introductory text for online instructors, it is important to note that many within the field of distance education continue to debate and redefine these terms and their associated pedagogical methods. For a glimpse at the definitional wrangling underway in schools of Education, refer to the active learning definition pages at the University of California at Davis and the constructivism definition pages at the University of Colorado at Denver.