If I were asked to characterize my instructional approach, I would use terms to describe my practices such as active learning, learner-centered, problem-based, or social constructivist. In my view, active learning cannot be defined without mentioning the names of educational theorists whose ideas contributed to its theoretical foundation. Freire’s critical pedagogy in general and his theory of the banking model of education in particular had a major impact on my teaching philosophy. Additionally, Bruner’s ideas on collaboration, Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development, and Piaget’s theory of cognitive development and genetic epistemology have all shaped my classroom practices and helped me re-align my teaching objectives, assignments and activities, and assessment measures.

The following list illustrates a few of the active learning principles that I strive to incorporate in my teaching:

• The hierarchical relationship between instructor and student has to shift so that both parties can adopt new roles as collaborators and “critical co-investigators.”
  
  
• Learning is not passive, and students are not spectators.
  
  
• Students’ heads are not empty receptacles that the teacher has fill with knowledge. One-directional knowledge transfer and the memorization of facts cannot be considered active learning.
  
  
• Learning is social and happens through interaction.
  
  
• Knowledge is constructed from experience.
  
  
• Prior experiences have to be connected to new knowledge.
  
  
• Students are responsible for their own learning.
  

These principles translate into the following pedagogical strategies used in my classes: collaboration and group work, peer-to-peer interaction, teacher-student interaction, group and class discussions, self-assessment, applying theory to practice, enhancing learning by reflection, making decisions about course content including reading and writing assignments, sharing writing compiled in a digital portfolio with a real-life audience.

Description of what happens in the classroom.

The way active learning is achieved in my courses seems to overlap with Fink’s recommendations regarding the design of significant learning experiences (107). The implementation of course goals (i.e. improving writing skills) centers around three basic activities. I am including some representative examples of those categories.

1. Getting information and ideas by doing the following:

1. Reading the course book which includes pieces discussing the theoretical aspects of the genre and examples of the genre that they use as models for their own writing assignment
   
2. Reading former students’ essays so that they understand the assignment criteria and the standards for the assignment
   
3. Reading/viewing/listening to instructor-created course materials explaining course procedures or course content
   
4. Consulting the assessment rubric

2. Gaining experience by doing based on the following activities:

1. Completing on writing assignments including major papers and minor exercises
   
2. Revising papers multiple times
   
3. Critiquing former students’ essays and practicing giving feedback
   
4. Giving feedback on peers’ papers
   
5. Posting reading responses to Blackboard and discussing essays with peers

3. Reflecting on the learning process by completing the following assignments:

1. Writing about past experiences with creative nonfiction
   
2. Writing about strength and weaknesses as developing writers
   
3. Writing about good writing criteria and the rules of writing
   
4. Writing about best practices of creative nonfiction based on the feedback students receive
   
5. Doing self-evaluation after major writing assignments
   
6. Completing “Why I am a good writer” assignment
   
7. Completing “Are writers born or made?” assignment
   
8. Writing the portfolio cover letter in which students reflect on what they have learned and how they have learned it. They also do self-evaluation and argue for a grade.