Faculty Applications for LA Funding for Active Learning Courses
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Why Use Active Learning in Your Classroom?
Why Use Active Learning in Your Classroom?
A meta-analysis of 225 papers (Freeman, et al 2014, panel B shown) demonstrated that on average 34% of students in a lecture class (dotted orange line) failed the class, and that number decreased to an average of 22% of students (dotted blue line) when active learning approaches were utilized in the classroom. The analysis was across STEM disciplines. Other studies demonstrate that equity gaps between demographic groups can be decreased through the use of active learning strategies.
Want to learn more about active learning strategies? Check out the resources at the UMN Center for Educational Innovation page on active learning or these 226 Active Learning Strategies compiled by Iowa State University.
What can an active learning classroom look like?
What can an active learning classroom look like?
There are many different ways to lead an active learning classroom. For one example, check out this video (https://youtu.be/xxVxgQJwV7w?feature=shared) created in collaboration with Carl Wieman, PhD, Physics Nobel Prize laureate and director of the Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative.
What are some ways to use Learning Assistants in your classroom?
Active learning strategies can have big impact on your students' success, but sometimes, especially in large enrollment classes, it's difficult for one faculty member to interact with many students in a time efficient and effective manner.
Learning Assistants (LAs) with some pedagogy training are there to support faculty and make it easier to implement innovative active learning strategies in your course through the use of peer instruction models.
Learning Assistants receive training in Active Learning pedagogy. Their training includes topics such as:
What is learning?
Asking questions and waiting for answers
Implementing active learning strategies in an inclusive manner: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Facilitating student-student interactions
Receiving and providing feedback
Metacognition
LAs can perform a number of tasks in your classroom, including but not limited to:
Circulating during group work to prompt student use of higher order reasoning and keep students on task
Assisting with review sessions and out of classroom practice
Providing feedback on active learning assignments (such as minute essays or exit tickets) and summarizing student strengths and weaknesses for the instructor when they support the implementation of active learning in the course. LAs are NOT to serve as full time graders.
Assisting with classroom organization in large enrollment classes
Serving as a peer instructor to increase student participation and engagement in learning
SCSE LA Program FAQs for Faculty:
What are my responsibilities as a faculty member?
What are my responsibilities as a faculty member?
During the Spring 2026 semester, faculty are responsible for implementing active learning strategies in their classrooms. These strategies can range from simple to complex, and don't require a complete overhaul of your course. Want some ideas? Check out this list of 226 Active Learning Strategies compiled by Iowa State University.
As a faculty member, you will meet weekly with the LA(s) for your course. This weekly meeting is typically 15 - 60 minutes, depending on the complexity of what you're trying to accomplish. The LAs are there to support your success, so you will need to collaborate with them to give them instructions for each upcoming week's activities. With their pedagogy training and engagement with their peers, many faculty also find that they have great feedback and ideas about what works and what doesn't.
LAs need feedback on their performance to improve, so you are responsible for mid-semester and end-of-semester feedback on their performance. Guidance will be provided.
Faculty will develop a brief assessment plan to evaluate how the LA program is working in their course. This could include comparing test scores in the course pre- and post-LA involvement, comparing attendance levels, surveying students, etc.
You are NOT responsible for approving timecards or providing the pedagogy training for LAs,
Program Details
Program Details
Faculty may request one LA per 20-35 students enrolled in the course. Final determinations will depend on available budget.
LAs typically have completed the course for which they are applying to be an LA. Faculty will select LAs for their own courses and should keep in mind that the best LAs are not necessarily the students who have received the highest course grades. Students with skills in peer instruction and motivation make very good LAs.
Funding will be through the SCSE Dean's Office. There is no charge to departments to hire LAs at this time. Students will be paid starting at $15.25/hour.
Ken Fuelling in the Dean's Office will coordinate the hiring process. Faculty members will make the final decision on which LAs to hire for their course.
Faculty Application Process
Faculty Application Process
The process begins with a faculty member submitting an application for LAs. You can preview the application questions here.
The first part of the application asks the faculty to articulate the active learning strategies that will be used in the classroom and the roles LAs will have in your classroom.
The second part of the application collects information on the number of LAs you will need and an approximation of the hours each LA will work. Guides are included to help estimate time.
The third part of the application collects information for your recruiting message for potential LAs, describing the course, the time it meets, and how LAs might benefit from the experience.
The application deadline is October 13th at Noon.
Once you submit your application, you will receive a copy for your records. Your department head will also receive a copy of your responses for informational purposes.
Recruiting LAs
Recruiting LAs
After all courses are approved, application recruiting messages will be distributed to all SCSE undergraduates via email, to all UMD students through the Bulldog Connect weekly newsletter, and via posters on all campus bulletin boards.
Recruitment messages collected from faculty applications will be available for students to view.
Faculty are also welcome to recruit in their departments, courses, and through individual conversations.
Undergraduate students will apply through this website using the student portal.
Student Application Process
Student Application Process
Students will view the Recruiting Messages developed by faculty and may choose to apply to up to three courses.
Students will submit information about their interest in serving as an LA, their particular interest in a course, and information about their academic background in that course.
Once the student application period is over, faculty will receive the applications for students who applied to serve as an LA for their course.
Faculty will conduct interviews (if necessary) and make decisions about their top choices.
Ken Fuelling will coordinate the process of final matching of faculty with LAs for their courses.
LAs are not formally hired and may not begin working until they clear all HR requirements and receive official notification of hiring.
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