On Thursday, May 21st, faculty and staff from Rutgers and other institutions of higher learning gathered at Richard Weeks Hall for the 2026 edition of the Active Learning Symposium. In addition to featuring presentations, panels, and workshops relating to various topics in active learning, the 2026 edition of the annual Symposium also celebrated the tenth year of the Active Learning Community.
Our visiting guest was Barbara Oakley, a Professor of Engineering at Oakland University whose books, including Uncommon Sense Teaching (Penguin Random House 2021), help faculty investigate how cognitive science can inform strategies to keep students motivated and engaged. Over the course of two sessions, Barbara used AI as a model for exploring how students learn and how lecturing and active learning can work together to create effective direct instruction.
In addition to looking at the future of teaching, 2026 RALS offered a chance to commemorate ten years of the Active Learning Community. We took a moment to reflect on the growth of learning spaces, teaching techniques, and collaboration centered around active learning at Rutgers. It also provided an opportunity to welcome back past leaders of the Active Learning Community: Stacey Blackwell, Chris Morett, Alice Seneres, and Dena Novak.
