The document discusses active learning as an instructional method where students are actively engaged in the learning process rather than passively receiving information. It provides definitions of active learning from several sources which agree that it involves students taking responsibility for their learning through activities like group work, discussion, problem-solving rather than just listening to lectures. The document also relates active learning to theories of constructivism and cognitivism. It was found through research that active learning strategies lead to better outcomes for students compared to traditional lecture-based methods.