Active learning activities vary from short and simple to long and complex. Careful planning and structure are critical to the success of active learning.
Context is important in choosing active learning strategies.
Choice of strategies depends on course objectives, teaching style and students level of experience with content and activities. Less experienced learners need high structure and direction. Activities must be appropriate to course goal. There is strong evidence that active learning has benefits, but less evidence that any particular approach is better than others are. Active learning is not used for its own sake but is used to achieve course objectives and explicit learning goals.