Active Learning in ITA Courses: Challenges, Misconceptions, and Solutions

Alejandro Azocar, Heidi Evans, and Danielle Scheffler
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Global English Language Learning and Teaching Program

Introduction

As colleges and universities increasingly emphasize student engagement and higher-order thinking, active learning has become a central component of effective teaching in higher education. However, for many ITAs, implementing active learning strategies can be challenging due to differences in prior educational experiences, language confidence, and unfamiliar expectations in U.S. classrooms.

This article summarizes our TESOL conference presentation exploring how ITAs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison learn to integrate active learning into their teaching through ESL 370: International Teaching Assistant Training, a course designed to prepare international graduate students to be teaching assistants. Graduate instructors at UW fulfill various instructional roles, such as delivering lectures, grading, managing labs, running discussion groups, and developing course materials. Drawing on classroom-based research, instructor observations, and student survey data, the presentation highlighted common misconceptions about active learning, the obstacles ITAs face, and practical strategies for overcoming them. The ITA course includes scaffolded practice through microteaching tasks, along with modeling of effective teaching, and feedback and reflection to help novice instructors develop confidence and pedagogical skills. By examining both the challenges and successes experienced by ITAs, we offer insights into how such targeted training can support more effective, student-centered teaching in linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms.

Description of the UW-Madison ITA Program

The International Teaching Assistant Program at the UW–Madison supports graduate students who will serve as teaching assistants in undergraduate courses. Because UW System policy requires non-native English speakers to demonstrate proficiency in spoken English before taking on instructional duties, prospective ITAs must take the SPEAK test unless they meet exemption criteria (e.g., qualifying TOEFL, IELTS scores, or a U.S. bachelor’s degree). Students whose SPEAK results indicate a need for further language development are placed into courses based on their English proficiency and instructional needs, including ESL 370: ITA, a 10-week course that meets twice weekly and integrates language development, teaching skills, and U.S. classroom culture, including a strong emphasis on microteaching activities.

Defining Active Learning

We frame active learning as a student-centered approach in which learners, in this case undergraduate students, collaboratively construct knowledge through engagement, discussion, and problem-solving. Rather than passively receiving information, students actively participate by talking, writing, and applying concepts with guidance from the instructor.

In our presentation, we emphasized that active learning challenges traditional models of authority in the classroom, requiring instructors to shift from lecturers to facilitators. We cited research from STEM education to support its effectiveness, highlighting gains in student performance and reduced failure rates when active learning strategies are used (Freeman et al., 2014; Smith & Wenderoth, 2014; Wenderoth & Eddy, 2014; Martella et al., 2023).

Challenges Faced by ITAs

A central focus of our presentation was the set of barriers that ITAs encounter when trying to adopt active learning principles in their teaching. According to both prior scholarship and our own observations, these challenges can include these:

• Differences in educational backgrounds and expectations
• Limited language confidence
• Uncertainty about U.S. classroom norms
• Fear of losing authority
• Lack of training or models of active learning
• Perceptions that active learning requires more effort

Survey data from 11 ITAs enrolled in Fall 2025 reinforced these concerns and identified further challenges due to department and university expectations for their teaching. Over half of the respondents cited heavy teaching loads and the fact that their programs already had teaching methods in place as significant obstacles to integrating active learning in their classrooms. Additional practical constraints such as large class sizes and pressure to cover large amounts of content in limited time were similarly highlighted in their responses.

ITA Experiences with Active Learning

Interestingly, we found that all surveyed ITAs had experienced active learning as students, both in their home countries and in the United States, with roughly equal exposure to lecture-based and active-learning classrooms.

However, this familiarity as learners did not necessarily translate into confidence as instructors. While a large majority of the surveyed ITAs (82%) reported enjoying using and practicing active learning during course activities, many still felt unsure about their effectiveness as teachers and voiced a need for more training and guidance. In addition to seeking further instruction on active learning strategies, such as attending workshops, they expressed interest in observing classes and receiving mentoring from senior faculty within their department as key ways to improve their confidence in teaching.

This emphasis on receiving models and support from their respective departments is particularly notable, as it indicates the fluid nature of active learning—there is no one “right” approach, and applications may look quite different depending on the context—and suggests opportunities for cross-campus collaboration to best prepare ITAs for the classroom.

The ESL 370 Microteaching Model

To support our ITAs’ development as effective instructors and address common challenges they may face, the ESL 370 course that we teach incorporates a scaffolded microteaching sequence consisting of four progressively complex teaching tasks, which are carried out in the classroom with fellow ITAs serving as “students”:

• Task 1: Introducing a Course: ITAs briefly introduce themselves and overview the syllabus and policies for a course in their field, as they would on the first day of class
• Task 2: Defining a Term or Concept: ITAs explain a foundational concept and its importance/relevance in their field, as appropriate for an introductory-level course
• Task 3: Comparing/Contrasting Terms or Describing a Process: ITAs further explore their topic from Task 2 by introducing a related term for comparison, or by teaching a process that involves the application of the previous concept

Each microteaching task builds on the previous, developing the same theme or content in greater depth throughout the sequence of lessons (for example, a Chemistry ITA may first define the concept of moles, then teach the process of balancing chemical reactions and calculating moles) and increasing in both length and in the amount of emphasis placed on actively engaging and interacting with students.

These demo lessons culminate in a fourth task focused explicitly on designing and implementing an active-learning lesson involving group work. In this final task, ITAs are required to introduce and facilitate a group activity, monitor student engagement and progress as they work in their groups, and provide feedback and wrap up the lesson. Preparation for this task includes discussion of teaching strategies and relevant classroom language (e.g., giving clear directions, creating groups), observation of model lessons, and detailed lesson planning with peer feedback.

Key Findings: What Helps ITAs Learn Active Learning

After explaining how our ESL 370 course approaches active learning principles through this microteaching sequence, we highlighted several factors crucial to supporting ITAs’ growth as active-learning instructors:

• Experiential learning: ITAs act as both teachers and students in the microteaching tasks, gaining insight into how activities are experienced and perceived from both perspectives
• Peer feedback: Immediate, supportive feedback fosters reflection and improvement, both during the lesson planning process and in response to task performance
• Modeling and observation: Exposure to examples, particularly recordings of previous ITAs’ teaching, helps ITAs generate ideas and build confidence
• Scaffolded practice: Gradual progression from simpler to more complex teaching tasks over the ITA course curriculum supports skill development

We also noted that many ITAs initially lacked ideas or confidence but grew more willing to experiment after observing peers and receiving feedback, marking these interactions as important sources of inspiration and encouragement.

Is Active Learning Always Necessary?

While research and our own observations have consistently shown that active learning helps motivate students and deepens their understanding and ability to apply knowledge, we do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Rather, we believe that effective teaching requires balance:

• Some foundational content may still benefit from lecture and memorization
• Teaching methods should vary depending on context and student needs
• A mix of instructional strategies can better accommodate diverse learning preferences

Conclusion

In our closing remarks, we concluded that while active learning offers clear pedagogical benefits, it may pose significant challenges for novice instructors, especially ITAs navigating linguistic, cultural, and institutional transitions.

We suggested that successful adoption depends not only on theoretical understanding but also on structured practice, modeling, and supportive feedback. In particular, scaffolded microteaching emerged as a powerful tool for helping ITAs build competence and confidence in implementing active learning strategies.

Overall, our presentation offered a nuanced perspective on active learning in ESL and higher education, emphasizing that although the method is widely endorsed, its success depends on careful training, contextual awareness, and sustained support for instructors.

Alejandro Azocar is a Teaching Faculty member in the Global English Language Learning and Teaching Program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he teaches academic reading and writing to international undergraduate students. He also teaches pedagogical courses for ITAs and future TESOL instructors. His academic interests focus on the role of English in the growth of all international students whose native language is not English, particularly how L2 academic reading and writing are taught, learned, and applied across higher education.

Heidi Evans is a Distinguished Teaching Professor and Associate Director of the Global English Language Learning and Teaching Program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate academic skills courses and trains future educators in the TESOL Certificate Program. Her teaching and research interests focus on blending learning science with responsible use of AI to support student learning.

Danielle Scheffler is a Lecturer in the Global English Language Learning and Teaching Program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she teaches grammar and writing courses for undergraduate and graduate scholars as well as training ITAs. Her research interests include second language writing, sociolinguistics, and critical pedagogy.