Active Learning and Its Influence on Classroom Environment and Academic Achievement in Preschool Children: A Review
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This review examines the influence of active learning pedagogies on classroom environment and academic achievement among preschool-aged children (approximately ages 3 to 6). Active learning in the early childhood literature carries two related but distinct meanings: physically active instruction, in which movement is integrated into lessons, and child-directed or constructivist pedagogy, in which children select and lead their own learning activities within a structured environment. Drawing on peer-reviewed studies identified through a structured literature search, and situated within established developmental and pedagogical theory, this review synthesizes evidence across five thematic areas: developmental appropriateness, implementation models, classroom climate and engagement, comparative academic outcomes, and socioeconomic moderation. The evidence indicates that active learning approaches are generally associated with small-to-moderate gains in early academic achievement, an effect that appears to operate largely through improvements in self-regulation and engagement rather than as a direct pathway. Longitudinal and quasi-experimental evidence further suggests that child-directed active pedagogies can narrow achievement gaps associated with socioeconomic status. However, the evidence base specific to preschool populations remains limited in volume and methodological rigor relative to broader K-12 syntheses, and definitional inconsistency between physical and pedagogical conceptions of active learning complicates cross-study comparison. The review closes with recommendations for more rigorous, preschool-specific, and cross-culturally diverse research.
DOI: 10.67525/g78m8f36
Author: Asma Sharfeddin
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7203534758