Promoting Active Learning among Pre-Primary School Learners: Evidence from Kabale District, Uganda

Abstract

Globally, active learning is widely acknowledged as a critical pillar of quality education, yet its effective practice remains challenging in under-resourced and constrained contexts, especially in early childhood settings. This study set out to enhance active learning in pre-primary schools in Kabale District, Uganda, concentrating on two core aspects: the application of play-based, learner-centred methods and the use of classroom activities that encourage genuine learner participation. A qualitative research approach was used, with phenomenology serving as the key design because it offers deep insight into learners’ lived experiences and helps the researcher understand how children perceive, interpret, and make meaning of their day-to-day learning encounters. The study was guided by Social Constructivist Learning Theory, which highlights learning as a process shaped by interaction, exploration, and shared understanding. Forty-five participants were purposively selected, and data were gathered through group discussions based on children’s drawings, alongside individual drawing exercises. Using drawings provided a non-verbal, child-friendly technique for capturing children’s experiences, levels of engagement, and forms of participation within the classroom. An investigation was conducted under the theme “Active Learning Practices,” and the findings showed that most drawings reflected passive classroom conditions marked by minimal interaction, limited creativity, and little evidence of exploration, indicating that active learning practices were largely lacking. In response, the study recommends improving teacher competence, providing adequate learning materials, incorporating daily play-based activities, and establishing dynamic, flexible, and child-friendly learning environments that promote active learning and meaningful learner engagement in pre-primary education.