Diana Mesquita, a Professor at the Faculty of Education and Psychology of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (FEP-UCP) and a researcher at the Research Centre for Human Development (CEDH), has contributed a chapter on active learning to the book “Academic Success in Higher Education”.

In the chapter, the FEP-UCP lecturer discusses the challenges and opportunities of transforming teaching practice. This approach argues that the teacher must be able to create a meaningful experience for the students, thus placing them at the centre of the learning process.

The chapter, written with Rui M. Lima from the University of Minho, is the result of the authors' almost 15 years of experience in teacher training in higher education in different countries, such as Brazil, Thailand, Colombia and Portugal. “In this chapter, we have presented and discussed the challenges of active learning from a conceptual point of view, because it is not always a clear discussion, and we have also tried to identify opportunities for transforming teaching practice, based on professional development initiatives", says the researcher.

An in-depth look at academic success

The book “Academic Success in Higher Education” brings together authors from different national and international institutions and presents a multidimensional view of academic success. Edited by Alexandra Ribeiro-Costa, Amélia Caldeira, Claisy Marinho-Araujo and Leandro Almeida, the book covers topics such as student engagement, the development of scientific and professional competences and satisfaction with the university experience. The book provides a valuable guide for higher education institutions seeking to promote academic excellence.

The book is a good reading for all teachers and researchers interested in the promotion of quality education which is at the heart of the student experience.