Innovating Active Learning in Resource-Constrained Classrooms: A Bangladeshi Experience

Abstract

In many developing countries like Bangladesh, traditional lecture-based teaching remains the dominant classroom method. However, such passive approaches often fail to foster deep understanding or long-term retention among students. Compounding the issue is the acute shortage of teaching aids and instructional resources, which severely limits opportunities for hands-on, active learning. Recognizing this gap, our team initiated a grassroots innovation project focused on the development of low-cost, subject-specific teaching materials for language, mathematics, science, and other core disciplines. These materials are contextually relevant, teacher-friendly, and designed to promote conceptual clarity through interactive engagement. The initiative emphasizes the transition from teacher-centered instruction to student-centered learning environments, where children actively explore, question, and construct knowledge. Our experience highlights that even in low-resource settings, active learning is achievable when innovation is guided by the real needs of the classroom. This paper shares our journey, the challenges faced, the impact observed, and the way forward in making learning meaningful, sustainable, and lifelong for every child.