I would like to start with this simple definition that "Education is what people do to you while learning is

what you do to yourself" (Kulyk, 2017). Judging from the above statement, I would say that ownership to
learning simply means learning at your own pace and time while being intrinsically motivated and self-
directed based on your own interests and not because someone else wants you to learn that. Ownership
to learning could also mean that the learner takes charge of his/her own course materials and can
monitor their own progress while being able to reflect on their learning (McClaskey, 2018) while also
seeking out an environment that will enable personal growth.

Active learning is a form of learning that is more learners involved such as a discussion or peer
assessment. Passive learning is a form of learning that is more teacher or instructor based and less of the
learners involvement such as lectures and audio visuals with little or no two-way interaction. "Learning
can be defined as a continuous process, in which essential changes in the learner’s behavior are brought
due to experiences, be it direct or indirect" (Surbhi, 2021). Hence the differences between active and
passive learning are the different methods of acquiring knowledge in the learning process which include
information and communication method, lack of feedback, students’ involvement, knowledge retention,
creating thinking skills, source(s) of knowledge among others.

The role of the course instructor in the learning process is rather passive because the instructor only
instructs you on course materials to study and there is little or no two-way communication involved. The
role of peer assessment in the learning process is an active one which involves discussion assignment,
forums and or communities as the ones used by the University of the People. Peer assessment creates
an atmosphere where the students are actively involved, it is student centered and the students take
responsibility for what they learn. It also creates room for improved learning and creative thinking as
well.

Reference

Kulyk, D. (2017, September 17). What does it mean to “Take Ownership of Your Learning”? Medium.
https://medium.com/@kulykdenys/what-does-it-mean-to-take-ownership-of-your-learning-
fd14e4cde7d7

McClaskey, K. (2018, November 18). Ownership to Learning: What Does that Really Mean? Make
Learning Personal. https://kathleenmcclaskey.com/2018/11/18/ownership-to-learning-what-does-it-
really-mean/

Surbhi, S. (2021, February 16). Difference Between Active and Passive Learning (with Examples,
Methods, Skills and Comparison Chart). Key Differences. https://keydifferences.com/difference-between-
active-and-passive-learning.html