Abstract
Student engagement in higher education settings has been a pressing yet unanswered issue. Active learning strategies and teaching methodologies have proven to be effective means of improving student outcomes, retention, and engagement. Furthermore, previous research highlights the benefits of emotional engagement through art-based learning approaches (Díaz-Obregón et al., 2019; Staples et al., 2019). This exploratory pilot study examines the impact of art-based active learning on undergraduate students in a non-major ecology course. Data were gathered from an ecology course provided to undergraduate students at an international branch campus in South Korea. Data sources included student survey responses, semi-structured focus group interviews, and written reflection assignments. Findings reveal that art-based active learning can enhance students’ holistic engagement, motivation, and emotional connection to the subject matter, which, in turn, promoted a more immersive and transformative learning experience. Further implications and future research directions are discussed.