Online learning is a rising trend in the academic world due to its cost-saving and convenience. Active learning is another rising trend in which students learn through social interactions with their professors and peers. However, active learning usually happens in campus-based settings, not through online platforms. When COVID-19 happens, many universities have to suddenly move their offline programs into online platforms to practice social distances. This sudden move may have adverse effects on students’ wellbeing, especially on their anxiety. 

To my current knowledge, there is limited research on the impact of either online classrooms or offline active learning ones on students’ anxiety. However, when active learning and online modes combine, there is no research on that type of teaching modes and its influence on students’ anxiety. 

Therefore, with the funding and support from Minerva Schools, I conduct my own research on the impact of online active learning curriculums on students’ anxiety using literature reviews and the case study of Minerva Schools. In this research, I will map out all factors that influence students’ anxiety in this learning environment and recommend strategies to help professors mitigate students’ anxiety in the future.