If you're a visual learner, you could practice active learning by creating a summary in sketch form.
Alternatively, before write my essay , why not imagine you've been asked to give a quick talk on what you've just learned?
Summarising what you would say changes your learning from passive to active learning?
You might even want to use a dictaphone or tape player to record what you come up with, or ask help with writing a research paper, and then use it for revision later.