Engineering instructors' adoption of active learning has been slow, despite significant evidence supporting its efficacy. A common instructor concern is that students will respond negatively. This study measures the relationship between student response to instruction and 1) students' expectations for types of instruction, 2) students' experiences of different types of instruction, 3) instructor strategies for using in-class activities. Student Response to Instructional Practices (StRIP) survey data from 179 students were analyzed using hierarchical linear regression modeling. Significant predictors in the final models of student response included instructor strategies for explaining and facilitating active learning. These empirical results support instructor-led practices for positive student response to active learning.