We present our experience in transforming a software development course and a systems software course from a traditional, lecture-based style to an active-learning format. We outline the common changes that were made in both courses, and provide a summary of the active-learning techniques that were successfully employed. We provide quantitative and qualitative evidence that this transformation was a success. In both courses, student grades and overall satisfaction with the course were increased with the transformation to active learning, despite teaching essentially the same curriculum.