Blended Learning and Student-centered Active Learning Environment: a Case Study with STEM Undergraduate Students

Roberto Capone

doi:10.1007/s42330-022-00195-5

Abstract

This paper describes an embedded case study of “blended” teaching integrated with traditional lessons in a Student-Centered Active Learning Environment and social activities on the platform. The didactic phenomena were designed by creating learning environments, artifacts, and teaching/learning sequences in authentic educational contexts. We aim at improving the task design of a mathematics lesson with an impact on students’ performance in mathematics. Quantitative results show considerable benefits in the evolution of the use and coordination of several systems of semiotic representation. As a result, a better predisposition to the study of the subject seems to appear; moreover, the satisfaction test shows the achievement of alternative teaching methodologies for most of the students.

Highlights

Why do so many students have difficulties in mathematics if it is supported by the earliest form of intelligence we have? One of the difficulties in learning mathematics is the impossibility of conceptualization based on meanings referring to a concrete reality
The two methodologies have been applied effectively, methodological uniqueness does not always ensure learning success because not all students learn in the same way (D’Amore & Sbaragli, 2011; Weber et al, 2020). Starting from these considerations, in this article, we describe a case study to see if just-in-time teaching (JiTT) and peer-led team learning (PLTL) methodologies can be used together
We aim to verify whether the comparative use of JiTT and PLTL in mathematics education can lead students to acquire mathematical competence and satisfy the teaching action

Summary

Introduction

Why do so many students have difficulties in mathematics if it is supported by the earliest form of intelligence we have? One of the difficulties in learning mathematics is the impossibility of conceptualization based on meanings referring to a concrete reality. Every mathematical concept uses representations because there are no “objects” to exhibit; conceptualization needs to go through representative registers. According to Duval (1993), comprehension in mathematics presupposes the coordination of at least two registers of semiotic representation. Such coordination is not natural in students. Some difficulties continue to be encountered in secondary school students and are found in students attending the first year of STEM courses. They decide to attend a scientific faculty, some students do not have strong mathematical skills.

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