Educating to inspire active learning approaches in mathematics in Norwegian universities

Inger Christin Borge,Odd Helge Mjellem Tonheim,Kirsten Bjørkestøl,Simon Goodchild,Hans Kristian Nilsen

doi:10.5324/njsteme.v5i1.3972

Inger Christin Borge, Odd Helge Mjellem Tonheim + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5324/njsteme.v5i1.3972

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Abstract

This is a report of an analysis of some of the data generated by a national survey of teaching approaches used in higher education mathematics courses. The overall purpose of the survey was to explore how widespread is the use of teaching approaches that might promote students’ active learning of mathematics. The paper includes a brief presentation of the authors meaning of the expression “teaching actions that have the potential to promote active learning”. The analysis focuses on the responses of 95 lecturers working in 13 Norwegian HE institutions. The goal is to expose underlying patterns in lecturers’ responses to questions about the teaching actions they may incorporate in their practice. The analysis incorporates descriptive statistics (e.g., mean scores) and exploratory factor analysis to expose underlying reasons for patterns of lecturers’ responses. Qualitative, interpretative approaches are used, both in the design of the survey instrument and in making sense of the outcome from the statistical analysis.

Highlights

We report from our analysis of a national survey of teaching approaches adopted in mathematics courses in Norwegian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)
The principal goal of the survey was to gain an insight into the use of teaching approaches that were designed to stimulate students’ active learning in mathematics in Norwegian HEIs
It appears that taking action to ensure students come to class prepared, expecting students to work in small groups, and students working on tasks individually are the most common approaches that are used which we judge to have the potential to promote active learning

Summary

INTRODUCTION

We report from our analysis of a national survey of teaching approaches adopted in mathematics courses in Norwegian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The survey instrument was distributed online to lecturers and students through the institutional representatives of NMR around the end of 2019 and beginning of 2020 This presentation is based on analysis of responses from 95 lecturers that completed the questionnaire. We analyse the data generated by the survey to expose relationships between teaching approaches that may be related to encouraging students’ active (cognitive) engagement in their learning This is the first national study related to active learning in mathematics in Norwegian HEIs. it builds on work that has been reported in the USA in which active learning approaches have been associated with improved student performance (Freeman et al 2014, Apkarian 2020, Rasmussen et al 2019). The survey we report adds other dimensions related to knowledge of practices in mathematics within Norwegian STEM education

ACTIVE LEARNING

RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

CONCLUSION