Engagement in Cross-Cultural Large Lecture Classrooms: Using Top Hat Technology to Include Students in the Discussion

Abstract

A gap in the literature exists related to the anonymity of SRS and its potential impact on students' learning experiences in cross-cultural large lecture courses. This study addresses this gap by exploring whether the anonymity of an SRS impacts students' a) level of comfort in responding to sensitive questions, b) propensity to answer questions of sensitive content honestly, c) feelings of engagement with peers, and d) whether using an SRS contributes to students' achievement of course objectives (e.g., multicultural learning). Result from the study provide initial support for use of SRS systems as a pedagogical tool to increase engagement in cross-cultural large lectures and further, to elicit honest responses on sensitive course content. This research study contributes to the growing body of pedagogical research on improving the student learning environment in cross-cultural large lecture courses through the use of student response systems (SRS) and provides a foundation for further exploration.