“THERMODYNAMICS IS NOT A SPECTATOR SPORT!” [7] AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON INCORPORATING ACTIVE LEARNING INTO A FIRST YEAR THERMODYNAMICS COURSE

Abstract

Student engagement is deemed as one of the fundamental components of consequential learning. Essentially, contextualizing information in authentic events and situations and designing active learning experiences to orchestrate opportunities for students to construct their own knowledge are ways to engage students in their own learning process. This paper reports on a Professor’s efforts to turn a traditional, lecture- based first year Thermodynamics course into an active learning arena. The study uses a qualitative approach to data collection and analysis, with data amassed through participant observations and open-ended interviews with the Professor. A number of categories and themes have already emerged. This paper outlines the category, Instructional Strategies, and discusses how they were modified and/or amplified to incorporate active learning in an attempt to further engage students.