Active Learning Pedagogy Research Articles

Revisiting the implementation of active learning pedagogy in EFL classrooms

The present study investigated the current development of active learning pedagogy implementation, focusing on the English subject, at high school classrooms in Langsa, Aceh, Indonesia. It focused on English teachers’ pedagogical practices undertaken at the classrooms during the lessons and the factors impeding the construction of active learning methodology. A qualitative method was used, which employed the instruments of classroom observations, interviews, and lesson plan reviews. It was conducted in four lessons at three different high schools located in eastern Aceh, Langsa. The participants of this study were four English teachers and eleventh grade students who were actively involved in the observed English lessons. The findings showed that the dominant teachers’ role and students’ engagement in the class teaching-learning practices were not yet incorporated as active learning principles. Then, there was a lack of teachers’ understanding on the concept of active learning pedagogy, less provided trainings on active learning methodology, no provision of teaching-learning media at classrooms, and individual students were considered as influential factors in implementing an active learning pedagogy in these classrooms. Hence, future researchers are recommended to conduct an adaptation or re-evaluation to the active learning methodology that has been used all these times in order to be more practical and appropriate with Indonesian classroom contexts.

Factors Influencing Quality of Team Discussion: Discourse Analysis in an Undergraduate Team-Based Learning Biology Course.

Group activities as part of active-learning pedagogies are thought to be effective in promoting student learning in part because of the quality of discussion they engender in student teams. Not much is known, however, about which instructional factors are most important in achieving productive conversation or how these factors may differ among different collaborative pedagogies. We explored what provokes meaningful group discussions in a university physiology course taught using team-based learning (TBL). We were most interested in discussions that evoke explanations that go beyond statements of basic facts and into disciplinary reasoning. Using transcribed conversations of four randomly selected teams three times throughout the semester, we analyzed three distinct discursive phenomena—conceptual explanations, re-evaluations, and co-construction—that occurred in productive conversations. In this paper, we provide examples from student discussions showing the role of each of these elements in moving students toward conceptual understanding. These phenomena were more likely to occur in response to higher-order questions in Bloom’s taxonomy. Preclass preparation and student accountability as part of TBL may be important factors in this finding. We share implications for practice based on our results.

The Role of Classroom Design in Facilitating Student Engagement in Recreation and Leisure Education

Success in the field of recreation management requires a variety of 21st-century skills including the abilities to solve complex problems, think creatively, and collaborate with peers. Research suggests that instructor contribution through active learning pedagogy, incorporation of technology, and maximization of classroom design can foster effective student collaboration. Technology Enabled Active Learning (TEAL) classrooms represent the intersection of these three factors and should be ideal for eliciting student engagement, especially with regard to collaborative work. This quasi-experimental design study (n = 86) examined three factors of student engagement (Instructor Contribution, Personal Effort, and Value of Group Work) among students enrolled in two sections of a recreation programing course- one occurring in a TEAL classroom and the other in a traditional classroom. When controlling for GPA, student perceptions of the Value of Group Work were significantly higher among TEAL students. Moreover, when examining factors that explain TEAL student perceptions of the Value of Group Work, Personal Effort, Instructor Contribution, and physical position of the instructor in the modular room explained 70% of the variance in Value of Group Work. Our findings suggest that when used for their intended purpose of active learning, TEAL classrooms are viewed favorably by students and are a valuable tool for recreation education, especially for group collaboration and project-based learning.

Active Teaching Learning Methods for Improving Students Engagement in the Classroom

Active Teaching Learning Methods for Improving Students Engagement in the Classroom

Integrating data analysis into an introductory macroeconomics course

Data analysis and applying knowledge to real-world settings rank among key skills of college graduates. This paper shows how to completely integrate data analysis and application of knowledge to real-world settings into an introductory macroeconomics course. Every class meeting is structured as a series of activities that students work through using free, publicly available data. Time can be allotted to these activities during class because the course takes advantage of two previously documented active learning pedagogies (flipped classroom and team-based learning). Students benefit by gaining data analysis skills, applying knowledge to real-world settings, digging deeper into the material and contentious topics, and learning that results from combining the data analysis approach with the active learning approaches.

Comparing attitudinal learning of large enrolment active learning and lecture classes

ABSTRACT Students’ self-reported attitudinal learning were compared between two different large courses that incorporated attitudinal learning objectives at a Midwestern US public university- a course on environmental sustainability utilising active learning instruction (100 participants) and a course on international economics utilising traditional lecture instruction (109 participants). Four factors of attitudinal learning were evaluated utilising a validated scale, the Attitudinal Learning Inventory (ALI): affective, cognitive, behavioural, and social learning outcomes. Results showed that students in the active learning instruction course perceived significantly higher attitudinal for all factors except for cognitive. Attitudinal learning components were not correlated with traditional course performance scores in the courses. Implications for assessing and designing instruction for attitudinal learning as well as implementing active learning instruction in large courses are discussed.

Design Features of an Effective and Theoretically Grounded Training Program for Undergraduate Teaching Assistants in the Life Sciences

Research over the last decade has indicated that active learning and student-centered instruction lead to better learning outcomes in undergraduate biology courses than traditional methods such as lecturing. This shift in pedagogical approach has been applied to both high-enrollment lecture-based courses as well as smaller laboratory courses. In these laboratory courses, the primary instructor is often a graduate or undergraduate student teaching assistant. Such novice instructors often lack the pedagogical knowledge and experience to implement student-centered instructional practices such as inquiry effectively. Therefore, to fully realize the benefits of inquiry-based laboratories for undergraduate students, the instructors of these courses require support.
 In this paper, we present a design case for a theoretically and contextually grounded professional development program that provides pedagogical support for undergraduate teaching assistants of a college biology laboratory course. Four undergraduate teaching assistants participated in our 12-week program. These participants were assigned weekly readings, turned in periodic reflective writings, and met with an experienced teaching mentor (Thompson) on a monthly basis. As designers, we grounded our design in the current literature but also built-in flexibility to be responsive to participants’ needs throughout the experience. Participants found it challenging to reflect on pedagogical strategies early in their experience, but found the additional support provided by the program very useful as they developed. Finally, we discuss the participant feedback that is being incorporated into future designs of professional development programming.

Active Teaching-Learning Strategies for Family Medicine Preceptors in the EURACT

Abstract: Introduction: The Family Doctor (FD), whose scope of action is Primary Health Care (PHC), is a professional trained to care for people, their families, and communities. The best FD training should be performed through Medical Residency Programs in Family Medicine (MRPFM), an in-service teaching field where a preceptor, also a FD, accompanies the resident. A pedagogically well-trained preceptor can work in the learning process of young doctors, who in turn are able to develop the necessary skills to work as a future FD. Active Learning Methodologies (ALM) are based on critical pedagogy and work with problems for the development of teaching-learning processes. They seek the theory from the practice, thus preparing the students to become aware of their environment and act aiming at its transformation. ALMs are achieved in the pedagogical processes through Active Teaching-Learning Strategies (ATLS), which are effective pedagogical resources used by the preceptors in the residents’ daily training. They can be divided into two groups: Active Teaching-Learning Dynamics and Active Teaching Actions. This article reports on the effects of a training course for Family Medicine preceptors on the use of Active Teaching-Learning Dynamics and Active Teaching Actions. Method: Qualitative comparative case study using sociodemographic survey, individual semi structured interview and field notes. The information was examined under content analysis, having participated ten preceptors from four MRPFM from the state of São Paulo, Brazil (half having attended the Leonardo EURACT level 1 course and half not having done so). Results: Those preceptors who attended the course expressed having more knowledge and use of Active Teaching-Learning Strategies, specifically of Active Teaching-Learning Dynamics and Active Teaching Actions. Conclusions: It was observed that the Leonardo EURACT level 1 teaching technology modifies the teaching practice of those who took the course, as they demonstrate a greater use and domain of its tools in their pedagogical practice. Moreover, the course allows a greater understanding of the presented dynamics and activities, thus promoting the residents’ critical learning and encouraging autonomy.

Active Teaching-Learning Strategies for Family Medicine Preceptors in the EURACT

Abstract: Introduction: The Family Doctor (FD), whose scope of action is Primary Health Care (PHC), is a professional trained to care for people, their families, and communities. The best FD training should be performed through Medical Residency Programs in Family Medicine (MRPFM), an in-service teaching field where a preceptor, also a FD, accompanies the resident. A pedagogically well-trained preceptor can work in the learning process of young doctors, who in turn are able to develop the necessary skills to work as a future FD. Active Learning Methodologies (ALM) are based on critical pedagogy and work with problems for the development of teaching-learning processes. They seek the theory from the practice, thus preparing the students to become aware of their environment and act aiming at its transformation. ALMs are achieved in the pedagogical processes through Active Teaching-Learning Strategies (ATLS), which are effective pedagogical resources used by the preceptors in the residents’ daily training. They can be divided into two groups: Active Teaching-Learning Dynamics and Active Teaching Actions. This article reports on the effects of a training course for Family Medicine preceptors on the use of Active Teaching-Learning Dynamics and Active Teaching Actions. Method: Qualitative comparative case study using sociodemographic survey, individual semi structured interview and field notes. The information was examined under content analysis, having participated ten preceptors from four MRPFM from the state of São Paulo, Brazil (half having attended the Leonardo EURACT level 1 course and half not having done so). Results: Those preceptors who attended the course expressed having more knowledge and use of Active Teaching-Learning Strategies, specifically of Active Teaching-Learning Dynamics and Active Teaching Actions. Conclusions: It was observed that the Leonardo EURACT level 1 teaching technology modifies the teaching practice of those who took the course, as they demonstrate a greater use and domain of its tools in their pedagogical practice. Moreover, the course allows a greater understanding of the presented dynamics and activities, thus promoting the residents’ critical learning and encouraging autonomy.

Teachersʼ assessment of active learning in teaching Nature and Society

The basic role of contemporary education is to guide pupils towards active learning and make them contribute to all segments of the teaching process. Since active learning leads towards efficient education, and since it encourages and develops knowledge, skills and attitudes, teachers should promote this type of learning from the beginning of one’s schooling. This paper’s aim was to study to what extent teachers conduct various teaching strategies in active learning in teaching Nature and Society and if the environment stimulates the active acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes. The research was conducted on a sample of teachers (N = 184) from three counties in the Republic of Croatia. The research results show that active learning and various teaching strategies are to a great extent conducted in a stimulating environment at the beginning of education, but at the same time they point to the need of a higher encouragement of this learning form, for pupils to be able to learn actively and create learning communities at later levels of education.

The Impact of Active Learning in a Speech-Language Pathology Swallowing and Dysphagia Course

The signature pedagogy in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) higher education programs has been criticized for its instructor-centric lecture format and emphasis on the lower tiers of Bloom’s taxonomy (simply memorizing knowledge) at the expense of helping students develop the clinical problem-solving skills required for a lifetime of practice and learning. The purpose of this study was to examine the responses of a cohort of graduate speech-language pathology students to an active learning-oriented swallowing and dysphagia course design. A potential relationship between student perceptions of the active learning pedagogy and academic performance was also explored. The results suggest that active learning positively impacted both student perceptions and performance in the redesigned swallowing and dysphagia course.

Active learning designs for Calculus II: a learning community approach for interconnected smart classrooms

We present a study of active learning in Calculus II, which was conducted across 7 interconnected smart classrooms, with a single professor, 8 teaching assistants, and 317 undergraduate students. Our study explored (1) how to leverage this unique infrastructure so that all 7 classrooms of students were actively engaged as a whole learning community, (2) how to enable students across all seven classrooms to build a community knowledge base that serves as a resource for their subsequent learning activities, and (3) how active learning pedagogies influence students' epistemological beliefs. We will present our theoretical perspective of learning communities, our four active learning patterns, and how they were applied to create curriculum each week, as well as student outcomes. We found that participating in this particular course made a significant impact on students' epistemological beliefs, including stronger beliefs about the value of peers and teaching assistants as sources of knowledge. We close our study with a discussion of the implications of our work.

Facilitating Long-Term Mentoring To Effectively Implement Active Learning Instruction: Formation of the Promoting Active Learning and Mentoring (PALM) Network.

A large body of data suggests that implementing active learning practices in a STEM classroom contributes to increased success in both achievement of student learning outcomes and retention of students. Despite these findings, significant barriers exist for instructors implementing active learning strategies in their undergraduate classrooms. These barriers can be effectively addressed by providing sustained support to instructors and postdoctoral trainees interested in implementing active learning strategies in their teaching practice. The Promoting Active Learning and Mentoring (PALM) network attains this objective by connecting instructors interested in learning more about active learning (Fellows) with individuals who have extensive expertise related to this practice (mentors). These facilitated connections occur in the form of active mentorship for a year or more, virtual journal clubs, and biannual gatherings of PALM Fellows and mentors. Here, we describe the foundation on which PALM was built and explain how a successful mentorship program can pave the way for educators to adapt and implement evidence-based practices like active learning in a college classroom.

Team-Based Learning in a Coaching Education Course: Impact on Student Learning

Purpose: The authors implemented an active learning teaching strategy in a coaching education course utilizing a modified team-based learning (TBL) approach, assessing the learning benefits and satisfaction of students’ experience. Method: After reviewing preparatory background materials, 35 students responded in-class to prompts in developing coaching action plans. Students completed two in-class learning activities: one on their own (Solo) and one as a group (TBL). The authors examined student performance on exam transfer questions for the two activities. Later, students reported on their satisfaction with the learning activities. Results: Students performed better on exam transfer questions related to their TBL and Solo conditions (p < .003, d = 0.75). Students reported a preference for working in teams compared with working on their own in developing case studies (p < .06, d = 0.63). Discussion/Conclusion: Results highlight the benefits of TBL in a coaching education classroom emphasizing how preparation, collaboration, and applied learning activities impact student learning outcomes.

Influence of Peer Learning on Students’ Academic Performance (The Case of 2010 E.C for the Course Chemical Thermodynamics at Assosa University)

Peer teaching is a suite of practices in which peers instruct each other in a purpose driven, meaning full interaction. Many universities are facing challenges due to the increasing number of young people attending higher education. Learning is enhanced when it is more like a team effort than a solo race. This study explores how peer learning influences the academic performance of students and it also resolves the negative attitude of teachers and students on the active teaching learning process. It increases student’s social interaction as well as subject matter knowledge. The study was conducted in Assosa university Chemistry department second year students on chemical thermodynamics course. The data was analyzed by using percentage and mean using tables. The tolls of data collection were mainly questionnaires, interview and observations. As peer learning is implemented frequently, the score of the student was increased. Students will learn from one another because in their discussion of the content, cognitive conflicts will arise, inadequate reasoning will be exposed, and higher-quality understanding will emerge. Finally, this finding recommends that in most chemistry courses, a team work is important to increase the academic performance of students and it could be applicable.

Introduction and evaluation of a creative pedagogical tool in pharmacology: Autobiography of drugs

Background: Pharmacology teaching in undergraduate medical curriculum in India is primarily drug centered and stresses on imparting more of factual information. Teaching and learning skills would be better developed by incorporation of active learning during large group and small group sessions. Aim and Objectives: The current study reports the perceptions of introducing a learner centric activity, autobiography of drugs in pharmacology in large group. Materials and Methods: Session on “Autobiography of drugs” was introduced as an active teachinglearning module in pharmacology classroom. Important characteristics of drugs were presented as drug autobiography. Subsequently, students had to identify the drug giving justification. Perceptions of students regarding module were documented with the help of Likert scale. Results: Out of 153 students 112 participated. Majority gave positive reviews regarding the activity. About 94.70% students found the concept interesting. Above 80% students enjoyed learning by this method and agreed that it fosters creativity while learning. About 74.10% found this as an interactive, learner centered activity. About 62.50% students found the session engaging. About 71.00–75.90% students felt that autobiographies were informative and designed in structured manner. Overall rating in respect to quality, content and usefulness of activity on Likert scale was 4.06 (0.77). Conclusions: Autobiography of drugs was taken as an interesting active teaching-learning module by students. Need of the hour is to involve medical students in active learning activities which foster greater learner engagement, interaction, and promote life-long learning.

Evaluating the impact of student constructed four-bar mechanisms on achieving learning objectives in an Industrial Mechanisms course

A comparison of achieving learning outcomes for kinematic analysis is given between two semesters of an Industrial Mechanisms course. The variable introduced is an active learning based teaching method in the form of a student constructed four-bar mechanism that is used in all kinematic analysis related discussions and assignments. The measure of comparison is instructor observations, student coursework assessments, and student feedback. The use of active learning teaching methods is shown to have a statistically significant positive impact on learning performance.

Evaluation of the undergraduate family medicine programme of Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya: quantitative and qualitative student feedback

BackgroundWorldwide there is an increasing emphasis on the importance of primary care. The ministry of health Sri Lanka issued a directive in 2016 that training of doctors in primary care should be strengthened.Medical students of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya follow a 1 month long clinical appointment in family medicine in their fourth year of study.MethodsFeedback is taken from students on completion of the appointment. Half the students from each group complete a pre tested structured feedback questionnaire that consists of answers to questions based on a likert scale with a space for free comments. The other half provide qualitative feedback.In this evaluation data were gathered from 185 (98%) students from all eight clinical groups throughout the year 2016.Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS version 22. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data from the Round Robin activity and free comments from the questionnaire.ResultsThe qualitative feedback provided a richer indepth overview of student ideas on the appointment compared to the quantitative data.In reflection of a desire for learning to be of relevance students wanted clinically oriented teaching focused on management. They preferred active teaching learning methods such as the opportunity to conduct consultations and receive immediate feedback. Students had a high regard for the teaching sessions by general practitioners at their clinics.The appointment had created an interest in the discipline of family medicine which could have an impact on future choice of career. There were indications to suggest that student attitudes towards patients may have evolved to be more patient centred.Students appreciated the inclusive and low stress ambience of the learning environment.Conclusions and recommendationsRegular evaluation of teaching programmes helps maintain accountability of faculty and paves the way for more student centred teaching through the incorporation of students’ views in devising teaching methods. This evaluation found that qualitative feedback provided more descriptive material to reflect on and therefore improve teaching on the programme. It is recommended that more use should be made of qualitative methodologies in programme evaluations.

Exploring the Relationship between Teacher Knowledge and Active-Learning Implementation in Large College Biology Courses.

Not all instructors implement active-learning strategies in a way that maximizes student outcomes. One potential explanation for variation in active-learning effectiveness is variation in the teaching knowledge an instructor draws upon. Guided by theoretical frameworks of pedagogical content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge, this study investigated the teaching knowledge instructors used in planning, implementing, and reflecting on active-learning lessons in large courses. We used a preinstruction interview, video footage of a target class session, and a postinstruction interview with stimulated recall to elicit the teaching knowledge participants used. We then conducted qualitative content analysis to describe and contrast teaching knowledge employed by instructors implementing active learning that required students to generate their own understandings (i.e., generative instruction) and active learning largely focused on activity and recall (i.e., active instruction). Participants engaging in generative instruction exhibited teaching knowledge distinct from that of participants focused on activity. Those using generative instruction drew on pedagogical knowledge to design lessons focused on students generating reasoning; integrated pedagogical content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge to plan lessons to target student difficulties; and created opportunities to develop new pedagogical content knowledge while teaching. This work generated hypotheses about the teaching knowledge necessary for effective, generative active-learning instruction.

Educational Revolution: Integrating Concept-Based Curriculum and Active Learning for Mental Health Nursing Students.

OBJECTIVE: To disseminate knowledge to mental health nurse educators regarding a course that is successfully preparing registered nurse (RN) students to pass the psychosocial integrity portion of the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). METHOD: Following the implementation of a new concept-based nursing program curricular design, faculty teaching in a psychiatric mental health nursing course embarked on converting lecture-based, content-saturated teaching strategies into active learning strategies. In this article, the overall conceptual framework for the course and specific examples of active learning teaching strategies related to nursing concepts in mental health are described. Information on objectives, clinical placements, testing, class organization, and curricular content are provided. Outcomes are shared revealing success in helping students pass the psychosocial integrity section of the NCLEX-RN. RESULTS: Predictive scores on the HESI RN Psychiatric Mental Health Specialty Exam have been consistently higher than the national average for the United States, and the NCLEX-RN pass rate for the cohort of 90 students was 97%. The majority of student evaluations of the course were positive. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that the integration of conceptual and active learning in a psychiatric mental health nursing course may increase the likelihood of student success.