Promoting Active Learning in Large Class University Teaching: Prospects and Challenges

2013 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 251-262
Author(s):  
Clever Ndebele ◽  
Cosmas Maphosa
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Large Class ◽  
University Teaching

scholarly journals Active learning in higher education as a restorative practice: a lecturer's reflections

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Active Learning ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Transformational Learning ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Relational Support ◽  
Current Context ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Applied Fields

The critique of the 'sage on the stage' approach to university teaching is particularly relevant for applied fields such as business management where a 'guide on the side' approach can instead encourage more active participation from students. A module on People Management for second year degree students was modified to involve a greater proportion of student-centred, active learning activities relative to lectures and supported by the participatory mechanisms offered by Restorative Practice. This paper offers a reflection on how developing higher education (HE) pedagogy towards reducing reliance on lecturer defined content shifts both students and lecturers out of their comfort zone. The process of students moving towards greater responsibility seems to require points of abandonment in which a hiatus occurs between student expectation of tutor support and the realisation that self-responsibility is required. In the current context of greater measurement of student satisfaction in HE, this poses a challenge for individual academics as well as universities. Disruptive and transformational learning experiences require relational support if they are to be successful and academic staff deserve appropriate development opportunities to become more aware and familiar with the new discomfort of the HE classroom.

scholarly journals Active University Teaching and Engaged Student Learning: A Mixed Methods Approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Celeste A. Wheat ◽  
Yan Sun ◽  
Jessica C. Wedgworth ◽  
Martha M. Hocutt
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Teaching Practices ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
The United States ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Learning Center ◽  
Learning Space ◽  
Space Design ◽  
New Information

The purpose of this research was to examine how learning space design and implementation of an active learning pedagogy based on the 5E Instructional Model influence university faculty’s teaching practices and students’ engagement. Faculty Fellows were recruited from a public, medium-sized university in the United States to teach courses, typically taught in a traditional classroom setting, in a new Active Learning Center (ALC) classroom.  The classroom was funded by a Steelcase® Education Active Learning Center Grant that provided innovative and dynamic classroom furnishings and technology that allowed mobility and flexibility for both instructors and students.  Quantitative and qualitative data were collected concurrently in this study.  The quantitative analysis results indicated that the ALC learning experience significantly improved students’ class participation and cognitive attentiveness, but had no effect on improving their meaningful processing of new information.  The qualitative analysis results, while providing new insights into the quantitative findings, revealed the faculty fellows’ changes and weaknesses in teaching practices and the mechanism of the ALC in supporting active learning. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed. 

scholarly journals Exploring student perceptions of health and infection: an interactive staff: student partnership scheme

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdul Fatah Abdul Yekeen ◽  
Jake Bell ◽  
Alex Boorman ◽  
Chris Hancock ◽  
Alison Kelly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Good Health ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Student Perspective ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Lifestyle Risk Factors ◽  
Health And Wellbeing

Personal health & wellbeing are rated more highly in those with higher educational qualifications than those without, and good health & wellbeing are likely to impact upon student attendance and hence attainment at university. It is important to understand factors which may affect perceived health and wellbeing from a student perspective in order to develop university-specific campaigns to correct misinformation. In addition, multidisciplinary working is characteristic in the post-graduation world, but is difficult to truly replicate within formal university teaching.  This project had two aims. First, through a cross-disciplinary staff-student collaboration, to explore student perceptions of health and wellbeing in Kingston University. Second, to enable students from a range of disciplines to work in active partnership with each other and with academic staff. A quiz was completed by almost 300 undergraduate students. Results from this and focus group discussions demonstrated reasonable knowledge of a range of lifestyle risk factors affecting health, but misinformation about the safety of vaccines and the importance of nutrition, activity and adequate sleep for maximising health, wellbeing and thus, potentially, university attainment. Future work is planned with Kingston University undergraduate students to address identified misconceptions. Student partners highly rated the opportunity for active learning, partnership working with staff and being part of a cross-disciplinary project team.Keywords: Partnership, cross disciplinary, health, active learning, wellbeing

scholarly journals Integrating A New Design Of Teaching Slides With Active Learning Measures In A Large Class

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrina Ramsdell ◽  
Madeline Schreiber ◽  
Maura Borrego ◽  
Michael Alley
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Large Class ◽  
Learning Measures

scholarly journals Putting theory into practice: the creation of REALs in the context of today's universities

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Ann Kitts ◽  
John T. Hancock
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Constructivist Learning ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
The Other ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Research And Teaching ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
The One ◽  
External Reviews

Bringing together theory and practice in the context of university teaching is no mean feat. On the one hand, lecturers are challenged and motivated intellectually by the theoretical arguments in the field of education of thinkers such as Grabinger and Dunlap, who have written extensively about comprehensive constructivist learning communities which they term Euch Environments for Active Learning (REALs) (Grabinger and Dunlap, 1995; Grabinger and Dunlap, 1998; Grabinger, Dunlap and Duffield, 1997). Yet, on the other hand, they are also challenged and demotivated on a day-to-day basis with the practicalities of teaching increasing numbers of students with a decreasing unit of resource in institutions where competition for funding is fierce and where there is pressure from external reviews of research and teaching performance.DOI:10.1080/0968776990070202

scholarly journals Accounting for sustainability: an active learning assignment

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 329-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Gusc ◽  
Paula van Veen-Dirks
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Management Accounting ◽  
Business Students ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Learning Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Formed Part ◽  
Teaching Programs ◽  
The University ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose Sustainability is one of the newer topics in the accounting courses taught in university teaching programs. The active learning assignment as described in this paper was developed for use in an accounting course in an undergraduate program. The aim was to enhance teaching about sustainability within such a course. The purpose of this paper is to offer experience-based guidance to faculty members around the world who would like to include sustainability in their courses. Design/methodology/approach This paper describes the introduction of sustainability in an accounting course via an active learning approach. The assignment that was developed formed part of a management accounting course for 450 business students. In the assignment, the students were asked to propose a sustainable solution for the university organization. Several tools were provided to the students to support them in obtaining an insight into the financial and societal consequences of the proposed solution. Findings The encouraging experiences with the assignment at the university where it was designed show that it effectively improved students’ understanding of sustainability issues. Furthermore, the assignment provided insight into how management accounting can play a role in enhancing sustainability in an organization. Additionally, the experiences with the assignment show that it can be used to make courses more lively and attractive to students. Originality/value As yet, textbooks have not offered much support in how to incorporate sustainability into the field of accounting. The assignment represents a novel use of management accounting concepts in the study of sustainability and is relevant to educators as an example of an active learning approach on the topic of sustainability.

scholarly journals Delivering quality along with quantity: The challenge of teaching a large and heterogeneous engineering class

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 331-344
Author(s):  
D Chronopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Large Class ◽  
Mathematical Knowledge ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Good Teaching ◽  
Learning Methods ◽  
Teaching Resources ◽  
Academic Background ◽  
Learning Techniques ◽  
Students Satisfaction

The challenges faced by a lecturer teaching large multidisciplinary engineering classes are identified. These are principally related to the size of the class, the extensive mathematical knowledge that is considered as prerequisite, as well as the heterogeneity of the class due to the diversity of students’ academic background and interests. In order to improve students’ engagement and retention in class, active learning techniques are employed and their impact on the performance of the class is captured through a questionnaire designed for this purpose. The statistics demonstrate that good teaching facilities and a well-prepared lecturer do not suffice for maximising students’ satisfaction, attention and retention. In order to engage the students in a large class setting, it is important to involve them in the lecture process. The employed active learning methods comprising quizzes, in class demonstration and muddiest-point cards induce a remarkably positive impact at almost no additional teaching resources.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document