scholarly journals The impact of peer learning on student performance in an architectural sustainability course

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Amparo Núñez-Andrés ◽  
Antonio Martinez-Molina ◽  
Núria Casquero-Modrego ◽  
Jae Yong Suk
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Peer Tutoring ◽  
Sustainable Design ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Peer Learning ◽  
Architecture Education ◽  
Innovative Teaching ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Design Skills ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The importance of sustainability in architecture currently necessitates the integration of innovative teaching strategies on the subject into architecture programs. This study aims to introduce and examine peer learning pedagogy by peer tutoring to educate architecture students in sustainable design. Design/methodology/approach Based on class assignments proposed in two different architecture sustainability-focused courses in the second and fourth years of the Bachelor of Science in architecture program, a total of 103 students assessed the proposed peer learning experience and its impact on their sustainability mindsets and education. Subjective surveys for evaluating the peer learning experience were designed and delivered at different stages of the course sequences. A total of 502 survey responses were obtained in the study. Findings The qualitative and quantitative data analysis confirms that the proposed peer learning by peer tutoring increased students’ knowledge, motivation and commitment to sustainable design. In addition, participants became more confident in applying sustainable design skills and their academic grades improved more than 25% compared to previous courses using traditional teaching methods. Originality/value Traditional architecture education has long been criticized for their pedagogical methodologies based primarily on passive learning. Recently, these programs have begun to prepare students to become active learners and communicators in collaborative and multidisciplinary environments. A mixed-method approach of combining pre-/post-experience surveys and analysis of final grades was used to determine the level of success and the quantifiable behavior change delivered by students involved in this peer learning experience.

Does culture or self-directed learning drive online performance?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qian Wang ◽  
Chang Xiong ◽  
Jiajun Liu
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Cultural Orientation ◽  
Self Directed Learning ◽  
Scoring Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Directed Learning ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe foundations of internally driven discipline are similar to self-directed learning (SDL). This study examines the effect of cultural orientation and SDL on the online performance of college students. It investigates how college students pursue SDL while maintaining a collectivist cultural orientation in their learning experience. It explains why students prefer SDL to learning constrained by an externally enforced discipline.Design/methodology/approachThe explanatory sequential mixed-method design uses a quantitative method, followed by qualitative enquiry. The research was conducted in an undergraduate non-credit online course in China.FindingsThe findings show that cultural orientation has no impact on students' online performance, while SDL abilities are positively related to it. When fully mediated by SDL, a horizontal-collectivist culture has a positive effect on students' online performance.Research limitations/implicationsData were collected in a non-credit online college course, where the final assessment used a peer-rating approach and team members shared the same final score. This scoring method may not fully reflect each student's online performance.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that, when considering cultural influence on student performance, researchers should consider learning contexts, including educational level and learning mode. This study validates that colleges should focus on ability and skill development that enhance internal motivation to improve students' online performance, rather than focussing on their beliefs.Originality/valueThis paper introduces evidence to support the impact of culture on college students' online performance, showing that SDL abilities can drive performance.

Teaching a while measuring b: cultural bias in assessing student performance

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Seno-Alday ◽  
Amanda Budde-Sung
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Cultural Bias ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Assessment Of Learning ◽  
Bilingual Literature ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to explore the impact of differences in educational traditions on conventions of teaching and learning, and on the measurement of learning outcomes. These are critical issues within the context of business schools that are steeped in one dominant tradition but have a large population of international students previously educated in other traditions. The paper argues that international students face the challenge of satisfactorily demonstrating learning according to foreign conventions that are different from what they would have been accustomed to within the framework of their home educational tradition. Design/methodology/approach This study draws on a bilingual literature review to capture differences in educational traditions between Australia and China. It then uses logistic regression to analyze the performance of 800 domestic and international Chinese students across a range of different assessment formats at a large Australian business school. Findings The study finds statistically significant differences in the performance of these two student groups on different assessment types. It concludes that the conventions on approaches to the assessment of learning shaped by a specific educational tradition can hamper the effective demonstration of learning among students from other educational traditions. Originality/value The paper focuses on issues related to the assessment of learning in multicultural higher education contexts, which has received less attention in the literature compared to issues on teaching approaches in multicultural contexts. The paper also highlights important implications on the validity of the measurement of learning outcomes and on the subsequent impact on graduate recruitment.

Progression to intermediate level courses; is a “pass” enough?

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 275-287
Author(s):  
Nicola J. Beatson ◽  
David A.G. Berg ◽  
Jeffrey K. Smith ◽  
Christine Smith-Han
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Practical Implication ◽  
Intermediate Level ◽  
First Year ◽  
Prior Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to test the impact of a rule that affects tertiary students progressing from an introductory level finance course to intermediate level. The rule restricted students from progressing until they achieved a higher grade than just a “pass” mark. Design/methodology/approach Archival data were gathered from 11 semesters regarding student performance pre and post the rule being introduced. Findings Results show that the rule was associated with an increase in the chances of success at intermediate level for those students enrolled after the rule was introduced. Practical implications This paper’s main contribution regards the evidence that increasing prior learning at an introductory level has a positive follow-on effect for students learning at intermediate level. This has a practical implication for educators, as the rule has shown to increase the chance of success for knowledge development in the first year of studies. Originality/value The setting for this paper is unique and could potentially be replicated elsewhere. In 1980, Schaffer and Calkins called for an evaluation of the pre-requisites necessary for finance education at the tertiary level, and this paper answer this call stating that pre-requisites can contribute to the academic success of finance students.

Evaluation of an English language peer tutoring intervention

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 869-880
Author(s):  
Lee Mackenzie
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Peer Tutoring ◽  
English Language ◽  
Contextual Information ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Academic Failure ◽  
Realist Evaluation ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Efl Students

PurposeDesertion rates in Colombian universities remain unacceptably high. In the field of foreign languages, academic failure is particularly concerning since English language instruction is compulsory in most universities. To address the issue of poor student performance and high dropout rates, the University of Colombia has set up a peer tutoring scheme (PTS) for English as a foreign language (EFL) students in order to inform programme development. The paper aims to discuss this issue.Design/methodology/approachThe study was informed by realist evaluation principles. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with eight PTS stakeholders supplemented by documentary analysis of the programme’s publicity material on the PTS website. The data were analysed using thematic analysis.FindingsFindings reveal discrepancies between the “espoused theory” about how the programme operates and the “theory-in-use”. In particular, according to stakeholders, the programme does not appear to be used by many of those EFL students who would benefit from it, which suggests that the programme is not as effective as it could be. Student and teacher contextual factors and mechanisms may explain the reasons for issues with programme effectiveness.Research limitations/implicationsFormative evaluations such as the current study can provide rich contextual information, but cannot be generalised to other settings. Also, this study does not explore the perspective of peer tutors and tutees, which means key variables may have been overlooked. Further research into the perspectives of tutors and tutees would therefore be needed to firm up these conclusions.Practical implicationsDue to the scarcity of literature into EFL peer tutoring interventions in higher education (HE), it is hoped that these findings will have relevance for similar contexts. The current evaluation highlights the influence of contextual factors such as willingness to ask for help, student motivation, student priorities, tutor credibility, teacher workload, timetabling and scheduling issues and involvement from teachers on the success of open-access peer tutoring programmes for EFL students in higher educational settings.Originality/valueAs far the researcher is aware, this is the first evaluation of an EFL peer tutoring programme in a private HE context in Colombia, and one of only a handful of studies into EFL peer tutoring programmes. The findings therefore have implications for those working in similar contexts.

scholarly journals Peer Learning Amongst Students of Higher Technical Teachers’ Training College (HTTTC) of the University of Buea in Kumba, Cameroon

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 216
Author(s):  
Ngemunang Agnes Ngale Lyonga
Keyword(s):  
Student Teachers ◽  
Peer Tutoring ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Peer Learning ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
Structured Learning ◽  
Cohesive Group ◽  
Quantitative Descriptive ◽  
Teachers Training ◽  
The Impact

This paper examines the use of peer learning in students’ success at the Higher Technical Teachers’ Training College in Kumba, Cameroon. The study uses a quantitative descriptive data to determine the effectiveness of peer learning amongst students through the impact of study groups and peer tutoring on students’ achievement. The study employed the descriptive survey design. Participants of the study were made up of 234 students drawn from both the first and second cycles of the 14 departments of the Technical Teachers’ Training College (HTTTC), Kumba. The study sought to find out the effects of study groups and peer tutoring on students’ achievement at HTTTC, Kumba. A structured questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection. The data collected was analyzed descriptively using frequencies and percentages computed with the help of the SPSS V.20.0. Evidence from students’ responses indicated that the importance of studying in groups with classmates and peer tutoring by other students in the success of their end-of-semester and final examinations cannot be overemphasized. By providing these learning environments in schools, students are able to form a cohesive group where they can express their ideas and help each other succeed. Based on the study findings, it is recommended that students who are more knowledgeable and have a good mastery of the subject or the concepts taught be paired by the teacher with other students for group work, class discussions and more purposeful structured learning. Teachers should also take advantage of the peer tutoring technique to encourage student-teachers to work in small mixed ability groups that will allow everyone whether fast or slow to share their ideas and build knowledge as well as interpersonal skills in the training process.

Racial and low-income quotas in Brazilian universities: impact on academic performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 156-176
Author(s):  
Claudia Bueno Rocha Vidigal
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The North ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to estimate the impact of racial and low-income quotas on academic performance of students from public and private universities in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach Using propensity score matching applied to student-level data from the National Examination of Student Performance conducted in 2012; this paper identifies the impact of the quota policy on academic performance considering all Brazilian universities. Findings The results indicate that there is no statistically significant difference in academic performance between students admitted under the racial quota and those who had the regular admission (non-quota students). The impact is positive, however, for students from the North region of Brazil and among those with very low family income, whereas a negative impact is observed for those from the Central-West region. In regard to the low-income quota, quota students perform worse than eligible non-quota students as their scores are, on average, 14 percent lower. Similar findings are observed when different subsamples are considered. Originality/value This paper’s main contribution is to provide a broader and more rigorous empirical approach than that presented by the existing literature in order to evaluate the impact of quota policies on academic achievement. Moreover, this study considers all Brazilian institutions whereas previous studies are limited to only one or a few universities.

Scenario-Based Learning Environment to Support Peer-Learning

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahed Siddique ◽  
Mrinal C. Saha ◽  
Firas Akasheh ◽  
Shaiful Arif ◽  
Bipul Barua ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peer Interactions ◽  
3D Visualization ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Peer Learning ◽  
Design Problems ◽  
University Of Oklahoma ◽  
Manufacturing Engineering ◽  
Novel Concept ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

It is well documented that students learn more effectively when they are actively involved in the learning process, and interacting with peers. Interactive scenario-based education is a novel concept expected to stimulate active learning and provide a peer-learning experience. In this paper we present Create your Scenario Interactively (CSI) module, which is an interactive storybook-like learning tool composed of interactive storyline, 2D/3D visualization, simulation, and state-of-the-art interaction technology. The CSI method allows peer-interactions and prepares students to solve open-ended problems. The CSI module has been developed for metal casting and implemented in manufacturing engineering courses at the University of Oklahoma and Tuskegee University. In this paper, we discuss the impact of the CSI on students’ learning in manufacturing engineering education. Our preliminary results suggest that a majority of the students feels that the CSI module is very effective in keeping them engaged. We also analyze the effect of peer-learning to develop critical thinking and solve design problems. The details of the CSI module, implementation details, and assessment results are discussed in the paper.

scholarly journals THE IMPACT OF THE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT ON THE TRANSITION FROM THE TRADITIONAL MODEL TO THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM IN A UNIT OPERATION COURSE

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clémence Fauteux-Lefebvre
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Entire Group ◽  
Unit Operation ◽  
Efficient Design ◽  
Design Skills ◽  
The Impact

The learning objectives of the Unit Operation course are to learn, understand and apply the operational and design principles of various separation units. For each unit, students must learn the process principles, how to apply mass and energy balances and how to use solving procedures in various contexts to design units, based on given parameters and operating objectives. The main challenges for the students are to develop the general design skills and the necessary knowledge of the theory principles, with a deep understanding of the various concepts and procedures specific to each unit. The traditional format of the course leads students to solve problems mostly during their study time, while the help of the teacher is not direct. A flipped classroom approach would allow students to revise, explore and acquire significant part of the knowledge online or on their own rather than during the lectures and then to benefit from more efficient design problem-solving sessions. It, however, requires adaptation and engagement from both the students and the instructors for a successful learning experience. In this course, the transformation is gradually implemented with the use of active learning classrooms and the development of a blended learning format of the course, to obtain an entirely flipped classroom. The access to active learning classrooms is one of the tools that could impact the quality of the flipped classroom organization, but also change the student’s experience, and was the studied. Having the suitable space, tools and seating organization to easily work in team and share their work with the entire group efficiently could help them to be engaged and to develop these new skills. The assessment of the student’s experience during the unit operations course in the active learning classroom showed that it promotes collaboration and it was appreciated by the majority of students, with a clear preference for this classroom over a traditional one for the various learning activities. It could then help reducing some obstacles to engage students in cooperative learning.  

scholarly journals Teaching Design Thinking in times of COVID-19: an online learning experience

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guilherme Victorino ◽  
Roberto Henriques ◽  
Rita Bandeira
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Innovation Management ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Transformative Experience ◽  
Quality Outcomes ◽  
Course Materials ◽  
Online Setting ◽  
The Impact

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2020, the Innovation Management & Design Thinking course at NOVA IMS suddenly transitioned to a 100% online setting after only two presential classes, requiring adaptations to the learning experience, course materials and class dynamics. There were concerns that the learning experience would suffer and if it would be possible to promote empathy in an online environment. This study evaluates the impact of this disruption on the learning experience, student performance and engagement by comparing the final grades, applying two surveys and conducting in-depth interviews. Our results show that instead of a contingency situation, it turned out to be a transformative experience. Learning performance and engagement were not meaningfully affected, as students were just as able to commit to their innovation projects and produce quality outcomes. We propose that blended learning experiences will leverage the best of both online and presential worlds in the future after COVID-19 and offer specific suggestions drawn from the collected data. The results are valuable for lecturers – from any course – who want to improve their learning experience in the new reality after the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals The Impact of Multimedia in Course Design on Students’ Performance and Online Learning Experience: A Pilot Study of an Introductory Educational Computing Course

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Torria Davis ◽  
Thomas V. Frederick
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Educational Computing ◽  
Performance Gap ◽  
Quality Matters ◽  
Internal Review ◽  
The Impact

The creation of multimedia assets for online courses is a time intensive endeavor. Faculty have limited access to instructional designers for this and other course design functions. This study sought to determine if multimedia use in course design contributes positively to student performance or their perception of the online learning experience, after controlling for faculty course design expertise. Students totaling 142 were enrolled in an Introductory Educational Computing Course between 2016 and 2018 designed according to Quality Matters standards based on an informal internal review as well as a course designed according to instructor preferences. Eighty-four students, who participated in the courses designed according to Quality Matters standards based on an informal internal review were surveyed about their perceptions. While it may be of no surprise that multimedia use did not impact student performance directly, based on end-of-point course totals, it did positively influence student perceptions of the online learning experience. A performance gap between ethnicities in this study was not observed, as evidence through end-of-course total points. This may be salient given the prevalence of such performance gaps in most educational settings. Course policies and instructional strategies perceived by students as helpful may be one contributing factor to this lack of performance gap. Furthermore, the use of multimedia in course design was found to reduce cognitive load, as shown by the amount of time spent inside the learning management system. What this means for multimedia use in course design and the student online learning experience concludes this paper. 

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document