Ensuring Gen Y Students Come Prepared for Class; then Leveraging Active Learning Techniques to Most Effectively Engage Them

Abstract

During the 2011-2012 academic year, a teaching method was tested that yielded strong improvements in test scores, greater depth of analysis in projects, an increased level of class participation, and higher attendance rates. This case study discusses how class preparation assignments were used with a dual grading system in an active learning environment to achieve these outcomes. The case concludes with an analysis of the class grades and attendance records, quotes from two student interviews, and a year-to-year comparison of the faculty evaluations for each benchmark course.