Pub Date : 2022-10-27DOI: 10.1177/14697874221127691
E. Kahu, H. Thomas, E. Heinrich
Whether by choice or pushed online by Covid, higher education is increasingly happening in digital spaces with digital tools forming a critical part of learning and teaching contexts. While reviews suggest such tools positively influence student engagement, research tends to be generic and more is needed to understand how and why specific tools can influence student engagement, learning, and success. Relationships are a key influence on student engagement and online students often feel disconnected and isolated; tools which increase interaction and communication with staff and among students are therefore important. This qualitative study examined how two specific tools, Discord and Teams, work in conjunction with an LMS to benefit student engagement and learning. Nineteen students were interviewed, and the data thematically analysed. Findings show the tools facilitated communication, helped build relationships and communities, encouraged help-seeking within the course and, with Discord, with the wider disciplinary community. These usages led to improved belonging, wellbeing, engagement, and learning. The perceived norms of the digital spaces were an important influence on student tool usage. A key contribution of this research is defining a new tool categorisation, Learning Commons Communication Tools (LCCT), which better describes the informal and organic spaces created by such tools.
{"title":"‘A sense of community and camaraderie’: Increasing student engagement by supplementing an LMS with a Learning Commons Communication Tool","authors":"E. Kahu, H. Thomas, E. Heinrich","doi":"10.1177/14697874221127691","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14697874221127691","url":null,"abstract":"Whether by choice or pushed online by Covid, higher education is increasingly happening in digital spaces with digital tools forming a critical part of learning and teaching contexts. While reviews suggest such tools positively influence student engagement, research tends to be generic and more is needed to understand how and why specific tools can influence student engagement, learning, and success. Relationships are a key influence on student engagement and online students often feel disconnected and isolated; tools which increase interaction and communication with staff and among students are therefore important. This qualitative study examined how two specific tools, Discord and Teams, work in conjunction with an LMS to benefit student engagement and learning. Nineteen students were interviewed, and the data thematically analysed. Findings show the tools facilitated communication, helped build relationships and communities, encouraged help-seeking within the course and, with Discord, with the wider disciplinary community. These usages led to improved belonging, wellbeing, engagement, and learning. The perceived norms of the digital spaces were an important influence on student tool usage. A key contribution of this research is defining a new tool categorisation, Learning Commons Communication Tools (LCCT), which better describes the informal and organic spaces created by such tools.","PeriodicalId":47411,"journal":{"name":"Active Learning in Higher Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48640408","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-27DOI: 10.1177/14697874221128023
Shayna A Minosky, Michael Wiechers, Leonardo Landaverde-Umana
Traditionally, education has been largely delivered in an in-person format; however, an increasing number of courses are being delivered entirely online or with a blend of online and in-person components. These formats differ along various dimensions, such as the quantity and quality of interpersonal interactions and connections, which will likely lead to different student experiences. Using a sample of 200 undergraduate student responses from an online survey, we compared five different course formats (in-person, synchronous online, asynchronous online, blended with alternating weeks and blended exam only) on students’ perceptions of various elements of their learning environment, including teaching presence, cognitive presence, social presence, sense of community and teamwork. A between groups ANOVA demonstrated significant differences for seven of the eight variables examined. In each case, the in-person format was rated the most positively and the blended exam only format tended to receive the poorest ratings. Overall, our results suggest that live interaction among students, and between students and instructors, whether it is from an in-person format or a blended alternating format, appears to be linked to more positive perceptions of the social learning environment.
{"title":"The impact of course format on student perceptions of the classroom learning environment and teamwork","authors":"Shayna A Minosky, Michael Wiechers, Leonardo Landaverde-Umana","doi":"10.1177/14697874221128023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14697874221128023","url":null,"abstract":"Traditionally, education has been largely delivered in an in-person format; however, an increasing number of courses are being delivered entirely online or with a blend of online and in-person components. These formats differ along various dimensions, such as the quantity and quality of interpersonal interactions and connections, which will likely lead to different student experiences. Using a sample of 200 undergraduate student responses from an online survey, we compared five different course formats (in-person, synchronous online, asynchronous online, blended with alternating weeks and blended exam only) on students’ perceptions of various elements of their learning environment, including teaching presence, cognitive presence, social presence, sense of community and teamwork. A between groups ANOVA demonstrated significant differences for seven of the eight variables examined. In each case, the in-person format was rated the most positively and the blended exam only format tended to receive the poorest ratings. Overall, our results suggest that live interaction among students, and between students and instructors, whether it is from an in-person format or a blended alternating format, appears to be linked to more positive perceptions of the social learning environment.","PeriodicalId":47411,"journal":{"name":"Active Learning in Higher Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47191766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-19DOI: 10.1177/14697874221126920
Hua Zheng, R. Branch, Lu Ding, Dongho Kim, Eulho Jung, Zhenqiu Lu, Tong Li, Zilong Pan, Meehyun Yoon
This study examined the effects of an integrated approach that combines segmentation and self-explanation designs on learner achievement for meaningful video-based learning. This was a pretest-posttest research design with a sample size of 121 participants randomly assigned to one of four different types of video instructions (continuous, segmentation, self-explanation, or the combination of segmentation and self-explanation). Participants engaged in video instruction that used either a continuous video or segmented video clips and incorporated either self-explanation prompts or no self-explanation prompts. The results showed that participants in the combination and segmentation conditions outperformed those in the continuous condition in evaluation ability, and participants in the combination condition outperformed those in the continuous condition in the overall performance after controlling for prior knowledge. The current study indicates that the combined design can effectively facilitate student learning by engaging them in meaningful video-based learning.
{"title":"The combination of segmentation and self-explanation to enhance video-based learning","authors":"Hua Zheng, R. Branch, Lu Ding, Dongho Kim, Eulho Jung, Zhenqiu Lu, Tong Li, Zilong Pan, Meehyun Yoon","doi":"10.1177/14697874221126920","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14697874221126920","url":null,"abstract":"This study examined the effects of an integrated approach that combines segmentation and self-explanation designs on learner achievement for meaningful video-based learning. This was a pretest-posttest research design with a sample size of 121 participants randomly assigned to one of four different types of video instructions (continuous, segmentation, self-explanation, or the combination of segmentation and self-explanation). Participants engaged in video instruction that used either a continuous video or segmented video clips and incorporated either self-explanation prompts or no self-explanation prompts. The results showed that participants in the combination and segmentation conditions outperformed those in the continuous condition in evaluation ability, and participants in the combination condition outperformed those in the continuous condition in the overall performance after controlling for prior knowledge. The current study indicates that the combined design can effectively facilitate student learning by engaging them in meaningful video-based learning.","PeriodicalId":47411,"journal":{"name":"Active Learning in Higher Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43211516","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-13DOI: 10.1177/14697874221126739
Christine Fisher, Phu Vu, Philip Lai
Instructor performance plays a critical role in fostering student learning. Unlike the postsecondary level, many states in the United States, have substantially regulated class size in the p-12 education system with the aim of enhancing quality learning. Thus, the purpose of this research paper is to examine the correlation between instructor evaluations and class size in tertiary institutions as the findings can inform regulatory decisions regarding class sizes in postsecondary facilities. The study reviewed 97-course evaluations garnered in the Fall of 2019 from a Midwest University. The feedback of students, undertaking physical, and virtual classes, was considered regarding teachers’ performance. Different course evaluations included in the study were adjunct faculty, full-time faculty, graduate level, and undergraduate level course assessments. The research findings depicted a negative correlation between class size and instructor evaluation, positing that teachers teach the same way in smaller classes as they do in larger classes. Nonetheless, the study results showed that the sizes of conventional virtual classes had a lower correlation with course performances compared to traditional face-to-face classes. In the latter, there was more engagement between teachers and students, as the latter appeared to be more active than in online classes. With the technological effect that Covid-19 has brought forth in online learning, population sizes of online classes have changed. Therefore, considering the data used for the research was collected preCovid-19, it is essential that future studies pay considerable focus on the quality of evaluation of virtual classes to help with directing of school budget allocations toward online learning.
{"title":"Faculty course evaluations and class size","authors":"Christine Fisher, Phu Vu, Philip Lai","doi":"10.1177/14697874221126739","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14697874221126739","url":null,"abstract":"Instructor performance plays a critical role in fostering student learning. Unlike the postsecondary level, many states in the United States, have substantially regulated class size in the p-12 education system with the aim of enhancing quality learning. Thus, the purpose of this research paper is to examine the correlation between instructor evaluations and class size in tertiary institutions as the findings can inform regulatory decisions regarding class sizes in postsecondary facilities. The study reviewed 97-course evaluations garnered in the Fall of 2019 from a Midwest University. The feedback of students, undertaking physical, and virtual classes, was considered regarding teachers’ performance. Different course evaluations included in the study were adjunct faculty, full-time faculty, graduate level, and undergraduate level course assessments. The research findings depicted a negative correlation between class size and instructor evaluation, positing that teachers teach the same way in smaller classes as they do in larger classes. Nonetheless, the study results showed that the sizes of conventional virtual classes had a lower correlation with course performances compared to traditional face-to-face classes. In the latter, there was more engagement between teachers and students, as the latter appeared to be more active than in online classes. With the technological effect that Covid-19 has brought forth in online learning, population sizes of online classes have changed. Therefore, considering the data used for the research was collected preCovid-19, it is essential that future studies pay considerable focus on the quality of evaluation of virtual classes to help with directing of school budget allocations toward online learning.","PeriodicalId":47411,"journal":{"name":"Active Learning in Higher Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41880025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-11DOI: 10.1177/14697874221124306
Carla Bohndick, Jonas Breetzke, Tom Rosman
Perceived fit of students is one of the most prominent predictors of study success in higher education, but when assessed directly, it provides lots of room for interpretation for the respondents. This is also true for perceived demands-abilities fit (e.g. how do one’s abilities fit with study demands), which has particularly high associations with study success. We, therefore, investigated (1) how students combine demands and abilities when asked about their perceived demands-abilities fit and (2) which demands and abilities they have in mind when asked about their perceptions of fit in an unspecific manner. We obtained data on the perceived fit of N = 595 university students from four German-speaking countries and analyzed them using response surface analysis. The results indicate that (1) perceived demands-abilities fit does not correspond to the congruence of perceived demands and perceived abilities when the latter two are measured separately, but rather reflects a strong linear effect of the abilities. Furthermore, they show that (2) the specific demands and abilities do not influence the way how demands and abilities are combined to a fit score, but that there are differences in the amount of explained variance between the specific demands and abilities. The results speak for a new interpretation of prior findings and challenge the contemporary understanding of perceived fit. For example, perceived fit and self-efficacy might be more closely associated than previously assumed. When striving to enhance perceived fit, practitioners should thus focus on fostering individual abilities and their perceptions.
{"title":"Asking students about their fit with the university: A response surface analysis of demands-abilities fit","authors":"Carla Bohndick, Jonas Breetzke, Tom Rosman","doi":"10.1177/14697874221124306","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14697874221124306","url":null,"abstract":"Perceived fit of students is one of the most prominent predictors of study success in higher education, but when assessed directly, it provides lots of room for interpretation for the respondents. This is also true for perceived demands-abilities fit (e.g. how do one’s abilities fit with study demands), which has particularly high associations with study success. We, therefore, investigated (1) how students combine demands and abilities when asked about their perceived demands-abilities fit and (2) which demands and abilities they have in mind when asked about their perceptions of fit in an unspecific manner. We obtained data on the perceived fit of N = 595 university students from four German-speaking countries and analyzed them using response surface analysis. The results indicate that (1) perceived demands-abilities fit does not correspond to the congruence of perceived demands and perceived abilities when the latter two are measured separately, but rather reflects a strong linear effect of the abilities. Furthermore, they show that (2) the specific demands and abilities do not influence the way how demands and abilities are combined to a fit score, but that there are differences in the amount of explained variance between the specific demands and abilities. The results speak for a new interpretation of prior findings and challenge the contemporary understanding of perceived fit. For example, perceived fit and self-efficacy might be more closely associated than previously assumed. When striving to enhance perceived fit, practitioners should thus focus on fostering individual abilities and their perceptions.","PeriodicalId":47411,"journal":{"name":"Active Learning in Higher Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48586389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-09-16DOI: 10.1177/14697874221118864
T. Benning
Reducing free-riding is an important challenge for educators who use group projects. In this study, we measure students’ preferences for group project characteristics and investigate if characteristics that better help to reduce free-riding become more important for students when stakes increase. We used a discrete choice experiment based on 12 choice tasks in which students chose between two group projects that differed on five characteristics of which each level had its own effect on free-riding. A different group project grade weight was presented before each choice task to manipulate how much there was at stake for students in the group project. Data of 257 student respondents were used in the analysis. Based on random parameter logit model estimates we find that students prefer (in order of importance) assignment based on schedule availability and motivation or self-selection (instead of random assignment), the use of one or two peer process evaluations (instead of zero), a small team size of three or two students (instead of four), a common grade (instead of a divided grade), and a discussion with the course coordinator without a sanction as a method to handle free-riding (instead of member expulsion). Furthermore, we find that the characteristic team formation approach becomes even more important (especially self-selection) when student stakes increase. Educators can use our findings to design group projects that better help to reduce free-riding by (1) avoiding random assignment as team formation approach, (2) using (one or two) peer process evaluations, and (3) creating small(er) teams.
{"title":"Reducing free-riding in group projects in line with students’ preferences: Does it matter if there is more at stake?","authors":"T. Benning","doi":"10.1177/14697874221118864","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14697874221118864","url":null,"abstract":"Reducing free-riding is an important challenge for educators who use group projects. In this study, we measure students’ preferences for group project characteristics and investigate if characteristics that better help to reduce free-riding become more important for students when stakes increase. We used a discrete choice experiment based on 12 choice tasks in which students chose between two group projects that differed on five characteristics of which each level had its own effect on free-riding. A different group project grade weight was presented before each choice task to manipulate how much there was at stake for students in the group project. Data of 257 student respondents were used in the analysis. Based on random parameter logit model estimates we find that students prefer (in order of importance) assignment based on schedule availability and motivation or self-selection (instead of random assignment), the use of one or two peer process evaluations (instead of zero), a small team size of three or two students (instead of four), a common grade (instead of a divided grade), and a discussion with the course coordinator without a sanction as a method to handle free-riding (instead of member expulsion). Furthermore, we find that the characteristic team formation approach becomes even more important (especially self-selection) when student stakes increase. Educators can use our findings to design group projects that better help to reduce free-riding by (1) avoiding random assignment as team formation approach, (2) using (one or two) peer process evaluations, and (3) creating small(er) teams.","PeriodicalId":47411,"journal":{"name":"Active Learning in Higher Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42587017","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-08-27DOI: 10.1177/14697874221120783
Elena Anghel
Collaborative learning (CL) is a common teaching strategy in colleges that involves actively working in groups to achieve a goal. Several studies and theories endorse it as contributing to students’ achievement, motivation, and higher-order thinking skills. However, these studies are inconsistent in the way they define and operationalize CL. For example, they do not separate the quantity and the quality of CL, nor do they distinguish between course-specific and general attitudes toward CL. The study suggests that researchers should define CL more precisely, and demonstrates this approach using a case study ( N = 38). This study examines whether the quality and quantity of group work predicted course achievement after controlling for prior achievement, individual-level motivation, and social ties among students. Quality of CL was operationalized as positive attitudes toward CL in the current course and in general, and quantity of CL was operationalized as the frequency of interactions among group members. Social ties were measured using Social Network Analysis (SNA) which allows researchers to identify the number and strength of connections among students. Findings suggest that positive attitudes toward CL in the current course predicted higher achievement levels, but the frequency of interactions and positive attitudes toward CL in general were associated with lower achievement levels. That is, in the current context, course-specific quality of CL was positively associated with achievement, but other ways of operationalizing CL were not, and in fact had negative relationships with achievement. The study also demonstrates the use of SNA when exploring students’ relationships; it shows that they were associated with course performance but that this association diminished after controlling for students’ attitudes. Overall, it is recommended that researchers clarify what they intend to measure when exploring CL, as this can have an important impact on findings.
{"title":"Let’s do this together: Do the quantity and the quality of collaborative learning predict achievement among college students?","authors":"Elena Anghel","doi":"10.1177/14697874221120783","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14697874221120783","url":null,"abstract":"Collaborative learning (CL) is a common teaching strategy in colleges that involves actively working in groups to achieve a goal. Several studies and theories endorse it as contributing to students’ achievement, motivation, and higher-order thinking skills. However, these studies are inconsistent in the way they define and operationalize CL. For example, they do not separate the quantity and the quality of CL, nor do they distinguish between course-specific and general attitudes toward CL. The study suggests that researchers should define CL more precisely, and demonstrates this approach using a case study ( N = 38). This study examines whether the quality and quantity of group work predicted course achievement after controlling for prior achievement, individual-level motivation, and social ties among students. Quality of CL was operationalized as positive attitudes toward CL in the current course and in general, and quantity of CL was operationalized as the frequency of interactions among group members. Social ties were measured using Social Network Analysis (SNA) which allows researchers to identify the number and strength of connections among students. Findings suggest that positive attitudes toward CL in the current course predicted higher achievement levels, but the frequency of interactions and positive attitudes toward CL in general were associated with lower achievement levels. That is, in the current context, course-specific quality of CL was positively associated with achievement, but other ways of operationalizing CL were not, and in fact had negative relationships with achievement. The study also demonstrates the use of SNA when exploring students’ relationships; it shows that they were associated with course performance but that this association diminished after controlling for students’ attitudes. Overall, it is recommended that researchers clarify what they intend to measure when exploring CL, as this can have an important impact on findings.","PeriodicalId":47411,"journal":{"name":"Active Learning in Higher Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42666965","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-08-23DOI: 10.1177/14697874221118861
C. Mayfield, Alix Valenti
Our study explores the differences in the experiences and attitudes of students assigned to student teams in online courses versus face-to-face courses. The study was administered to 320 students in 14 sections (eight online and six face-to-face) of a graduate-level course. The results demonstrate that student ratings of team trust, team satisfaction, and team identity as assessed mid-semester are lower in online courses than face-to-face courses. As the semester progressed, these course modality differences in student perceptions of team trust and satisfaction diminished. However, feelings of team identity remained lower in online courses than in face-to-face courses through to the end of the semester. Implications for online instruction and recommendations for future research are offered.
{"title":"Team satisfaction, identity, and trust: a comparison of face-to-face and virtual student teams","authors":"C. Mayfield, Alix Valenti","doi":"10.1177/14697874221118861","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14697874221118861","url":null,"abstract":"Our study explores the differences in the experiences and attitudes of students assigned to student teams in online courses versus face-to-face courses. The study was administered to 320 students in 14 sections (eight online and six face-to-face) of a graduate-level course. The results demonstrate that student ratings of team trust, team satisfaction, and team identity as assessed mid-semester are lower in online courses than face-to-face courses. As the semester progressed, these course modality differences in student perceptions of team trust and satisfaction diminished. However, feelings of team identity remained lower in online courses than in face-to-face courses through to the end of the semester. Implications for online instruction and recommendations for future research are offered.","PeriodicalId":47411,"journal":{"name":"Active Learning in Higher Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46557775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-08-22DOI: 10.1177/14697874221118866
Michael C. Ralph, Blair Schneider, D. R. Benson, Douglas Ward
Institutions of higher education are seeking to support more active learning among faculty, and that support includes the creation of active learning spaces to support more student-centered course activities. However, incremental development of these learning spaces leads to a sorting of students between active and passive learning environments. This study collected repeat-measure data from undergraduate students enrolled in a two-semester course sequence to evaluate factors affecting student enrollment decisions and student attitudes toward learning. We integrated this combination of research tools using a QuantCrit analytic framework, which revealed student attitudes and decision-making processes that were generally stable over the study period for individuals, but very different when examining student enrollment groups over time. Limited access to active learning classrooms forced students to self-sort based on either their social networks or their attitudes toward learning. That, in turn, may create a marginalizing force that pushes out some students—most often women—from undergraduate programs.
{"title":"Separated by spaces: Undergraduate students re-sort along attitude divides when choosing whether to learn in spaces designed for active learning","authors":"Michael C. Ralph, Blair Schneider, D. R. Benson, Douglas Ward","doi":"10.1177/14697874221118866","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14697874221118866","url":null,"abstract":"Institutions of higher education are seeking to support more active learning among faculty, and that support includes the creation of active learning spaces to support more student-centered course activities. However, incremental development of these learning spaces leads to a sorting of students between active and passive learning environments. This study collected repeat-measure data from undergraduate students enrolled in a two-semester course sequence to evaluate factors affecting student enrollment decisions and student attitudes toward learning. We integrated this combination of research tools using a QuantCrit analytic framework, which revealed student attitudes and decision-making processes that were generally stable over the study period for individuals, but very different when examining student enrollment groups over time. Limited access to active learning classrooms forced students to self-sort based on either their social networks or their attitudes toward learning. That, in turn, may create a marginalizing force that pushes out some students—most often women—from undergraduate programs.","PeriodicalId":47411,"journal":{"name":"Active Learning in Higher Education","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41621387","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-07-24DOI: 10.1177/14697874221112879
A. Burke, Susan Stewart
Colleges and universities have implemented a broad range of initiatives to support student success. Problem solving courses and course supplements are one approach. Evaluation of these courses has shown positive outcomes in terms of improved academic performance and other benefits. A number of these studies have also reported the largest positive effects with underperforming student groups. To further explore this approach a novel general education academic success course was developed. The course integrated a comprehensive problem-solving model into lectures and assignments as the basis of an active learning instructional strategy. Students were taught the model along with relevant academic skills content. They then applied the model to a personal challenge affecting their success in school and life. Using a matched cohort design, 826 course participants were compared with a campus-wide sample matched on key variables. Generalized linear models were used to estimate between group mean differences, and a Cox proportional hazards model was used to compare time to graduation. Results showed that students who successfully completed the course achieved higher cumulative GPAs overall compared with matched peers. Highest GPAs for students who took the course as freshmen suggested a transfer of knowledge over time. Results also showed that the course significantly benefited students from historically at-risk populations in terms of higher GPAs, units earned, retention, and graduation rates. This study shows that a well designed problem solving course can help students, especially those who struggle academically, to more effectively meet the challenges of college and daily life.
{"title":"Learning problem solving to manage school-life challenges: The impact on student success in college","authors":"A. Burke, Susan Stewart","doi":"10.1177/14697874221112879","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/14697874221112879","url":null,"abstract":"Colleges and universities have implemented a broad range of initiatives to support student success. Problem solving courses and course supplements are one approach. Evaluation of these courses has shown positive outcomes in terms of improved academic performance and other benefits. A number of these studies have also reported the largest positive effects with underperforming student groups. To further explore this approach a novel general education academic success course was developed. The course integrated a comprehensive problem-solving model into lectures and assignments as the basis of an active learning instructional strategy. Students were taught the model along with relevant academic skills content. They then applied the model to a personal challenge affecting their success in school and life. Using a matched cohort design, 826 course participants were compared with a campus-wide sample matched on key variables. Generalized linear models were used to estimate between group mean differences, and a Cox proportional hazards model was used to compare time to graduation. Results showed that students who successfully completed the course achieved higher cumulative GPAs overall compared with matched peers. Highest GPAs for students who took the course as freshmen suggested a transfer of knowledge over time. Results also showed that the course significantly benefited students from historically at-risk populations in terms of higher GPAs, units earned, retention, and graduation rates. This study shows that a well designed problem solving course can help students, especially those who struggle academically, to more effectively meet the challenges of college and daily life.","PeriodicalId":47411,"journal":{"name":"Active Learning in Higher Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45945674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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