Online and active learning design in large-size classes: a phenomenological study

Abstract This paper presents a qualitative–quantitative study that investigates whether an active and collaborative design can help university students positively evaluate the course, even in a large-size online class for special ed teachers. The analysis of the collected data (a fact-finding questionnaire created on purpose; a standard questionnaire for the course evaluation; field notes, design documentation; a class climate analysis questionnaire; an individual opinion poll about the educational activities; in-chat reflections of trainees) clearly testifies that trainees greatly appreciated the active and collaborative design. Some of the students hoped to be able to repeat a similar instructional design in their own classes, even though they underlined that this type of design often requires much more commitment, for the student and the teacher, than what is foreseen by the recognised credits. The results that can be achieved, in terms of Students’ Evaluation of Teaching (SET), are relevant if the teacher is properly trained to the introduction of pedagogical innovation, as also recalled by the European Union.