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Related Experiment Videos

Contrasting Cases: Students' Experiences in an Active-Learning Biology Classroom.

Lisa B Wiltbank1, Kurt R Williams1, Lauren Marciniak1

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105.

CBE Life Sciences Education
|August 10, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Student engagement in active learning varies greatly, with grades often failing to reflect important aspects of the undergraduate biology learning experience. This study highlights individual differences in how students perceive and respond to active learning strategies.

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Area of Science:

  • Biology Education Research
  • Undergraduate Science Education

Background:

  • Active learning is a pedagogical approach increasingly used in higher education.
  • Student engagement is considered crucial for the effectiveness of active learning strategies.
  • Traditional assessment methods like grades may not fully capture the nuances of student learning experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore undergraduate students' perspectives on active learning in a large introductory biology course.
  • To investigate the relationship between self-reported student engagement and academic performance.
  • To understand how students experience and respond to the same active learning tasks differently.

Main Methods:

  • Qualitative study employing in-depth case studies of four undergraduate students.

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  • Semi-structured interviews conducted five times throughout a semester.
  • Collection of student grades at regular intervals.
  • Analysis of self-reported engagement alongside academic grades.

    • Main Results:

    • Significant variation observed in students' self-reported engagement with active learning tasks.
    • Case studies revealed diverse student responses to identical in-class learning activities.
    • Academic grades did not fully represent the aspects of active learning students deemed important.
    • Student engagement emerged as a critical, yet variably expressed, component of the learning process.

    Conclusions:

    • Active learning experiences are highly individualized, extending beyond measurable academic outcomes.
    • Self-reported engagement provides valuable insights into student learning that grades may overlook.
    • Further research should explore diverse assessment methods to capture the full spectrum of active learning impacts.