Diving into the Details: Constructing a Framework of Random Call Components.

Area of Science:

• STEM Education
• Higher Education Pedagogy

Background:

• Random call is a randomized teaching strategy for student engagement in undergraduate courses.
• Limited understanding exists regarding the implementation and instructor motivations for using random call.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the reasons why college biology instructors utilize random call in large undergraduate courses.
• To understand the specific methods instructors employ when implementing random call.
• To identify the critical components of random call and the underlying instructor reasoning.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative content analysis of interviews with 12 college biology instructors.
• Focus on instructors teaching courses with 50 or more students.

Main Results:

• Instructors use random call to broaden the range of student voices and ensure accountability for student work.
• Instructors are mindful of potential student anxiety and implement strategies to reduce it.
• Key components of random call implementation and instructor rationale were identified.

Conclusions:

• Random call is a nuanced strategy in large biology classes, balancing engagement with student well-being.
• Further research can investigate the impact of specific random call components on diverse student populations and learning outcomes.