How Much Active Learning Should Be Incorporated Into College Course Lectures? (Poster 5)

• In Event: Intersections Across STEM Learning Environments

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to systematically compare two different intensities of active learning to determine whether the amount of time allocated to active learning activities during class differentially impacted student performance. Students in a research methods in psychology course experienced two different intensities of active learning across two research methods topics. Participants in the high-intensity active learning condition scored significantly higher than those in the low-intensity active learning condition for the topic of single-case research designs but performance between the two instructional conditions was similar for the topic of interobserver agreement and time sampling methods. Therefore, higher levels of active learning many confer greater learning benefits to students depending on the nature of the topic being taught.

Authors

• Amédee Marchand Martella, University of Georgia

• Melissa Swisher, Purdue University

• Richard E. Mayer, University of California - Santa Barbara