Researching Pedagogy Within Small Active Learning Classrooms: Examining Enacted Pedagogies of Learner and Instructor Interactions

• In Event: Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: Effects of the Learning Environment on Outcomes

Abstract

Recent research has strongly supported the use of active learning pedagogies, particularly in classrooms that serve 24 students or less. Despite these positive effects, research that examines enacted pedagogies within smaller active learning classrooms (ALCs) has not been prominent. Given the call for innovative empirical methods within learning space research, we argue that video platform technologies are particularly suited for capturing enacted pedagogies (e.g., what teachers and learners do) within smaller ALCs, based on the ability to examine teacher and student classroom interactions, the use of the physical space, and the context-specific enhancements via a qualitative data analysis program. A case study example of world language instruction employing the proposed methods within a small ALC is provided for contextualization.

Authors

• Tiffany Anne Roman, Indiana University

• Suraj Uttamchandani, Indiana University - Bloomington