Student Engagement in Large Classroom: the Effect on Grades, Attendance and Student Experiences in an Undergraduate Biology Course

Anna Rissanen1
1Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

Tóm tắt

Especially, during the first year in university, absenteeism can have detrimental effects on grades and social integration of the student in the university community. According to pedagogical literature, altering teaching methods from lecturing toward engaging teaching, which applies various active teaching methods in the university classroom, can enhance learning, student participation, decrease absenteeism, and improve critical thinking and problem solving skills. In this research study, I used active learning and engaging teaching to prevent absenteeism in an attempt to improve grades, and to enhance interest in Biology among students in large first-year Introductory Biology classes. Results show that students were less absent from the class that used engaging teaching methods (Engaging Class) compared to classes that were taught by traditional lecturing without class engagement (Lecture Class). Also, the concept inventory test showed a significant increase in post-test quiz grades in the Engaging Class compared to the Lecture Class at the end of the semester. The student CLASSE survey indicated more interaction between faculty and students in the section that was taught using engaging methods. According to student focus group interviews, students in the Engaging Class appreciated the class activities and reported benefits for learning.

Từ khóa


Tài liệu tham khảo

Allen, D., & Tanner, K. (2007). Transformations- Approaches to College Science Teaching . New York, USA: W.H. Freeman and Company.

Allen, D.E. & White, H.B. (1999). A few steps ahead on the same path. Journal of College Science Teaching, 28, 299–302.

Anderson, L.W. & Krathwohl, D.R. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching and assessing: A revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of educational objectives. New York, USA: Longman.

Anderson, W., Mitchell, S., & Osgood, M. (2005). Comparison of student performance in cooperative learning and traditional lecture-based biochemistry classes. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 33(6), 387–393.

Anderson, W.A., Banerjee, U., Drennan, C.L., Elgin, S.C., Epstein, I.R., Handelsman, J., Hatfull, G.F., Losick, R., O'Dowd, D.K., Olivera, B.M., Strobel, S.A., Walker, G.C., & Warner, I.M. (2011). Science education. Changing the culture of science education at research universities. Science, 331(6014), 152–153.

Armbruster, P., Patel, M., Johnson, E., & Weiss, M. (2009). Active learning and student-centered pedagogy improve student attitudes and performance in introductory biology. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 8(3), 203–213.

Armstrong, N., S. Chang and P. Brickman. (2007). Cooperative learning in industrial sized biology classes. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 6, 163–171.

Bartlett, T. (2003). The first thing about teaching. Chronicles in Higher Education, 50, A10-A11.

Baruch-Runyon, A., VanZandt, Z., & Elliott, S.A. (2009). Forging Connections: An Investigation of New Students’ Perspectives of Their Transition to the University. NACADA Journal, 29(1), 31–42.

Berman, P., McLaughlin, M.W., Bass, G., Pauly, E., & Zelman, G. (1977). Federal programs supporting educational change: Factors affecting implementation and continuation. Santa Monica, CA: The Rand Corporation.

Burrowes, P. A. (2003). A Student-Centered Approach to Teaching General Biology that Really Works. The American Biology Teacher, 65 (7), 491–502.

Caldwell, J. E. (2007). Clickers in the large classroom: Current research and best-practice tips. Life Sciences Education, 6, 9–20.

CLASSE. Retrieved from http://www.assessment.ua.edu/CLASSE/Documents/CLASSE_Student.pdf

Coates, H. (2005). The Value of Student Engagement for Higher Education Quality Assurance. Quality in Higher Education, 11 (1), pp. 25–36.

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2011). Research methods in education (7th ed.). New York, NY, USA: Routledge. Creswell Educational Research.

Cozolino, L. & Sprokay, S. (2006). Neuroscience and Adult Learning. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 110, 11–19.

Crombie, G., Pike, S.W., Silverthorn, N., Jones, A., & Piccinin, S. (2003). Students’ perceptions of their classroom participation and instructor as a function of gender and context. The Journal of Higher Education, 74(1), 51–76.

Crossgrove, K. & Curran, K. L. (2008). Using clickers in nonmajors- and majors-level biology courses: Student opinion, learning, and long-term retention of course material. Life Sciences Education, 7, 145–154.

Crouch, C.H. & Mazur, E. (2001). Peer instruction: Ten Years of experience and results. American Journal of Physiology, 69, 970–977.

Dallimore, E. J. , Hertenstein, J. H., & Platt, M. B. (2004). Classroom participation and discussion effectiveness: Student-generated strategies. Communication Education, 53, 103–115.

DesLauriers L., Schelew E., Wieman C. (2011). Improved learning in a large-enrollment physics class. Science, 332: 862–864.

Devadoss, S. & Foltz, J. (1996). Evaluation of factors influencing student class attendance and performance. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 78(3), 499–507.

Durden, G. & Ellis, L. (1995). The Effects of Attendance on Student Learning in Principles of Economics. American Economic Review Papers and Proceedings, 85, 343–346.

Ebert-May, D. & Hodder, J. (2008). Pathways to Scientific Teaching. New York, USA: W.H. Freeman and Company.

Fassinger, P. A. (1995). Understanding classroom interaction: Students’ and professors’ contributions to students’ silence. Journal of Higher Education, 66, 82–96.

Fredricks, J.A., Blumenfeld, P.C. and Paris, A.H. (2004). School Engagement: Potential of the Concept, State of the Evidence. Review of Educational Research, 74 (1), pp. 59–109.

Freeman S., O’Connor E., Parks J., Cunningham M., Hurley D., Haak D., Dirks C., & Wenderoth M.P. (2007). Prescribed active learning increases performance in introductory Biology. CBE Life Science Education, 6, 132–139.

Freeman S., Eddy S., McDonough M., Smith M.K., Okoroafor N., Jordt H., & Wenderoth M.P. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings in National Academic Science USA, 111, 8410–8415.

Gasiewski, J., Eagan, K., Garcia, G., Hurtado, S., & Chang, M. (2012). From Gatekeeping to Engagement: A Multicontextual, Mixed Method Study of Student Academic Engagement in Introductory STEM Courses. Research in Higher Education, 53, 229:261.

Golde, C.M., & Dore, T.M. (2001). At cross purpose: what experiences of doctoral students reveal about doctoral education. Philadelphia: Pew Charitable Trusts. Retrieved from http://www.phdcompletion.org/promising/Golde.pdf

Grabe, M., Christopherson, K., & Douglas, J. (2005). Providing introductory psychology students access to online lecture notes: The relationship of note use to performance and class attendance. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 33, 295–308.

Graf, S., Yang, G., Liu, T.-C., & Kinshuk. (2009). Automatic, global and dynamic student modeling in a ubiquitous learning environment. International Journal on Knowledge Management and E-Learning, 1(1), 18–35

Guskey, T., & Passaro, P. (1994). Teacher efficacy: A study of construct dimensions. American Educational Research Journal, 31, 627–643.

Handelsman, J., Ebert-May, D., Beichner, R., Bruns P., Chang A., DeHaan R., Gentile J., Lauffer S., Stewart J., Tilghman, S.M., Wood, W.B. (2004). Education. Scientific teaching. Science, 304(5670), 521–2.

Handelsman, M. M., Briggs, W. L., Sullivan, N., Towler, A. (2005). A measure of college student course engagement. Journal of Educational Research, 98(3), 184–191.

Handelsman, J., Miller S., Pfund, C. (2007). Scientific Teaching. New York, USA: W.H. Freeman and Company.

Heron J. (1996). Co-operative inquiry: Research into the human condition. London, UK: Sage.

Hestenes, D., Wells, M., & Swackhamer, G. (1992). Force Concept Inventory. The Physics Teacher, Vol. 30, 141–158.

Hurd, P. (1997). Inventing Science Education for the New Millennium. New York, USA: Teachers College Press.

Kearney, C. (2003). Bridging the gap among professionals who address youths with school absenteeism: Overview and suggestions for consensus. Professional Psychology, 34, 57–65.

Klymkowsky, M. W. & Garvin-Doxas, K. (2008). Recognizing Student Misconceptions through Ed’s Tool and the Biology Concept Inventory. PLoS Biol, 6, e3.

Knight, J. K. & Wood, W. B. (2005). Teaching more by lecturing less. Cell Biology Education, 4, 298–310.

Knowlton, A.C.(2011). Absenteeism in the college classroom: Communicatively exploring student and teacher perceptions. Communication Studies course work. University of Nebraska, USA. Retrieved from http://un-lincoln.academia.edu/AdamKnowlton/Papers/1375483/Absenteeism_in_the_College_Classroom

Larose, S., Robertson, D. U., Roy, R., & Legault, F. (1998). Nonintellectual learning factors as determinants for success in college. Research in Higher Education, 39, 275–97.

Leger, A., Godlewska, A., Adjei, J., Schaefli, L., Whetstone, S., Finlay, J., Roy, R., & Massey, J. (2013). Large first-year course re-design to promote student engagement and student learning. Toronto: Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario.

MacArthur, J. (2010). Factors that promote success in large enrollment general chemistry courses taught with clickers. University of Northern Colorado. Retrieved from University of Northern Colorado, ProQuest, UMI Dissertations Publishing, 2010. 3404515.

Mann, S., & Robinson, A. (2009). Boredom in the lecture theatre: An investigation into the contributors, moderators, and outcomes of boredom among university students. British Educational Research Journal, 32(2), 243–258.

Marburger, D.R. (2001). Absenteeism and undergraduate exam performance. Journal of Economic Education, 32, 99–109.

Mayer, R.A., Stull, A., DeLeeuw, K., Almeroth, K., Bimber, B., Chun, D., Bulger, M., Campbell, J., Knight, A., & Zhang, H. (2009). Clickers in college classrooms: fostering learning with questioning methods in large lecture classes. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 34, 51–57.

McDaniel, C.N., Lister, B.C., Hanna, M.H., & Roy, H. (2007). Increased learning observed in redesigned introductory biology course that employed web-enhanced, interactive pedagogy. CBE Life Sciences Education, 6, 243–249.

Meyer, J.H.F. & Land, R. (2003). Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: Linkages to ways of thinking and practicing within the disciplines. In: Rust C Eds. Improving student learning: Improving student learning theory and practice- ten years on (pp 53–64). Oxford, UK: Centre for Staff and Learning Development.

Moravec, M., Williams, A., Aguilar-Roca, N., & O’Dowd D.K. (2010). Learn before lecture: A strategy that improves learning outcomes in a large introductory biology class. CBE Life Sciences Education, 9, 473–481.

Nagy-Shadman, E. & Desrochers, C. (2008). Student response technology: Empirically grounded or just a gimmick? International Journal of Science Education, 30(15), 2023–2066.

National Research Council (2003). Transforming Undergraduate Education for Future Research Biologists. Washington DC, USA: National Academies Press.

National Research Council (2012). Discipline-Based Education Research: Understanding and Improving Learning in Undergraduate Science and Engineering. S.R. Singer, N.R. Nielsen, and H.A. Schweingruber, Editors. Committee on the Status, Contributions, and Future Directions of Discipline-Based Education Research. Board on Science Education, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC, USA: The National Academies Press.

Nelson Laird, T. F., Bridges, B. K., Morelon-Quainoo, C. L., Williams, J. M., & Holmes, M. S. (2007). African American and Hispanic student engagement at minority serving and predominantly White institutions. Journal of College Student Development, 48(1), 39–56.

Neri, F. & Meloche, Y. (2007). The Impact of Lecture Attendance on Academic Performance in a Large First Year Economics Course. Retrieved from http://ssrn.com/abstract=975573 or https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.975573

Park, K. & Kerr, P. (1990). Determinants of Academic Performance: A Multinomial Logit Approach. Journal of Economic Education, Spring, 101–111.

Pascarella, E.T., Salisbury, M.H., & Blaich, C. (2011). Exposure to Effective Instruction and College Student Persistence: A Multi-Institutional Replication and Extension. Journal of College Student Development, 52(1), 4–19.

Platt, T., Barber, E., Yoshinaka, A., & Roth, V. (2003). An innovative selection and training program for problem-based learning workshop leaders in biochemistry. Biochemistry Molecular Biology Education, 31, 132–136.

Preszler, R. W., Dawe, A., Shuster, C. B., & Shuster, M. (2007). Assessment of the effects of student response systems on student learning and attitudes over a broad range of biology courses. Life Sciences Education, 6, 29–41.

Ruiz-Primo M.A, Briggs D., Iverson H., Talbot R., & Shepard L.A. (2011). Impact of undergraduate science course innovations on learning. Science, 331(6022);1269–1270.

Slem, C. M. (1983). Relationship between classroom absenteeism and stress risk / buffer factors, depressogenic attributional style, depression and classroom aca-demic performance. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA.

Springer L., Stanne M.E., & Donovan S.S. (1999). Effects of small group learning on undergraduates in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. Reviews Educational Research, 69(1), 21–51.

St. Clair, K.L. (1999). A Case Against Compulsory Class Attendance Policies in Higher Education. Innovative Higher Education, Vol. 23, No. 3, 171–180.

Svanum, S. & Bigatti, S.M. (2009). Academic Course Engagement During One Semester Forecasts College Success: Engaged Students Are More Likely to Earn a Degree, Do It Faster, and Do It Better. Journal of College Student Development, 50(1), 120–132.

Thompson, D.E., Orr, B., Thompson, C., & Grover, K. (2007). Examining students’ perceptions of their first-semester experience at a major landgrant institution. College Student Journal, 41(3), 640–48.

Weaver, R. R. & Qi, J. (2005). Classroom organization and participation: College students' perceptions. Journal of Higher Education, 76, 570–601.

White, K., O’Connor, E., & Hamilton, K. (2011). In-Group and Role Identity Influences on the Initiation and Maintenance of Students' Voluntary Attendance at Peer Study Sessions for Statistics. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 81, 325–343.

Wieman, E. (2007). Why not try a scientific approach to science education?. Change, 39, 5.

Williams, W. M., Papierno, P. B., Makel, M. C., & Ceci, S. J. (2004). Thinking like a scientist about real-world problems: The Cornell Institute for Research on Children science education program. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 25(1), 107–126.