Preventing Students from Snoozing and Losing

Abstract

This session will present the results of a mixed methods research study designed to determine the perspectives of college students when their professors used strategies to aid students’ retention of information rather than implement a lecture style classroom. Questionnaire data were collected from over 200 college students over a five-year span. Participants rated their motivation, interest in the subject, desire to attend class, and effort in a course that included active learning strategies and compared their views in these areas to other lecture style classes. In addition, participants explained each of these ratings by responding to a writing prompt. The participants suggested that their motivation, interest, and learning increased when styles other than lecture were employed in the classroom. The objectives of the presentation are to use active learning strategies (e.g., think-pair-share, fish bowl discussions, and round-robin) to share the results of the study, offer attendees recommendations for implementing active learning strategies, and participate in an activity wherein attendees can design active learning strategies to be used into their college classroom.