Blended synchronous learning enables online learners to participate in class activities from geographically separated sites. Due to various challenges, however, online learners are often harder to be engaged and their engagement levels are lower than that of classroom counterparts. This review summarized and synthesized the challenges that led to…

Random call has been proposed as an inclusive and equitable practice that engages students in learning. However, this inclusion may come with a cost. In some contexts, students experience anxiety and distress when being called on. Recently, focus has shifted to critical components of random call that may mitigate this cost. We examined how…

Lecture-only style teaching where a teacher delivers content and students are tested on the retained information is the predominant approach in higher education. Alternatively, active learning is an instructional method in which students become engaged participants in the classroom through the use of in-class written exercises, games, problem…

For many students, project-based learning (PBL) can be more engaging than more traditional instructional approaches. Over the past 15 years, Anna Saavedra and Amie Rapaport studied seven inquiry-based approaches. Their research shows that PBL has a positive effect on students' achievement and development of important soft skills. Schools can…

This study explores the factors influencing students' online game-based learning (OGBL) performance. At present, motivating students to engage in learning actively represents a significant challenge faced by teachers and other stakeholders. Additionally, the findings of a variety of OGBL studies have been inconsistent or contradictory,…

The authors' scholarly reflective narrative addresses the rewards and challenges of an immersive experiential active learning pedagogy. They ask, "was it worth it?" for students and for themselves. Although research evidence makes it clear that active learning benefits student learning and engagement, designing a course to incorporate…

Research indicates that active learning and Active Learning Spaces (ALSs) may improve student learning. Four teachers in mathematics and statistics at a Norwegian university are examined as they transition to ALSs. The teachers' experiences were analyzed using grounded theory which resulted in the three categories presenting what the teachers…

We explored the usage of smartphones in university classrooms across three different countries from the instructor's perspective. Using a qualitative, cross-cultural approach, we interviewed 30 instructors via semi-structured interviews to understand their viewpoints and experience with student smartphone usage in class. Instructors reported…

Peer mentorship programs have mostly emphasized formal structures, wherein a more experienced student guides a less experienced student. However, these practices are hierarchical and require substantive resources to organize and implement. Searching for alternatives, we research the effectiveness of an informal teaching technique that facilitates…

Background: Despite well-documented benefits, instructor adoption of active learning has been limited in engineering education. Studies have identified barriers to instructors' adoption of active learning, but there is no well-tested instrument to measure instructors perceptions of these barriers. Purpose: We developed and tested an instrument to…

In summer 2020, Northeastern University developed a fully online curricular pathway for incoming fall first-year undergraduate students who could not learn in residence. This pathway included 18 Global Challenge (GC) courses, each designed around project-based learning (PBL), grounded in a complex problem defined by Northeastern University…

Pedagogical training is considered an efficient tool to train university teachers to understand and foster active learning. In Finland, pedagogical training courses are organized periodically at universities, and university teachers participate voluntarily to improve pedagogical knowledge and skills for teaching in higher education settings. This…

This study evaluates the effectiveness of non-paper-and-pencil tests (NPTs) in Chinese language education for second-grade primary students in Baoshan City, Yunnan Province. The research aims to assess how NPTs support educational goals outlined in China's "double reduction" policy, which seeks to alleviate academic pressure and promote…

Attracting and retaining students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics majors, particularly those who are underrepresented, is a national concern. While undergraduate research experiences have been shown to increase retention and engagement, inequities in access exacerbate disparities. Understanding what hinders or facilitates the…

As education is increasingly going online, propelled by the COVID-19 outbreak, how to build student engagement has become critically important, and it is, therefore, necessary to explore the motivators and barriers to student engagement comprehensively. Given the nature of an online learning environment, this study specifically focused on security…