Developing a sense of classroom community is important in promoting course satisfaction and in helping students overcome feelings of disconnectedness, especially in online courses. When considering the various strategies identified as contributing to a sense of classroom community, instructors likely need support in which strategies and technology…

Multitasking activities among students using various technological devices is common during lectures, and many studies have demonstrated their deleterious effects on various learning outcomes. In contrast, fewer studies have examined ways to reduce multitasking and stimulate engagement in learning. The present study provides an educational…

Collaborative learning is a common teaching technique, posited to align with a constructivist approach to teaching and learning. This qualitative descriptive study explores how, if at all, faculty implementation and discussion of collaborative learning shows evidence of it as a constructivist practice. Nineteen faculty at a large public…

Constructive Alignment (CA) is a pedagogical tool for designing student-centered instruction aligned to learning outcomes. Despite strong evidence that CA and student-centered instruction are superior to lecture-based pedagogy, the latter remains prevalent across higher education. This descriptive-explanatory case study (n=20) investigates how…

Active learning methodologies, such as flipped classroom (FC), generate a higher level of student engagement, greater dynamism in learning and more significant interactions with course content. Some other active methodologies used in the academic environment are problem-based learning (PBL) and case study (CS). There are few studies that analyse…

In order to navigate enrollment challenges, universities are scheduling more online and blended courses including HyFlex courses which offer students flexibility in their method of attendance. The goal of this study is to explore student engagement in HyFlex courses. However, there is limited research supporting the effectiveness of HyFlex courses…

In recent years, the use of information technology to promote active learning in higher education has raised great interest. Teachers are continuously challenged to identify new research-informed approaches and educational practices for supporting students to actively learn and apply their knowledge. The present study tests the effects on…

Lack of student engagement in online learning is reported as the major challenge contributing to poor academic performance and completion rates. When transforming an in-person undergraduate remote sensing course to online, this study implemented interactive storytelling lecture trailers (ISLTs) as a tool to effect changes in the realms of…

Previous research has emphasized both the importance of giving and receiving peer feedback for the purpose of active learning, as well as of university students' engagement in reflection to improve learning outcomes. However, requiring students to explicitly reflect on peer reviewing is an understudied learning activity in higher education that…

Research associates self-regulated learning with academic achievement and lifelong learning. Although there is consensus surrounding the need for students to develop self-regulated learning skills, there is a paucity of research exploring how educators can foster student self-regulated learning. This study examines the teaching practices, beliefs…

Small class size is often used as an indicator of quality in higher education, and some research suggests that instructors in smaller classes more often use activities that are learner-centered and that involve physical and mental activity on the part of learners, such as group work, simulations, and case studies. However, we have little…

"Flipped" or inverted classrooms are designed to utilize class time for application and knowledge building, while course content is delivered through the use of online lectures and watched at home on the students' time. It is believed that flipped classrooms promote student engagement and a deeper understanding of the class material. The…

Student attitudes toward active learning techniques, such as group discussion, are often negative. The purpose of this study was to determine if an intervention informing students of the usefulness of group discussions affects their attitudes on group discussions. Students were randomly assigned to view a video and answer an essay question either…

Student engagement is intrinsically linked to two important metrics in learning: student satisfaction and the quality of the student experience. One of the ways that engagement can be influenced is through careful curriculum design. Using the knowledge that many students are "assessment-driven," a low-stakes continuous weekly summative…

An important contemporary challenge to the large-group lecture in higher education is that it encourages passive learning which is claimed to be out of sync with academic rhetoric and social needs. Attempts to change this practice have salvaged some aspects of the higher education experience for students, but they have not transformed the learning…