The effectiveness of active learning in sciences has been a topic of discussion for quite long. Consequently, research works have been conducted in a bid to validate the effectiveness of active learning and what it merits against the traditional methods of teaching. In an effort to examine the importance and the impact of active learning on teaching, the article explores research methodologies aimed at creating and drawing tentative premises that will bring a clear summary to the contentious discussion (Ding, 2015). Students are considered to show varied understanding during teaching regardless of the method of teaching thus making it difficult to assert that method of teaching bears the sole responsibility for the understanding of the topic in class distinctively (Ssemakula et al., 2015).
Summary
The article explores the contentiously analyzed problem of active learning. As asserted by the authors, their examination of the topic conforms and disputes other notions that previous research had created in the education sector. There are beliefs of varied magnitude that tend to influence the view of educationists as well as learners. Tutors critically form the core of the research that examines the level of understanding of the students on the biology topic of natural selection. In this research, the authors examine how active learning can be instrumental in the understanding of natural selection in different colleges and schools across the US. In this respect, the report adopted a research methodology that incorporates sampling and assessment as the core methods of conducting and compiling the report.
Methods of research
The research used both evaluation and sampling to filter out the target sample population for research and determining their impact of the used method of teaching on them. Through sampling, a sample population of 144 institutions, randomly selected institutions of 77 in number were sampled and examined. It inculcated sorting of biology courses that had the topic of natural selection. The courses and the respective instructors’ information were found on the institution’s website. Taking into account the best specimen sample, a total of 55 instructors were examined (Andrews et al., 2011).
Assessing learning-the assessment of learning was conducted to determine how students effectively conceptualized the topic of natural selection through pretest and posttest. The assessment was done by students completing a multiples choice test and open-ended questions consisting of 10 and five questions respectively.
Calculating the learning gains
The calculations were mainly based on various components of the result. The calculations focused on effect size, percent change, average normalized gain, and raw change. It was mainly aimed at examining the correlations.
Data analysis
It involved the comparative analysis of the fully and partially participating instructors by determining any bias due to nonresponse. Linear regressions models were used to highlighting the effectiveness of the learning process through active participation. The data from student and instructor survey was used in the process so as to limit any variation.
Results
There were four results deduced from the analysis. Instructors did report frequently using active learning exercises. Second of all, there were modest gains using active learning. The third finding was that there wasn’t any correlation between the frequency of active learning exercises and the student outcomes. The final finding revealed that misconception factors have a significant impact on learning the process. Thus, must be confronted.
Discussion
The findings of the research suggested that use of active learning did not yield sizable returns for the students. Additionally, the lack of correlation between the student outcome and active learning is an indication of misconstrued notions that support active learning as an effective method of administering education (Andrews et al., 2011). My relation to constructivism, the findings reveal an absence of constructivist elements in active learning. These elements are critical to the acquisition and mastery of knowledge by students thus leading to the deductions that active learning does not have a huge impact on the learning process as alleged in previous works. In essence, addressing the misconceptions has been found to exhibit huge benefits for the students in learning. Therefore, there is the necessity to address the misconceptions if students’ gains are to be enhanced.
QUESTIONS
Is it possible that a large number of introductory biology courses teaching the topic of natural selection make the instructors move too fast thus not allowing the students’ time to comprehend and overcome the misconceptions about their understanding?
There is possibility that the large number of courses would make the tutors tackle the problem in haste without giving the students enough time to synthesize the information and develop a proper understanding. If students were given enough time, they would overcome the misconceptions thus creating the perception of modest gains.
What would happen if half of the topics were removed from the syllabus, would there be gains for the students?
It would reduce the workload thus making it easy for students to master. It is common knowledge that little content easy to master as opposed to huge content. Students would definitely gain as they have to engage over less content.
Do students require more time to mull over the topics or do they prefer straight teaching to active learning?
It is proven that knowledge acquisition can be possible and viable over time. However, the effectiveness of active learning might not change with time if the students did not gain during the lessons. Besides the methods of teaching, it is also possible that students’ gains were affected by other factors. Therefore, time might not have changed anything.
References
Andrews, T. M., Leornad, M. J., Colgrove, C. A., & Kalinowski, S. T. (2011). Active Learning Not Associated with Student Learning in a Random Sample of College Biology Courses.
Ding, L. (2015). Sensitivity of Learning Gains on the Force Concept Inventory to Students’ Individual Epistemological Changes. 2014 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings.
Ssemakula, M., Liao, G., & Sawilowsky, S. (2015). Assessing the Learning Gains of Manufacturing Students in an Integrated Hands-on Curriculum. 2015 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition Proceedings.
