Active learning in research methods classes is associated with higher knowledge and confidence, though not evaluations or satisfaction
Research methods and statistics are regarded as difficult subjects to teach, fueling investigations into techniques that increase student engagement. Students enjoy active learning opportunities like hands-on demonstrations, authentic research participation, and working with real data. However, enha...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2016-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00279/full |
| _version_ | 1818542382142980096 |
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| author | Peter James Allen Frank Daniel Baughman |
| author_facet | Peter James Allen Frank Daniel Baughman |
| author_sort | Peter James Allen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Research methods and statistics are regarded as difficult subjects to teach, fueling investigations into techniques that increase student engagement. Students enjoy active learning opportunities like hands-on demonstrations, authentic research participation, and working with real data. However, enhanced enjoyment does not always correspond with enhanced learning and performance. In this study, we developed a workshop activity in which students participated in a computer-based experiment and used class-generated data to run a range of statistical procedures. To enable evaluation, we developed a parallel, didactic/canned workshop, which was identical to the activity-based version, except that students were told about the experiment and used a pre-existing/canned dataset to perform their analyses. Tutorial groups were randomized to one of the two workshop versions, and 39 students completed a post-workshop evaluation questionnaire. A series of generalized linear mixed models suggested that, compared to the students in the didactic/canned condition, students exposed to the activity-based workshop displayed significantly greater knowledge of the methodological and statistical issues addressed in class, and were more confident about their ability to use this knowledge in the future. However, overall evaluations and satisfaction between the two groups were not reliably different. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T22:21:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1aaccc06a29e4e0cbeffe1b5c7aff27e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T22:21:20Z |
| publishDate | 2016-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1aaccc06a29e4e0cbeffe1b5c7aff27e2022-12-22T00:48:25ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782016-03-01710.3389/fpsyg.2016.00279163446Active learning in research methods classes is associated with higher knowledge and confidence, though not evaluations or satisfactionPeter James Allen0Frank Daniel Baughman1School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin UniversitySchool of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin UniversityResearch methods and statistics are regarded as difficult subjects to teach, fueling investigations into techniques that increase student engagement. Students enjoy active learning opportunities like hands-on demonstrations, authentic research participation, and working with real data. However, enhanced enjoyment does not always correspond with enhanced learning and performance. In this study, we developed a workshop activity in which students participated in a computer-based experiment and used class-generated data to run a range of statistical procedures. To enable evaluation, we developed a parallel, didactic/canned workshop, which was identical to the activity-based version, except that students were told about the experiment and used a pre-existing/canned dataset to perform their analyses. Tutorial groups were randomized to one of the two workshop versions, and 39 students completed a post-workshop evaluation questionnaire. A series of generalized linear mixed models suggested that, compared to the students in the didactic/canned condition, students exposed to the activity-based workshop displayed significantly greater knowledge of the methodological and statistical issues addressed in class, and were more confident about their ability to use this knowledge in the future. However, overall evaluations and satisfaction between the two groups were not reliably different. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00279/fullstatisticsActive LearningResearch MethodsAuthentic datacomputer based experimentscanned data |
| spellingShingle | Peter James Allen Frank Daniel Baughman Active learning in research methods classes is associated with higher knowledge and confidence, though not evaluations or satisfaction Frontiers in Psychology statistics Active Learning Research Methods Authentic data computer based experiments canned data |
| title | Active learning in research methods classes is associated with higher knowledge and confidence, though not evaluations or satisfaction |
| title_full | Active learning in research methods classes is associated with higher knowledge and confidence, though not evaluations or satisfaction |
| title_fullStr | Active learning in research methods classes is associated with higher knowledge and confidence, though not evaluations or satisfaction |
| title_full_unstemmed | Active learning in research methods classes is associated with higher knowledge and confidence, though not evaluations or satisfaction |
| title_short | Active learning in research methods classes is associated with higher knowledge and confidence, though not evaluations or satisfaction |
| title_sort | active learning in research methods classes is associated with higher knowledge and confidence though not evaluations or satisfaction |
| topic | statistics Active Learning Research Methods Authentic data computer based experiments canned data |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00279/full |
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