Peer Learning as a Key Component of an Integrated Teaching Method: Overcoming the Complexities of Physics Teaching in Large Size Classes
Over the last decade, policy makers have urged universities to innovate their teaching methodologies. Although educational research has shown that active methods lead to improvements in learners’ performance more than traditional lectures in small classes, some factors impede active methods from spr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/11/2/67 |
| _version_ | 1797396851375210496 |
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| author | Matteo Bozzi Juliana E. Raffaghelli Maurizio Zani |
| author_facet | Matteo Bozzi Juliana E. Raffaghelli Maurizio Zani |
| author_sort | Matteo Bozzi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Over the last decade, policy makers have urged universities to innovate their teaching methodologies. Although educational research has shown that active methods lead to improvements in learners’ performance more than traditional lectures in small classes, some factors impede active methods from spreading in large size classes. In this paper we aim at fostering these methodological innovations by showing the effectiveness of an integrated teaching methodology that employs peer learning, technology, and traditional lectures in large size classes. In the academic years 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 a quasi-experiment involved more than 600 engineering students per year attending an introductory physics course at Politecnico di Milano. These learners were assigned to two sections and their outcomes in a pre-test and a post-test were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. The learning results of the experimental group were always better than the outcomes of the control group, regardless of the difficulty of the physics topics addressed. Furthermore, a very low threshold for the exposure to peer learning has been highlighted in order for it to be effective. These promising results may thus foster ongoing changes in university policy towards the renewal of the teaching methodology. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:57:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4b4aea4b36ef4f24a5724f35234023c1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:57:32Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-4b4aea4b36ef4f24a5724f35234023c12023-12-11T16:48:44ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022021-02-011126710.3390/educsci11020067Peer Learning as a Key Component of an Integrated Teaching Method: Overcoming the Complexities of Physics Teaching in Large Size ClassesMatteo Bozzi0Juliana E. Raffaghelli1Maurizio Zani2Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Psychology and Educational Sciences Studies, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, 08018 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, ItalyOver the last decade, policy makers have urged universities to innovate their teaching methodologies. Although educational research has shown that active methods lead to improvements in learners’ performance more than traditional lectures in small classes, some factors impede active methods from spreading in large size classes. In this paper we aim at fostering these methodological innovations by showing the effectiveness of an integrated teaching methodology that employs peer learning, technology, and traditional lectures in large size classes. In the academic years 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 a quasi-experiment involved more than 600 engineering students per year attending an introductory physics course at Politecnico di Milano. These learners were assigned to two sections and their outcomes in a pre-test and a post-test were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. The learning results of the experimental group were always better than the outcomes of the control group, regardless of the difficulty of the physics topics addressed. Furthermore, a very low threshold for the exposure to peer learning has been highlighted in order for it to be effective. These promising results may thus foster ongoing changes in university policy towards the renewal of the teaching methodology.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/11/2/67peer learningphysics teachinghigher educationlarge size classesactive learningtraditional lectures |
| spellingShingle | Matteo Bozzi Juliana E. Raffaghelli Maurizio Zani Peer Learning as a Key Component of an Integrated Teaching Method: Overcoming the Complexities of Physics Teaching in Large Size Classes Education Sciences peer learning physics teaching higher education large size classes active learning traditional lectures |
| title | Peer Learning as a Key Component of an Integrated Teaching Method: Overcoming the Complexities of Physics Teaching in Large Size Classes |
| title_full | Peer Learning as a Key Component of an Integrated Teaching Method: Overcoming the Complexities of Physics Teaching in Large Size Classes |
| title_fullStr | Peer Learning as a Key Component of an Integrated Teaching Method: Overcoming the Complexities of Physics Teaching in Large Size Classes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Peer Learning as a Key Component of an Integrated Teaching Method: Overcoming the Complexities of Physics Teaching in Large Size Classes |
| title_short | Peer Learning as a Key Component of an Integrated Teaching Method: Overcoming the Complexities of Physics Teaching in Large Size Classes |
| title_sort | peer learning as a key component of an integrated teaching method overcoming the complexities of physics teaching in large size classes |
| topic | peer learning physics teaching higher education large size classes active learning traditional lectures |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/11/2/67 |
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