Evaluating Learning Space Designs for Flipped and Collaborative Learning: A Transactional Distance Approach
Problem-based learning is the latest name for a teaching philosophy that is as old as Ancient Greece. Whether you call it Socratic Inquiry, case-based teaching, problem-based learning, interactive group learning, or “flipped” learning, the essential concept is to encourage the student to collaborate...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/11/6/292 |
| _version_ | 1827689866534584320 |
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| author | William Swart Ken MacLeod |
| author_facet | William Swart Ken MacLeod |
| author_sort | William Swart |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Problem-based learning is the latest name for a teaching philosophy that is as old as Ancient Greece. Whether you call it Socratic Inquiry, case-based teaching, problem-based learning, interactive group learning, or “flipped” learning, the essential concept is to encourage the student to collaborate in applying their gained knowledge to solve a problem. As traditional lecture-based teaching has been challenged, the design of classrooms has been called into question. A flat or tiered room is not seen as an ideal setting for collaborative work. In our own College of Business, several traditional classrooms were converted to problem-based learning classrooms at considerable expense. This paper evaluates, using measures based on Michael G. Moore’s theory of transactional distance, whether moving flipped classes into these high-tech classrooms improves the collaborative learning experience. Transactional distance can be defined as the barriers that exist to a student’s engagement with their learning experience. These barriers arise due to the interaction between students and the teacher, other students, the subject matter content, and instructional technology being used. Our results suggest that, from a student engagement and outcome standpoint, the investment in costly high-tech classrooms is not warranted—a welcome result in times when university budgets are stretched to the limit. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:27:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9218767b80a446199997b09e304bef3c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:27:31Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-9218767b80a446199997b09e304bef3c2023-11-21T23:55:46ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022021-06-0111629210.3390/educsci11060292Evaluating Learning Space Designs for Flipped and Collaborative Learning: A Transactional Distance ApproachWilliam Swart0Ken MacLeod1Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management, College of Business, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USADepartment of Marketing and Supply Chain Management, College of Business, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USAProblem-based learning is the latest name for a teaching philosophy that is as old as Ancient Greece. Whether you call it Socratic Inquiry, case-based teaching, problem-based learning, interactive group learning, or “flipped” learning, the essential concept is to encourage the student to collaborate in applying their gained knowledge to solve a problem. As traditional lecture-based teaching has been challenged, the design of classrooms has been called into question. A flat or tiered room is not seen as an ideal setting for collaborative work. In our own College of Business, several traditional classrooms were converted to problem-based learning classrooms at considerable expense. This paper evaluates, using measures based on Michael G. Moore’s theory of transactional distance, whether moving flipped classes into these high-tech classrooms improves the collaborative learning experience. Transactional distance can be defined as the barriers that exist to a student’s engagement with their learning experience. These barriers arise due to the interaction between students and the teacher, other students, the subject matter content, and instructional technology being used. Our results suggest that, from a student engagement and outcome standpoint, the investment in costly high-tech classrooms is not warranted—a welcome result in times when university budgets are stretched to the limit.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/11/6/292learning space designtransactional distancestudent engagementlearning outcomescollaborative learningblended learning |
| spellingShingle | William Swart Ken MacLeod Evaluating Learning Space Designs for Flipped and Collaborative Learning: A Transactional Distance Approach Education Sciences learning space design transactional distance student engagement learning outcomes collaborative learning blended learning |
| title | Evaluating Learning Space Designs for Flipped and Collaborative Learning: A Transactional Distance Approach |
| title_full | Evaluating Learning Space Designs for Flipped and Collaborative Learning: A Transactional Distance Approach |
| title_fullStr | Evaluating Learning Space Designs for Flipped and Collaborative Learning: A Transactional Distance Approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluating Learning Space Designs for Flipped and Collaborative Learning: A Transactional Distance Approach |
| title_short | Evaluating Learning Space Designs for Flipped and Collaborative Learning: A Transactional Distance Approach |
| title_sort | evaluating learning space designs for flipped and collaborative learning a transactional distance approach |
| topic | learning space design transactional distance student engagement learning outcomes collaborative learning blended learning |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/11/6/292 |
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