Impacts of the Active Learning Classroom on Student Learning and Engagement: The Role of Technology
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| Title: | Impacts of the Active Learning Classroom on Student Learning and Engagement: The Role of Technology |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | T. Keith Edmunds, Richard Little |
| Source: | Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. 2025 16(1). |
| Availability: | University of Western Ontario and Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Mills Memorial Library Room 504, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L6, Canada. Tel: 905-525-9140; e-mail: info@cjsotl-rcacea.ca; Web site: http://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 21 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education Two Year Colleges |
| Descriptors: | Active Learning, Learner Engagement, Technology Uses in Education, Influence of Technology, Student Attitudes, Outcomes of Education, Academic Achievement, Foreign Countries, Community College Students, Classroom Environment |
| Geographic Terms: | Canada |
| ISSN: | 1918-2902 |
| Abstract: | This study examines student learning outcomes and engagement in a high-tech active learning environment compared to a low-tech active learning environment at both the individual lesson and overall course levels. A quasi-experimental design was employed, where two sections of students in a college Microeconomics course experienced a high-tech active learning classroom, while the other two sections engaged in the same activities in a low-tech classroom. Student perceptions of enjoyment were measured using the ENJOY scale, comprising five subscales: Pleasure, Relatedness, Competence, Challenge/Improvement, and Engagement. Additionally, students' retention of concepts and skills was measured through standardized assessments. The results indicate that there were no significant differences in academic performance between the two environments (p<0.05). However, student enjoyment scores were significantly higher in the high-tech environment for the second of two measured activities (p<0.05), suggesting the influence of greater complexity in the learning material. The layout differences between the classrooms may have influenced the results, with the low-tech classroom fostering more inter-group communication and potentially affecting student engagement. This study contributes to the understanding of technology's impact on student learning outcomes and enjoyment in active learning environments. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1489101 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This study examines student learning outcomes and engagement in a high-tech active learning environment compared to a low-tech active learning environment at both the individual lesson and overall course levels. A quasi-experimental design was employed, where two sections of students in a college Microeconomics course experienced a high-tech active learning classroom, while the other two sections engaged in the same activities in a low-tech classroom. Student perceptions of enjoyment were measured using the ENJOY scale, comprising five subscales: Pleasure, Relatedness, Competence, Challenge/Improvement, and Engagement. Additionally, students' retention of concepts and skills was measured through standardized assessments. The results indicate that there were no significant differences in academic performance between the two environments (p<0.05). However, student enjoyment scores were significantly higher in the high-tech environment for the second of two measured activities (p<0.05), suggesting the influence of greater complexity in the learning material. The layout differences between the classrooms may have influenced the results, with the low-tech classroom fostering more inter-group communication and potentially affecting student engagement. This study contributes to the understanding of technology's impact on student learning outcomes and enjoyment in active learning environments. |
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| ISSN: | 1918-2902 |
