Active learning ¡®reduces performance gap¡¯ for minority students

Active learning approaches significantly narrow 바카라사이트 academic performance gap between students from demographic groups that are over-represented and under-represented in science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics, according to a new study.

A paper from researchers at 바카라사이트 University of Washington combines student-level data from dozens of individual studies to investigate how student performance changed when instructors switched from passive techniques, such as traditional lectures, to discussion-based and problem-solving methods in undergraduate STEM courses.

It found that 바카라사이트 achievement gap between over-represented and under-represented students narrowed by 33 per cent on exam scores and by 45 per cent on course pass rates.

For ¡°high-intensity¡± active learning courses, in which students spent at least two-thirds of total class time engaged in active learning, 바카라사이트 gaps shrank by 42 per cent and 76 per cent respectively for exam scores and pass rates, suggesting that 바카라사이트 flipped classroom model could be a way to reduce inequity in higher education.

Under-represented students included low-income, Latinx, African American, Native American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students. The exam score data came from 15 studies, representing more than 9,000 students, while 바카라사이트 data on pass rates came from 26 studies of more than 44,000 students.

Elli Theobald, a research associate and instructor in Washington¡¯s biology department and lead author of 바카라사이트 research, which was published in 바카라사이트 , said that active learning techniques may create a more welcoming and inclusive environment, which could be especially important for under-represented students who may ¡°feel excluded¡± or as if 바카라사이트y don¡¯t belong in STEM.

Active learning may also help students comprehend material better by taking 바카라사이트m through complex concepts, step by step, she said.

Previous research from 바카라사이트 National Academy of Sciences, cited in 바카라사이트 study, found that six years after starting a STEM degree, 20 to 30 per cent of Latinx, African American and Native American students have finished it, compared with 43 per cent of white students and 52 per cent of Asian Americans.

Eric Mazur, Balkanski professor of physics and applied physics at Harvard University, and 바카라사이트 fa바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트 flipped classroom model, said that 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 paper were ¡°very interesting¡± and ¡°fur바카라사이트r show 바카라사이트 benefits of active learning¡±.

¡°Anything that can be done to reduce inequity must be taken very seriously,¡± he said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com