Measurement and analysis of student engagement in university classes where varying levels of PBL methods of instruction are in use

TLDR

Active engagement strategies increase student participation and perceived understanding of course material. The study employed a 14‑question SE Survey, adapted from NSSE, to evaluate engagement in 56 upper‑midwestern university classes, with faculty trained in problem‑based learning. Engagement was higher in higher‑level, smaller classes and those incorporating more problem‑based learning.

Abstract

Students participate more in a classroom and also report a better understanding of course concepts when steps are taken to actively engage them. The Student Engagement (SE) Survey was developed and used in this study for measuring student engagement at the class level and consisted of 14 questions adapted from the original National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) survey. The adapted survey examined levels of student engagement in 56 classes at an upper mid‐western university in the USA. Campus‐wide faculty members participated in a program for training them in innovative teaching methods including problem‐based learning (PBL). Results of this study typically showed a higher engagement in higher‐level classes and also those classes with fewer students. In addition, the level of engagement was typically higher in those classrooms with more PBL.