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Transforming Tertiary Education in New Zealand: A Study on Student Engagement and Learning

Explore a project by AKO Aotearoa aiming to enhance student engagement and learning in 100-level Cell Biology classes. The study utilizes interventions and measures effectiveness through surveys and classroom observations, applying the CWSEI model. Results show improvements in student attitudes and knowledge gains, particularly among high-performing students. However, there are challenges in maintaining overall student engagement. The project strives to enhance teaching methods and learning outcomes in the tertiary environment.

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Transforming Tertiary Education in New Zealand: A Study on Student Engagement and Learning

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  1. Transforming tertiary education: overview of an AKO Aotearoa project involving a large 100-level Cell Biology class. Rosie Bradshaw, Maggie Hartnett, Gemma Cartwright, Natalie Burr, Ewen Cameron, Ben Kennedy & Zoe Jordens Applying the Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative (CWSEI) Model within the New Zealand Tertiary Environment

  2. Students have diverse aims, background and abilities

  3. The team • Mixed team- Education specialists, motivated science lecturers and research assistants. The aim • Improve student engagement and learning by: • - implementing ‘interventions’ • - measuring the effects on engagement & learning based on Six science classes: four in Geology at Canterbury and two in biology at Massey

  4. The method • Interventions: • Improved learning goals and alignment • Emphasis on relevance • Interaction in lectures: activities and ‘clickers’ • Measuring effects: • classroom observations engagement • attitude survey • ‘knowledge’ survey learning

  5. A A A A a A a a a a D D D d D D d d d d A a D d The cell shown here is a human diploid cell destined to undergo meiosis to make an egg cell. The cell is heterozygous for genes A and D. Assuming no crossing over occurs, choose the diagram that best represents what this cell would look like in metaphase of Meiosis I. D E A D C B A a d

  6. The method 162101 Biology of Cells semester 1 2011 PRE POST • 2 3 • surveys 162212 Microbial World semester 2 2010 semester 2 2011 POST PRE • 2 • surveys • 2 • surveys

  7. Results: Classroom observations • Observe lecture material and teaching style • Measure students engagement through observation

  8. Results: Classroom observations Observe lecture material and teaching style Measure students engagement through observation

  9. Results: Classroom observations enthusiasm Skimmed content Movie near end of lecture Overview Time (mins)

  10. Results: Classroom observations Link to lab Lecture

  11. Results: Attitude survey Significant shifts compared to ‘expert-like attitudes’ (for all of the example Qs ‘strongly agree’ is expert-like and therefore favourable) shifts in attitude over the whole semester : ns not significant; got worse (less ‘favourable’); got better (less ‘unfavourable’)

  12. Results: Knowledge survey semester 1 2011 PRE POST • 2 3 Values are % test scores: mean ± SD for 161 matched surveys (questions were designed to be difficult!) Two-tailed paired T-test of significant difference between pre and post mean gains shows no significant difference (P = 0.103)

  13. Results: Knowledge survey Values are means of matched % test scores Conclusions: Most of the ‘post’ (interventions) gain was in the top student group More needs to be done to facilitate learning in other groups! BUT - there are many limitations to this survey. - deleting toughest 2 Qs from each survey only 40-59% show sig gain

  14. But what do students think? Clicker-vote at end of 162101 2011: To assist my learning in lectures, I would prefer: A) 'Traditional style' information delivery lectures B) Mixture of clickers/interactive questions and 'traditional style', with some recommended reading prior to lecture. C) Completely interactive (clickers/activities/discussion) with mandatory pre-reading and on-line pre-lecture quiz. Results: A 5%, B 70%, C 25% (n=207)

  15. Conclusions No increase shown in student engagement BUT - engagement declines over the semester - positive feedback on use of clickers Mixture of attitude shifts BUT - some attitudes change over the semester anyway (eg. enjoyment) Significant increase in knowledge gain after interventions BUT - only with top performing students (final exam >80%) - mid students (40-59% FE) gained when toughest Qs removed. • Overall I think my teaching has improved • Better learning goals, etc • Improved style of interactive questions • & many ideas of how to improve more… So – was it worth it?

  16. Acknowledgements Zoe Jordens– Massey Project Leader Maggie Hartnett – Education Consultant Gemma Cartwright, Natalie Burr– Research Assistants EwenCameron – T&L director, MUHEC approval Ben Kennedy - Canterbury Uni. and overall project leader Applying the Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative (CWSEI) Model within the New Zealand Tertiary Environment

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