Analysis of Student Performance After Implementing Active Teaching Methods in an Engineering Classroom

There is an abundance of data that suggest that implementing active teaching methods in the classroom produces a deeper, longer lasting understanding and increased enjoyment of course material.However, most engineering educators do not employ these techniques.This study implemented a few basic active teaching methods in two electrical engineering courses for 3 consecutive semesters.The objective of the study was to address three typical concerns engineering educators have about implementing active teaching methods: 1. "I don't have enough time to change my course material," 2. "It is difficult to employ active teaching techniques with my course material so it won't be effective," and 3. "I won't be able to cover all my material if I allow time for the activities in class."The first part of the study compared three aspects; (1) the amount of course preparation time between an active teaching course and a traditionally taught course; (2) the amount of material covered using active teaching versus the material traditionally covered; (3) student performance as compared to the same group of students' performance in previous courses with the same instructor when material was traditionally taught.The second part of the study, presented here, compared a new group of students in the same two courses; comparisons where made against historical performance and against a number of control questions developed during the first part of the study.Student performance was compared against the amount of exposure to these active teaching methods over an extend period of time.Student retention of course material was also compared.Results continue to show that students were more engaged and scored higher on topics covered using simple active teaching methods as opposed to traditional lectures.Students in the second part of this study scored comparatively the same on control questions based on topics taught with active teaching methods as compared to the students in the first part of the study.However, students taught with traditional methods in the first part of the study, but taught with active teaching in the second part of the study scored significantly higher on control questions for both methods.Students who learned material from active teaching methods scored significantly higher in long term retention as well.Results also suggest that while some students start off resistant to active methods of teaching, they quickly adapt and appraise those methods positively; however, extended exposure to the same techniques appear to desensitize the students and become less effective over time.