The Role of Personality Traits in Responses to Active Learning

Active learning in higher education is not the same experience for all students. The studies in this paper examine the relationship of personality traits to student responses to an active learning pedagogy, Reacting to the Past . We predicted relationships between specific personality traits and outcomes related to student efficacy, perceived learning, and engagement. Study 1: 135 students from a university in the United States completed the Extraversion, Openness, Conscientiousness, and Honesty/Humility scales of the HEXACO and measures of self-efficacy, enjoyment, engagement, and perceived learning. Extraversion was associated with all outcomes, and Openness was related to academic self-efficacy and reported enjoyment. Study 2: 211 students from three institutions in the United States completed the Big Five Inventory and the same outcome measures. Extraversion and Conscientiousness were related to all outcomes, Openness was associated with self-efficacy, perceived learning, and engagement. The results of the studies presented here suggest that all students do not respond similarly to the active learning experience and that their personalities play a role in their learning and engagement with such pedagogies. Instructors should consider student individual differences when designing active learning experiences. Above all, support should be given to introverted students, so that they engage and more fully benefit from active learning activities, and strategies should be developed to engage and facilitate the learning of less conscientious students.