Active Learning Methods for Sustainable Education Development

Abstract

The growing importance of ICT in educational processes activates the development of modern electronic teaching aids in various content areas and the development of teaching methods. The integration of ICT must ensure the improvement of the teaching/learning environment and the development of new teaching/learning approaches. Students’ motivation, engagement and interest in own learning are obligatory for successful and student-oriented education, especially in a situation of crisis, when educational institutions can immediately be closed after a governmental decision (pandemic caused by “Covid-19”) as it happened in March, 2020. All teaching and learning had been moved unexpectedly to remote/distance education setting, to adapt the learning methods and processes and to motivate the learners contributes to sustainable education. The aim of the paper is to develop active learning methods in digital environment to modernize the learning environment required for STEM in Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, which includes the development of teaching methods and tools and their suitability for the digital age. The methodology includes theoretical research and practical experiments for full time students in face-to-face and digital environment. There are three experimental groups for course “Algorithms and data structures” ‒ one for traditional teaching, one with active learning methods faceto- face classroom and one with active learning methods in digital environment. Results of the research shows that active learning methods influence positively to course results but there are no differences for course results between groups with active learning methods in face-to-face and digital environment.