Assessing small-scale interventions in large-scale teaching

Abstract

The use of lectures is ubiquitous in higher-education institutions, but also heavily criticized from an andragogical viewpoint. A current challenge for lecturers is to provide opportunities for active learning during these sessions and to evaluate their impact on student experience. Three one-minute interventions based on the lecture materials (write down one thing you have already learnt, one question you would like answering, and take a break) were introduced approximately 20, 30 and 40 minutes into the lecture and assessed with respect to engagement over a five-week period on a final-year psychology option. Students were invited to record their current level of lecture engagement every 5 minutes. Both between-and within-subject analyses revealed a significant increase in lecture engagement for the first intervention during the first intervention week relative to baseline weeks. The data show an enhancement of student engagement with certain small-scale interventions during large-scale teaching.