Investigating the Intensity and Integration of Active Learning and Lecture.

Given that the active learning literature lacks systematic investigations on how the intensity and integration of lecture and active learning affect learning, we conducted two experiments to examine the impact of these variables. The first experiment involved 146 participants who learned about biological taxonomies through pure lecture or pure active learning. Participants in the pure lecture condition scored significantly higher on a posttest than those in the pure active learning condition. The second experiment involved 219 participants who learned about biological taxonomies through pure lecture, a lecture and active learning activity that were interspersed, or a lecture and active learning activity that were blocked. Participants in the interspersed condition scored significantly higher than participants in the blocked and pure lecture conditions (which did not significantly differ). Based on these experiments, it may not be a question of either/or but rather a question of how to integrate lecture and active learning. General Audience Summary: Should we teach college courses using lecture or active learning? Perhaps it is a matter of both. In two experiments, we systematically studied the effects of different intensities of active learning and ways to integrate active learning and lecture to determine which maximized student learning of science content. Our findings suggest that (a) a pure lecture intervention may encourage greater student learning of science content than a pure active learning intervention, and (b) interspersing equal amounts of lecture and active learning may encourage greater student learning of science content than blocking the instructional modes or having lecture alone. Therefore, it is important to consider how to integrate lecture and active learning to improve student learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]