Programs need to create inclusive learning environments so that all student populations feel accepted into the scientific community and persist throughout the program. The facilitation styles of instructors shape the classroom environment. Factors such as the cognitive level of tasks, the amount of time allotted for a task, and the nature in which the task is introduced affect student participation with active learning activities. These factors are inputs into a student’s framing of the classroom environment and affect the ways students interact within it. Promoting student discourse in active learning environments provides students the opportunity to explain their thinking and develop their understanding of natural phenomena. However, it is often difficult to successfully implement these practices in large lecture environments. Undergraduate introductory chemistry lectures were investigated to identify the influences that instructional practices had on student engagement. Facilitation strategies of in-class questions were analyzed alongside student interactions to provide insights into what instructional practices may promote or hinder student engagement in a large-enrollment course.

Influence of instructional practices on student interactions in a large enrollment classroom

ACS Spring 2022

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