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Student engagement, assessed using heart rate, shows no reset following active learning sessions in lectures.

ABSTRACT: Heart rate can be used as a measure of cognitive engagement. We measured average student heart rates during medical school lecture classes using wristwatch-style monitors. Analysis of 42 classes showed a steady decline in heart rate from the beginning to end of a lecture class. Active learning sessions (peer-discussion based problem solving) resulted in a significant uptick in heart rate, but this returned to the average level immediately following the active learning period. This is the first statistically robust assessment of changes in heart rate during the course of college lecture classes and indicates that personal heart rate monitors may be useful tools for assessment of different teaching modalities. The key findings suggest that the value of active learning within the classroom resides in the activity itself and not in an increase in engagement or reset in attention during the didactic period following an active learning session.

SUBMITTER: Darnell DK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6886849 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Student engagement, assessed using heart rate, shows no reset following active learning sessions in lectures.

Darnell Diana K DK Krieg Paul A PA

PloS one 20191202 12

Heart rate can be used as a measure of cognitive engagement. We measured average student heart rates during medical school lecture classes using wristwatch-style monitors. Analysis of 42 classes showed a steady decline in heart rate from the beginning to end of a lecture class. Active learning sessions (peer-discussion based problem solving) resulted in a significant uptick in heart rate, but this returned to the average level immediately following the active learning period. This is the first s ...[more]

PMID: 31790461

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Project description:BackgroundActive learning relies on students' engagement with teachers, study materials and/or each other. Although medical education has adopted active learning as a core component of medical training, teachers have difficulties recognising when and why their students engage or disengage and how to teach in ways that optimise engagement. With a better understanding of the dynamics of student engagement in small-group active learning settings, teachers could be facilitated in effectively engaging their students.MethodsWe conducted a video-stimulated recall study to explore medical students' engagement during small-group learning activities. We recorded one teaching session of two different groups and selected critical moments of apparent (dis)engagement. These moments served as prompts for the 15 individual semi-structured interviews we held. Interview data were analysed using Template Analysis style of thematic analysis. To guide the analysis, we used a framework that describes student engagement as a dynamic and multidimensional concept, consisting of behavioural, cognitive and emotional components.ResultsThe analysis uncovered three main findings: (1) In-class student engagement followed a spiral-like pattern. Once students were engaged or disengaged on one dimension, other dimensions were likely to follow suit. (2) Students' willingness to engage in class was decided before class, depending on their perception of a number of personal, social and educational antecedents of engagement. (3) Distinguishing engagement from disengagement appeared to be difficult for teachers, because the intention behind student behaviour was not always identifiable.DiscussionThis study adds to the literature by illuminating the dynamic process of student engagement and explaining the difficulty of recognising and influencing this process in practice. Based on the importance of discerning the intentions behind student behaviour, we advise teachers to use their observations of student (dis)engagement to initiate interaction with students with open and inviting prompts. This can help teachers to (re-)engage students in their classrooms.

Dataset Information

Student engagement, assessed using heart rate, shows no reset following active learning sessions in lectures.

Publications

Student engagement, assessed using heart rate, shows no reset following active learning sessions in lectures.

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