Active Learning in Classrooms Using online Tools: Evaluating Pear-Deck for Students' Engagement

Abstract

Student engagement in classroom has always been a huge challenge for instructors. Active learning in classrooms is very helpful in increasing student engagement and to improve students' performance. Thus, an imperative question for institutions of higher education is how active learning pedagogies can improve learning outcomes with limited classroom resources. Student engagement is most important in effective teaching and learning. However, engaging students is a big challenge in an era when students have so many distractors e.g. mobile phones and other technologies like laptops and tablet PCs in the classrooms. This paper evaluates a strategy incorporated into the design of the course to foster a high level of student engagement based on multiple pedagogies. In addition, the role of collaborative students' engagement tool for the design and delivery of the course is discussed. A certain method is described for creating an atmosphere in which students actively participate in learning activities and are contributors to lively discussions. Therefore, a perspective on students' engagement in classic active learning pedagogies enhanced with new affordable technologies is presented. In this study, we examined the use of online portal (Pear-deck) for active learning pedagogies and its impact on students' learning outcome by comparing the results with the traditional classrooms. The results show that active learning pedagogy activities are significant factors that increase students' performance in comparison to students in traditional classroom.