2016 Annual Conference

This action research project sought to describe experiences with three types of teaching and learning.The instructor-researcher hoped to better understand her pedagogy and contribute to related literature.Students were interviewed to describe their experiences, and what stood out for students included increased interactions, attention to process, and transferability of knowledge.

Instructors at higher education institutions would be the target audience because this project was conducted at a university and relates to teaching and learning at that level. Anyone interested in discussing pedagogical strategies for teaching and learning would also benefit.

This action research project sought to describe the experiences of students and instructor with three types of teaching and learning in a redesigned computer applications course. The instructor-researcher hoped to gain a better understanding of her pedagogy and to contribute to related literature. Peters and Armstrong’s (1998) typology of teaching and learning served as the framework for introduction of two additional types of pedagogies (discussion groups and collaborative learning) into a course traditionally taught utilizing predominately by only one type (lecture). Students were interviewed immediately after the course ended and asked to describe their experiences in the course. Results show that what stood out for students were the increased interactions among
students and between students and the instructor, attention to process, and the transferability of knowledge developed during class. Results led to changes in future course design and delivery as well as plans for publication. The process of and outcomes from this study should be of interest to practitioners who want to study and/or revise their own pedagogical strategies for teaching and learning.