Abstract:

The growing emphasis on active learning and pedagogical innovation has reshaped higher education, positioning interactive and student-centred approaches as key drivers of effective learning. However, it remains unclear whether students and teachers evaluate teaching effectiveness in the same way.

This study explores perception gaps by analysing evaluations of a defined set of teaching and assessment methods, ranging from traditional formats as lectures, final written exams and essays to active approaches, including problem-based learning, project-based learning, group work, experiments, class discussions, simulation games, role-play, storytelling, student presentations, hackathons and AI-supported activities. The data were collected from 56 higher education students and 12 university teachers from the Gdańsk University of Technology and the University of Sussex using a seven-point Likert scale, complemented by open-ended qualitative responses.

Results show that teachers tended to rate active learning methods more positively, while students demonstrate a more balanced evaluation, assigning high value to both interactive and selected traditional formats, particularly lectures and final examinations. Qualitative findings further revealed that students rarely described effective learning in terms of formal methods alone, but rather through engagement, interaction, and practical relevance.

These findings point to an important tension in contemporary higher education. While pedagogical discourse increasingly prioritises innovative and active learning approaches, students continue to value select traditional teaching formats that are sometimes given less emphasis in current pedagogical practice. Rather than rejecting traditional methods, students appear to differentiate between poorly implemented and well-delivered teaching. Traditional formats such as lectures and examinations were not perceived as ineffective per se; rather, their perceived value appeared to depends on quality, engagement, and relevance. These findings suggest that the challenge for higher education lies not in replacing traditional methods with innovative ones, but in designing both traditional and active approaches in ways that support meaningful learning experiences.

Keywords:

Pedagogical innovations, teaching methods, active learning, learning experience.