Abstract:

This paper presents a pilot study on the impact of active learning methodologies on student motivation and course dropout in Science and Engineering degrees.

This study is part of a two-phase project. The first phase designs an initial data collection instrument and applies it to selected courses in two schools of Science and Engineering from the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (Spain). This pilot study corresponds to this phase, aiming to validate the instrument through statistical and psychometric analysis. The sample consisted of 216 participants from eight different university degrees, five from the Engineering branch related to the Computer Science discipline and three from the Science branch related to the Chemistry discipline. All courses belonged to the first year and were chosen because they had a significant risk of dropout.

The instrument is a questionnaire that addresses different aspects within the context of the course where it is facilitated. Thus, participants answered the questionnaire in person. The instrument asked about the probability of absenteeism and dropout of both, course and degree; the expectation regarding the grade, and other data that characterizes the student. In addition, it asked about motivation using a Situational Motivation Scale validated in other contexts. Regarding active learning methodologies, it asked if any active methodologies have been used in the course, such as collaborative or cooperative learning, flipped classroom, project-based learning, serious games, video-based learning, escape room, and other approaches that encourage student involvement such as gamification.

After analyzing the results of this first questionnaire, we can draw several conclusions. First, we can confirm that the motivation construct used in the instrument is valid. The correlations between the different aspects measured have been studied, and no correlation has been detected with aspects such as the family's economic effort for studies or the type of internet access used by the student. Medium-level correlations (0.4<r<0.6) have been detected between different forms of motivation and both, personal study habits - studying before classes, doing exercises related to the contents - and active methodologies - collaborative learning and problem-based learning. Finally, two high correlations (r>0.6) have been detected between two pairs, on the one hand between problem-based and video-based learning, and on the other hand between serious games and escape room.

Although the correlations detected are not definitive, they provide lines of work to be followed in the future with the second phase of the project. This phase will apply the instrument to a larger population sample with which more robust results are expected to be obtained.

The main result of this pilot study is a validated instrument that aims to facilitate the detection of aspects that may influence student motivation and dropout of courses and degrees, including the use of active learning methodologies.

Keywords:

Active learning, motivation, dropout, science, engineering, higher education, pilot study, validation, instrument.