Student Perspectives on the Learning Resources in an Active, Blended, and Collaborative (ABC) Pedagogical Environment

Abstract

Digital technologies have become central to higher education teaching and learning practices. This paper presents the results of a qualitative study of students’ experiences within a resource-rich and digitally-driven pedagogical system in a second year engineering dynamics course. Course instructors created an Active, Blended, and Collaborative (ABC) learning environment providing students with multiple learning resources. The resources included a hybrid Lecturebook (a combination of textbook and workbook), an online discussion forum, a large repository of online videos, and a tutorial room staffed by teaching assistants. A thematic analysis of semi-structured interview transcripts characterized how students perceived the utility of the available resources, especially given the complex integration of pedagogies and resources available in person and across the technology platform. The findings revealed that students valued the blended structure because it provided them with both immediate and asynchronous access to the learning resources. Students used the resources to help them solve homework problems, study for exams, and improve their conceptual understanding in the course. The students reported engaging with their peers to receive feedback constantly throughout out the course. The results highlight how the learning resources were aligned with each other and in-class pedagogies, and they worked in tandem to support students’ academic success. The results from this paper contribute to the literature on student perceptions of technology-mediated learning environments in core engineering courses.

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