WOODWARD, Denise M; HARRIS COTNER, Sehoya; HAYES, C Nelson; CYR, R J: Getting beyond the large-class problem Part I: Can we measure and improve student engagement in introductory biology?

Introductory biology at Penn State is typically taught in a large (~800+ student) traditional-lecture format. This method is pragmatic but tends to result in a high rate of course repeaters, at a cost to the University and the individual student. In an attempt to remedy this situation, several of us in the Department of Biology have been involved in a project designed to explore the use of interactive Web-based tutorials. In 1999, 2000 and 2001 we compared the effectiveness of using Web-based modules as an interactive student-centered learning environment vs. a traditional instructor-centered lecture. Preliminary results suggest that the use of interactive computer modules, combined with an instructor-facilitated question-and-answer session, is an effective means of improving student performance on multiple-choice exams. The purpose of this component of our study is to examine in more detail how students are engaged with the course content. We address the following questions: � Do students using the modules spend more time-on-task than lecture students? � Do students using the modules attend class more often? � Do students using the modules ask more substantive questions? � Do students using the modules report more positive feedback about the learning process? A number of key variables including time-on-task, attendance, and module performance were compared to determine a measure of positive student engagement. Possible applications of this information will be discussed.