Evaluation of the Active Learning Approach on the Students’ Quality of Learning in Singapore

This study is conducted to evaluate the effect of encouraging the active learning approach on the students’ quality of learning, so as to develop effective learning environments and approaches in teaching for Singapore. This is an area on the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) for teaching and supporting learning in higher education that the Singapore-based lecturer would like to develop. A questionnaire has been designed with a combination of open-ended and closed format questions, so as to obtain students’ comments which enhance the quality of the feedback. The difference in feedback from two groups of students with varying expertise, as well as their GPA scores at admission, has also been considered. An evaluation of the classroom activities has been conducted in the following sequence: (i) Appreciation of the importance of the subject matter through real life examples and videos; (ii) Appreciation of the subject matter through MATLAB simulations; (iii) Effectiveness of mini classroom exercises in their learning; (iv) Impact of the peer discussions on their understanding and future study methods; (v) Evaluation of experience on pre-reading of lecture notes; (vi) Impact of pre-reading materials on their learning; (vii) Attainment of intended learning outcomes. Last but not least, the students are asked to feedback on whether they thought that their quality of learning has been enhanced through the classroom activities and if the intended learning outcomes of the course have been met. A reflective study on the feedback from a colleague and an expert in the subject was also considered, to provide a non-biased view of the teaching and learning experience. Based on the evaluation study, a summary of good practices and improvements is presented