Active Learning Compared With Lecture-Based Pedagogies in Gender and Socio-Cultural Context-Specific Major and Non-Major Biology Classes

Introduction

The active learning (AL) pedagogical approach is gaining a renewed interest among higher educators worldwide as an effective teaching strategy to increase student's engagement to maximize learning achievements (Marlowe & Page, 2005; Raelin, 2009). Despite its roots in constructivist traditions, some researchers argue that there is no specific theoretical boundary to separate AL from other philosophical foundations such as behaviorist, cognitivist, social, and cultural learning theories (Brame, 2019; 2014; Miller, 2004). Often educators raise questions about what AL is and how it defers from other teaching approaches and philosophical foundations (Prince & Felder, 2004). The AL approach is popularizing in many parts of the world in different forms and innovative activities as described in the subsequent sections. Therefore, it is worthwhile for educators and interested communities to understand the historical evolution and relationships of various philosophical foundations and lessons learned from a variety of disciplines to understand its effectiveness in promoting student engagement, positive attitude, and learning achievements in different socio-cultural settings.

The research literature provides mixed findings from a variety of discipline-specific AL practices, theoretical and practical perspectives that often confuse educators to understand what best approaches would bring higher learning achievements in different socio-cultural contexts (Almasri et al., 2021; Brame, 2019; Pardjono, 2016). AL often overlapped with various learner engagement strategies such as lab experiments, homework assignments, and various in-class activities (Zuber‐Skerritt, 2002). As a result, many educators question how AL differs from other teaching methods used in various disciplines (Prince & Felder, 2004). Further, there is a lack of research publications in distant countries such as Kuwait and the Middle East (Almasri et al., 2021). Due to the unfamiliarity of implementing innovative AL methods to enhance students' active engagement in class, many Middle Eastern countries, including Kuwait, use traditional lecture-based (TL) pedagogies as the primary teaching approach in higher educational institutes (Almasri et al., 2021; Zapalska et al., 2012).

Therefore, this chapter provides a broad understanding of AL pedagogies and underlying theoretical assumptions and discusses the research findings on the effectiveness of teaching undergraduate science subjects. The chapter explicates the findings of two pedagogical models—active learning (AL) versus traditional lecture-based teaching (TL) pedagogies experimented in different undergraduate science classrooms in single and mixed-gender group settings in a male-dominant socio-cultural context. It examines how has AL approach enhanced student learning achievements and influenced framing positive or negative attitudes towards science education in Kuwait. The authors aim to contribute new insights in implementing AL pedagogies in one of the Middle Eastern countries, further expanding the discipline-specific knowledge on implementing AL strategies in different contexts. The authors highlight drawbacks, criticisms, and differential research findings to provide a robust understanding while discussing underlying philosophical foundations. The chapter includes a comprehensive literature review to provide background knowledge of AL pedagogical approaches implemented in higher educational settings.