A Multivariate Examination of Active and Interactive Learning and Student Engagement in Post-Secondary Engineering Energy Science Classrooms: The "Why" of Instructional Strategy Use

Recent national STEM initiatives have shifted research focus from the development of instructional innovations to the examination of change processes and implementation of research based instructional strategies. Emphasis has been placed on adoption of instructional strategies and how they are implemented, especially in engineering science courses at the core of engineering curriculum. Unfortunately, little has been done to examine the multivariate relationship among instructional strategies, active and interactive learning, and student engagement in post-secondary engineering energy science courses. Successful implementation of instructional strategies hinges not only on the how, but also the why and for what purpose. The current study provides evidence for the complex, multivariate relationship among eight instructional strategies, active and interactive learning, and multiple forms of student engagement in post-secondary engineering energy science courses. Results have implications for the specific use of instructional strategies to promote different forms of engagement and learning. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1245018.