“Do red apples differ from green apples?”: Using research-based learning to facilitate learning and engagement in a large first year course

Abstract

Research-based activities were developed in a large first-year psychology course that includes students from a wide variety of backgrounds and programs of study in order to enhance student engagement in disciplinary learning and facilitate development of important generic and discipline skills. Student feedback data showed that these new aspects of the course were enjoyable and effective for helping students achieve the espoused learning outcomes. Student assessment results also indicated improvement in the targeted areas, and compared to the previous year there was a reversal of predicted trends in performance, where, typically as student numbers increase, proportions of higher level grades decrease and lower level grades increase. These results, coupled with substantial decreases in OP entry cut-offs (e.g., from 7 to 12) from the previous year, and thus likely differences in students level of ability, indicate that the project has been successful, and will likely have a longer-term impact on students' future semesters of study.