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Variation in Engagement Behaviors among Student-Centered Pedagogies

Reference: Patricia B. Campbell, Clif Kussmaul, Chris Mayfield, Helen H. Hu, Seth Campbell-Mortman. (2025). Variation in Engagement Behaviors among Student-Centered Pedagogies. In SIGCSE 2025.

Entry Key: \cite{campbell-2025-engage}

Entry Type: @inproceedings

Abstract

Numerous studies have shown that active learning and student-centered pedagogies lead to better student outcomes, such as higher grades, enhanced self-efficacy, and an increased sense of belonging. These outcomes are closely linked to higher levels of student engagement. To better understand the relationship between student engagement and pedagogical approach, our research documents what actually happens in CS1 classes that implement active learning. This paper presents a case study of two instructors, at different undergraduate institutions, teaching with Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) and Interactive Lectures. Using structured classroom observations and student surveys, we measure the engagement of the same students in different class periods taught by the same instructor. Our study investigates the differences and similarities in self-reported and observed student behaviors, as well as observed instructor behaviors. We examine how instructor behavior impacts student behavior. The results show significant differences in observed instructor and student behaviors based on the pedagogical approach. In class periods where instructors spoke more, students were more inclined to watch or listen rather than actively work or discuss, coupled with higher levels of student distraction. Our results provide insight into how specific teaching practices can lead to more engaging classrooms and better student outcomes.

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Field Value
author Campbell, Patricia B. and Kussmaul, Clif and Mayfield, Chris and Hu, Helen H. and Campbell-Mortman, Seth
title Variation in Engagement Behaviors among Student-Centered Pedagogies
year 2025
isbn 9798400705311
publisher Association for Computing Machinery
address New York, NY, USA
url https://doi.org/…
doi 10.1145/3641554.3701894
booktitle Proceedings of the 56th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 1
pages 185–191
numpages 7
keywords active learning, classroom observation, collaborative learning, comparative study
location Pittsburgh, PA, USA
series SIGCSE 2025