Applying 'Active Learning' by Online and Face-to-Face Instructors

Higher education instruction has developed significantly over the past two decades, influenced by two trends: advances in active learning methods and integration of web technology in e-Learning. Many studies found that active learning improves students' success, involvement and thinking skills. Nevertheless, internationally, most instructors maintain traditional teaching methods. A research tool - Active Instruction Tendency questionnaire - (AIT) was developed by the researchers on the basis of 'active instructors" experience in an engineering college in Israel. Following a review of the literature and examination of 'active instructors" attitudes, six key areas that may characterize the lecturer's tendency to adopt active learning were identified: Large Class Activation of a large class, Involvement - student involvement in the course, Independence - independent learning by students, Development of knowledge, Quantity versus understanding - a tendency to prefer understanding of the material to full completion of the syllabus, Perception of the instructor role. Using the AIT questionnaire, we examined attitudes concerning active learning of 135 instructors in three Israeli higher education institutes and 56 European distance and e-learning instructors. Their attitudes were compared with the attitudes of 'active instructors' who, for the past five years, have taught in active learning environments. In all six identified instruction areas, significant differences were found between attitudes of 'active instructors' and other instructors. Identification of these differences expands the theoretical knowledge corpus concerning instructors' attitudes toward active learning, presenting a new tool to characterize these attitudes.