AN ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF USING EXCLUSIVELY WORKSHOP-STYLE INSTRUCTION IN THE COLLEGE ALGEBRA CLASSROOM, FOCUSED ON ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY UNDERGRADUATES

摘要

Over the past few decades, evidence has grown for the effectiveness of collaborative learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Hundreds, if not thousands, of studies have been conducted under various conditions - different subject matter, different levels, varying proportions of class time spent on collaborative learning versus traditional lecture-style instruction - and the clear trend in the studies indicates an improvement in the performance and the attitudes of students who participate in collaborative learning environments. So compelling is the evidence in favor of collaborative learning that it has gained the support of such organizations as the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Science Foundation, and the Mathematical Association of America. The accreditation board for engineering and technology (ABET) now includes collaborative learning activities in their accreditation criteria.