(Game-Based) Student Response Systems Engage Students with Research-Teaching Nexus Activities and Support Their Skills Development

Abstract

Research-teaching nexus framework assists teachers to support activities which are focused on the current research in the disciplines promoting discussions and skills development. The challenges for teachers are related to student research skills development, knowledge application across contexts and student experience on statistics. The aim of this investigation was to compare student views following two approaches: one which integrated technology and one which did not into the teaching delivery process. Forty first-year Psychology students were split into two groups (A and B) and followed both teaching approaches in a different attending order (one approach without the use of technology and another one with technology or vice versa). (Game-based) student response systems (PollEveryWhere and Kahoot) were integrated into the teaching process, whilst the learning content was the same for both cases. Students evaluated the two approaches by completing two online surveys with items relating to research-teaching nexus activities and skills development. The integration of (game-based) student response systems into teaching process increased student engagement in learning, improved the interactions between students and teachers and allowed them to develop the relevant research skills. Students received the technology intervention as a way to work on a creative learning environment which allowed them to develop skills and knowledge/experience around research methods and statistics. Although this investigation took place in a Psychology School, the design of a research methods and statistics module based on the combination of collaborative problem-based learning with the use of (game-based) student response systems can be applied in other disciplines.