Development of an Observation Protocol to Study Undergraduate Engineering Student Resistance to Active Learning

Student resistance is often cited as a major barrier to instructors' use of active learning, but there are few research-based strategies for reducing this barrier. In this paper, we describe the first phase of our research-the development and validation of a classroom observation protocol to assess student responses to instructors' use of active learning. This protocol, which draws upon other published observation protocols, allows researchers to capture data about instructors' use of and students' responses to active learning. We also present findings from four first and second year engineering courses at two institutions that demonstrate the variety of ways engineering students resist active learning and strategies that engineering instructors have employed to reduce student resistance.