Strategic Approaches in PME Elements of Leadership and Strategic Decision Making
Air University Public Affairs
Video by Michael Tate
Dec. 7, 2023 | 01:02:22
Ms. Erica Haglund, Dr. Linda Brent, Dr. Celestino Perez, Jr., & Dr. Megan J. Hennessey
Discussion is one of the most used pedagogical techniques in university classrooms but student participation in discussion is not always equitable. This study examines improving equity of student participation by replacing traditional hand raising with an analog classroom response system (CRS), the Raised Block. The study examined instructor and student use of Blocks during seminar discussions in a security studies program at the US Naval War College, a professional military education institution. A series of surveys asked the students and instructors about their experience to determine if using the Blocks increased the perception of inclusivity in the discussions. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the survey data showed that using the Blocks led to more varied, dynamic, and engaged student participation, especially in “quiet” students with high-communication apprehension (CA). The Block approach can improve the discussion environment by organizing participation in the discussion that lessens the apprehension associated with raising and holding up a hand. The Blocks increase the persistence of a signal to participate, slowing the pace of the discussion allowing more participation. Thus, the Blocks limits “dominant” low-CA students from controlling the discussion. Together, the mechanisms create space in the discussion allowing high-CA students access and inclusion. At the same time, many students objected to the Blocks, both in principle and in their execution. Successful use of the Blocks required instructors to gain a level of skill in using the Blocks and transparency about the purpose of their use. More