Effective Collaborative Activities and Active Learning in Engineering Education: A Case Study

Abstract

Creating an active learning environment has proved to improve boost higher order thinking skills and skills needed in the workplace. Student Teams Achievement Division (STAD) is one of the Collaborative Learning (CL) strategies where peer collaboration drives the learning process. The purpose of this case study was to ascertain the effectiveness of active learning strategies including STAD collaborative activity on third year engineering undergraduates of Information Science & Engineering for the course of Advanced Data Structures. The results have been promising and have proved STAD to be an effective tool of improving students' performance.