Student Engagement during Virtual v.s. Face-To-Face Active Learning Activities in Three IT Courses

The post COVID-19 landscape of higher education has accelerated the adoption of flexible instructional modalities that blend online synchronous and in-person face-to-face teaching. Building a virtual active learning classroom that emphasizes higher-order thinking, problem-solving and collaborative programming through group work is particularly challenging. This study discusses active learning strategies in three IT courses delivered both in-person and virtually through online synchronous video-conference. Using various software tools and a dynamic breakout room strategy, we were able to create an effective virtual active learning environment. We also surveyed the students to measure two engagement factors - Value of Activity and Personal Effort, to compare their experiences in the virtual and face-to-face collaborations. The quantitative results showed no significant difference in either of the two factors between the two modalities. The qualitative results also confirmed that most students enjoy active learning in both settings, although some found in-person group work more interactive and fun.