“A different class”
a case of introducing interactive activities in the teaching of Political Science
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35699/2237-5864.2020.24042Keywords:
Active learning, Classroom interactive activities, Political Science education, Higher education in PortugalAbstract
This article aims to assess how the introduction of interactive class activities impact on the student's satisfaction. Building on the constructivist knowledge approach and the advantages of active learning, an empirical study on the comparison of satisfaction questionnaires was conducted. The comparison consisted between students of two classes where there were no activities, with the other two, where activities were carried out. The questionnaires were subjected to qualitative and quantitative content analysis, revealing the appreciation that students attribute to interactive classes. Interactivity came to be considered the most important strong point of evaluation of both the course and the teacher. These results reinforce previous studies that show the advantages of active learning in increasing student satisfaction. They are particularly important in the area of Political Science, where a type of learning that encourages analytical skills, critical thinking and communicational skills will be especially suitable.
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