Implementing a successful Collaborative Active Learning approach in information technology discipline

Collaborative active learning (CAL) can transform a traditional classroom to a positive and shared learning environment. In an attempt to explore this claim, an experiment was conducted in a higher education institute that delivers undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes to students from multiple cultural backgrounds. The subjects chosen were from the Information Technology discipline and a medium sized class that consisted of 50 students. The class schedule was prepared to be delivered within twelve weeks incorporating flipped learning strategies with pre-, in- and post-class activities. Case studies have been an eye opener for the students to learn how the theories learned in the class apply in real-world context and the underlying problems identified through the case studies are solved by practicing the problem-based learning approach. In between the weekly sessions, the students take part in Moodle forum discussions and maintain a weekly log book to keep track of their progress. This whole approach has produced excellent results in achieving the learning outcomes, positive feedback on student satisfaction, better grades compared to the previous offerings of the same content in a traditional lecture-lab format.