Students’ Reactions to Active Learning Methods in Selected Classrooms of Addis Ababa University

Abstract

The major purpose of this study was to look into students‟ preferences of approaches to learning through examining their reactions towards various active learning methods in selected classrooms of Addis Ababa University. Data were collected from two cohorts of evening extension (Business Education and Mathematics) students who took the courses General Methods of Teaching and Curriculum Studies. The major data used for the study were collected during the two courses. Additional data were secured using interview and personal texts. The result indicated that many of the students tended to resist or react negatively to teaching methods that require active engagement with learning tasks. Even though some improvement was noted in the attention the students paid to active learning tasks after the mid-term examination, they continued to worry about getting organized notes to be read for examination. Possible implications of this for classroom action and research in the area have been discussed. It was also suggested that students need to be considered as a key variable in any analysis of the implementation of active learning methods in Ethiopian classrooms.