Abstract
The landscape of tertiary education has shifted from traditional teaching strategies to those that prioritise active learning, driven by the rapidly evolving knowledge demands of the 21st century. However, lecturers often encounter significant challenges in implementing strategies that foster active learning and effectively leverage digital media. These challenges included insufficient pedagogical knowledge, resistance to technology integration, ineffective use of digital tools, logistical constraints within physical learning environments, and limited time for preparation and delivery.
Technology has become a key driver in advancing active learning, requiring lecturers to innovate in fostering interactive student engagement. This has highlighted the growing need for digital media that can effectively support active learning. Nearpod emerged as a promising tool, enabling lecturers to integrate interactive elements such as polls, quizzes, and virtual field trips into both asynchronous, student-paced sessions and synchronous, live contact sessions. This versatility enhanced student engagement and facilitated deeper learning experiences. While numerous studies have explored the use of Nearpod in online learning environments, particularly in secondary and higher education, there remains a gap in research regarding its application within a contact model in higher education. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Nearpod as a medium for promoting active learning within a traditional face-to-face educational setting. To assess the role of digital media in active learning, it is essential to understand how students learn in evolving educational contexts. Fischer’s theory of dynamic skill development provided a framework for viewing learning as a dynamic, adaptive process, influenced by factors like performance variability, affective elements, and contextual influences.
This study investigated how Nearpod could enhance active learning in a contact model in higher education. Sub-questions explored students’ experiences with Nearpod, its role in fostering active participation, its impact on teaching quality and learning effectiveness, and the challenges students faced. Using a qualitative, instrumental case study design within a constructivist framework, data were collected via a semi-structured online questionnaire from first- and second-year Bachelor of Education students at a private institution. The findings revealed that Nearpod effectively promotes active learning, even amid the challenges of a dynamic educational context.
Keywords: active learning; contact model; digital media; effective learning; higher education; learner; Nearpod; quality teaching; student
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