Conclusion and Future Trends Conclusion and Future Trends
This essay has explored the literature on assessing a wide variety of active-learning techniques drawing on lessons from multiple disciplines. Even though the essay tries to be widely inclusive, the authors are aware that some bodies of literature have not been fully explored. It is quite evident that scholars of assessment and active learning are often not aware of studies that have been done in other disciplines or in other geographic areas. Scholars from different countries are asking many of the same questions (and often coming up with similar answers), but their work is narrowly circulated and their citations are mostly those of other scholars from their own country. For this reason, the culmination of knowledge is advancing at a slower rate than it might if scholars were more aware of studies done in different regions and in other disciplines.
Despite this caveat, there are several areas that are ripe for further study. One area is in robustly demonstrating the learning that occurs through the use of active-learning techniques in contrast with traditional teaching methods. Careful design of studies with a larger n and with some control variables can further contribute to this literature that is often anecdotal. A second area in which almost no publications are available is on the “portability” of active-learning exercises across cultures. Can some of the techniques that are becoming widely used within the United States be effectively adopted in education settings in other countries and vice versa? A final area in which further research is warranted is in assessing the use of newer media (internet, video content, etc.) as it is increasingly incorporated into the classroom. Although there are a growing number of studies in other disciplines regarding online learning, International Relations is behind the curve on this aspect of learning and assessment. We need to ask what assessment techniques and measurement tools can be used effectively to assess student work within the context of teaching and learning using this newer media.