Toward Solving the High Enrollment, Low Engagement Dilemma: A Case Study in Introductory Business
Nancy M. Schullery, Robert F. Reck, Stephen E. Schullery

Abstract
The challenges of high enrollment, apparent low engagement, questionable evaluation, and a scarcity of faculty to teach an introductory business course were addressed by reformatting the course delivery to a hybrid style “inverted classroom,” which devotes classroom time to active learning and assigns reading and videotaped lectures for completion outside class. In 75 minute class meetings each week, faculty and part-time business-oriented instructors work with 24 students per section to clarify and reinforce concepts through discussion of related current events and a group problem-solving exercise. We sought to determine if the new format achieved our learning objectives and engaged students. Factor and content analyses of student surveys (N = 868) show that the students’ level of overall satisfaction with the course and their perceived learning of concepts correlates with their in-class engagement. Results indicate the reformatted delivery has successfully addressed the challenges presented by this high enrollment course.

Full Text: PDF