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Practices of Active Learning in Public Universities in Ethiopia: Student and Faculty Perceptions

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Title: Practices of Active Learning in Public Universities in Ethiopia: Student and Faculty Perceptions
Language: English
Authors: Taglo Kassa (ORCID 0000-0002-3756-5668), Tamirie Andualem, Yekoyealem Desie, Fantahun Admas, Abebaw Minaye, Fiseha Teklu, Kassahun Habtamu, Seleshi Zeleke
Source: Studies in Higher Education. 2025 50(3):494-504.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 11
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Active Learning, Public Colleges, Foreign Countries, Student Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Teaching Methods
Geographic Terms: Ethiopia
DOI: 10.1080/03075079.2024.2343953
ISSN: 0307-5079
1470-174X
Abstract: As it encourages students to solve problems on their own and guides them throughout the process, the importance of active learning has gained popularity in a growing body of scholarly literature. However, there is a paucity of research on the practice and challenges of active learning in public universities in Ethiopia. This study seeks to examine the attitudes of faculty members and students toward the practices of active learning. Data for the study were collected from randomly selected 1597 participants (404 faculty members and 1193 undergraduate students) in eight public universities. The findings revealed that most of the respondents perceived active learning positively. However, the practice of active learning was found to be low where lecture was the most frequently reported method of instruction. Faculty participants have identified factors that hinder their use of active learning methods. The study has practical implications and contributes to the literature on practices and challenges of active learning strategies in public universities.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1500154
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0183372110;she01mar.25;2025Mar04.04:11;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0183372110-1">Practices of active learning in public universities in Ethiopia: student and faculty perceptions </title> <p>As it encourages students to solve problems on their own and guides them throughout the process, the importance of active learning has gained popularity in a growing body of scholarly literature. However, there is a paucity of research on the practice and challenges of active learning in public universities in Ethiopia. This study seeks to examine the attitudes of faculty members and students toward the practices of active learning. Data for the study were collected from randomly selected 1597 participants (404 faculty members and 1193 undergraduate students) in eight public universities. The findings revealed that most of the respondents perceived active learning positively. However, the practice of active learning was found to be low where lecture was the most frequently reported method of instruction. Faculty participants have identified factors that hinder their use of active learning methods. The study has practical implications and contributes to the literature on practices and challenges of active learning strategies in public universities.</p> <p>Keywords: Active learning; higher education; instructional methods; public universities; quality of education</p> <hd id="AN0183372110-2">Introduction</hd> <p>Over the past several years, higher learning institutions have been predominantly using a teacher-centered approach (Murphy, Eduljee, and Croteau [<reflink idref="bib31" id="ref1">31</reflink>]). However, this approach was criticized for deliberating instructors as a transmitter of knowledge while treating students as passive recipients thereof. More specifically, the teacher-centered approach does not involve active student interactions (Precious and Feyisetan [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref2">34</reflink>]). In this sense, learning appears to be a passive process in which the learners' mind is filled with knowledge imparted by teachers (Lom [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref3">19</reflink>]). As Prince and Felder ([<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref4">35</reflink>], 23), further pointed out 'If education is always to be conceived along the same antiquated lines of a mere transmission of knowledge, there is little to be hoped from it in the bettering of man's future.' Hence, quite a number of scholars (e.g. Elizabeth and Guillermo [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref5">10</reflink>]; Shroff et al. [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref6">40</reflink>]; Tharwat and Schenck [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref7">45</reflink>]) suggested the in-class application of active learning, a pedagogical strategy, that actively engages learners in the learning process. The approach provides learners with the avenue to perform learning activities and develop their thinking through those learning activities. This in turn enables them to create knowledge for themselves while transforming teachers' role from 'a sage on the stage to a guide on the side' (Lom [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref8">19</reflink>]).</p> <p>The very essence of the active learning approach is providing students with carefully designed tasks; encouraging them to solve problems on their own; and guiding them throughout the process. This strategy thus serves students as a vehicle to nurture their creativity and problem-solving skills. It also helps learners to link concepts in their classroom discussion to real-life situations. Moreover, active learning encourages students to accomplish such higher-order learning objectives as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation (Precious and Feyisetan [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref9">34</reflink>]; Shroff et al. [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref10">40</reflink>]). Scholarly works dealing with active learning methods and effective study behavior have also identified significant results in relation to students' meaningful engagement in the learning process. A study by Bolden et al. ([<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref11">7</reflink>]) for example, examined whether or not the active learning method was a significant predictor of student engagement. The findings revealed the role active learning methods played in enhancing students' academic engagement.</p> <p>Given that maturity enables students to manage their learning using an advanced approach, active learning is particularly imperative to learners in higher education (Elizabeth and Guillermo [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref12">10</reflink>]). In this regard, a growing body of scholarly literature supports its application in higher institutions. In a recent cross-sectional study involving quantitative and qualitative approaches, Munna and Kalam ([<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref13">30</reflink>]) highlighted higher education students' perception of active learning strategy and its impacts on student engagement. The survey showed a boost in the students' level of engagement with the implementation of active learning method. Similarly, based on a meta-analysis involving 225 studies, Freeman et al. ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref14">11</reflink>]) found an increase in exam performance by about 6% for students attending active learning classes; while those in traditional lecturing classes were 1.5 times more likely to fail. Several other studies (e.g. Bolden et al. [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref15">7</reflink>]; Munna and Kalam [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref16">30</reflink>]) have found that using active learning in higher education can lead students to effective study behavior and improvement in their level of involvement in their learning.</p> <p>Despite its significant impact on improving the quality of learning, active learning was criticized for the increased time spent on classroom activities, which compromises content coverage (Mæland [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref17">24</reflink>]). Another criticism of active learning is the burden it puts on students which causes anxiety for some (Brigati, England, and Schussler [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref18">8</reflink>]). It emphasizes higher-order thinking and often involves group work (Freeman et al. [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref19">11</reflink>]), but this may create dependency on the participating students, which can negatively affect the rest of the group. According to Drake ([<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref20">9</reflink>]), active learning over-emphasizes techniques of instruction rather than the outcomes. Drake also criticized active learning proponents for not considering engaging in out-of-class activities like homework problems, online discussion boards, or written assignments as part of the active learning tradition. Generally, the effectiveness of active learning depends on different factors and it needs to consider what works in certain circumstances beforehand (Bernstein [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref21">6</reflink>]).</p> <p>Successful implementation of active learning involves a diverse set of strategies like group discussions, written exercises, games, clicker questions, debates, and projects (Freeman et al. [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref22">11</reflink>]). Similarly, Michel, Cater, and Varela ([<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref23">22</reflink>]), summarized other forms of active learning, entailing oral presentation, self-assessment exercises, analyzing case studies, laboratory experiments, student-led review sessions, field trips, role plays, and concept mapping. For Lom ([<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref24">19</reflink>]), think-pair-share, roundtable, jigsaw, in-class quizzes, and minute papers were also important facets of active learning.</p> <p>Concerning the case in Ethiopia, the importance of active learning has gained due emphasis since the introduction of the previous education and training policy formulated in 1994 (MoE [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref25">25</reflink>]). It has also gained attention in the current education and training policy. This is mainly aimed at circumventing the declining trend of quality education in the country and enhancing the competitiveness of learners in the international arena, according to MoE ([<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref26">27</reflink>]). Furthermore, with the objective of ameliorating instructional practices, the Ministry of Education instituted a higher diploma program to equip instructors with theoretical concepts and practical activities pertinent to active learning (MoE [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref27">26</reflink>]). With regard to its practices in Ethiopian universities, Mohammed, Seid, and Abdurahman ([<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref28">28</reflink>]) and Takele and Yeshanew ([<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref29">43</reflink>]) found that group work and question and answer as two predominantly employed active learning strategies followed by project work and discussion. Whereas problem-solving, field trips, role-play, and brainstorming were rarely employed methods of active learning. Nonetheless, for Wondifraw ([<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref30">46</reflink>]), the commonly used instructional methods in Ethiopian universities were substantially teacher-centered, and little attempt was made to appropriate execution of active learning strategies. This notion was further supported by Amera ([<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref31">1</reflink>]), who discussed the weak performances in implementing active learning in the country. According to the aforementioned authors, the successful implementation of active learning practices was impeded by a number of factors. Inter alia, teachers' misconceptions about the approach, large class size, and shortage of instructional resources (Kefialew [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref32">15</reflink>]), teachers' workload (Aschalew [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref33">3</reflink>]), and lack of administrative support from Universities (Kitaw [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref34">18</reflink>]) were identified as key factors, debilitating successful implementation of active learning.</p> <hd id="AN0183372110-3">Statement of the problem</hd> <p>Despite a fast growth in the number of universities and the corresponding rise in student population and programs of study; the system of higher education in Ethiopia is heavily criticized for the poor quality of graduates it produces (Berhanu et al. [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref35">5</reflink>]). One of the critical factors associated with it is the predominant use of traditional instructional methods that do not engage and stimulate real learning in students. In order to enhance student learning achievements and produce quality graduates, it is required to use innovative varieties of instructional methods that provide students with opportunities to engage in critical thinking and develop creative problem-solving abilities. However, there is a paucity of scholarly work, investigating the commonly used instructional methods in Ethiopian public universities. Among a few attempts, Samuel ([<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref36">38</reflink>]), assessed active learning methods used in Linguistic courses with particular attention to Ambo University; Kefialew ([<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref37">15</reflink>]), investigated the practices of active learning at Amhara Region Police College; whereas Wudu ([<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref38">47</reflink>]), examined the practices at Jimma University. Likewise, Mulugeta, Solomon, and Mathivanan ([<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref39">29</reflink>]) assessed the status of active learning approaches in Physical education classes at Kotebe College of Teacher Education and Addis Ababa University. Mohammed, Seid, and Abdurahman ([<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref40">28</reflink>]) examined the practice and prospects of active learning methods at Wollo University; while Takele and Yeshanew ([<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref41">43</reflink>]), focused on the implementation of active learning strategies in the Physics department at Wolaita Sodo University. However, none of these studies incorporated students' perceptions of active learning practices. Above all, many of the aforementioned studies focused on practices in either a single University or specific discipline.</p> <p>This study is therefore aimed at examining practices of active learning strategies in public universities of Ethiopia from the perspective of teachers and students. In so doing, we believe that this study will be helpful in gaining an understanding of how both instructors and students perceived which active learning strategies are being commonly used; thereby, filling the existing gap in the literature. Given that this study encompassed eight public universities, representing diverse generations and situated in different regions it captures a vivid image of higher learning institutions in the country. Hence, the findings from this study guide policymakers and practitioners in designing professional development activities for the successful implementation of active learning in higher learning institutions. Finally, by identifying challenges that hamper the successful implementation of active learning, the study serves as a springboard for further investigations into the improvement of active learning practices. Therefore, it was with this all in mind that the present study examined the commonly used instructional methods in Ethiopian public universities. To this end, the following research questions were formulated:</p> <p></p> <ulist> <item> What are the commonly used active learning strategies in Ethiopian public universities?</item> <p></p> <item> Is there any significant difference among perceptions of students and teachers concerning practices of active learning?</item> <p></p> <item> Are there challenges in the use of active learning strategies in the universities under investigation?</item> </ulist> <hd id="AN0183372110-4">Method</hd> <p>This study is drawn from a broad research project involving three major components: student engagement, instructional methods, and student assessment. The study reported in this paper focuses on the second component (i.e. the instructional method).</p> <hd id="AN0183372110-5">Participants</hd> <p>Data for this study were collected from instructors and undergraduate students enrolled in eight public universities in Ethiopia (each represented the first, second, and third generations).</p> <hd id="AN0183372110-6">Student participants</hd> <p>The participants were selected through a multistage cluster sampling method where departments were used for stratifications. We recruited a sample with a diverse set of backgrounds from eight public universities (Adama, Arbaminch, Gonder, Injibara, Jigjiga, Selale, Watchamo, and Woldia), seeking participants, representing different colleges (including Agricultural Sciences, Business & Economics, Education & Behavioral Sciences, Health & Medical Sciences, Law, Natural Science, Social Science, & Technology) gender, age group, year level, place of origin, and socio-economic background. An equal amount of (<reflink idref="bib150" id="ref42">150</reflink>) students were recruited from each university, though a few (0.005%) failed to return the survey. The final sample consisted of 1193 students (715 males [60%] and 477 females [40%]; with an average age of 22 years). In terms of year of study, students varied from year one (52.5%) to year four (47. 5%). Hence, the sample was believed to be representative of the student population in Ethiopian public universities.</p> <hd id="AN0183372110-7">Faculty participants</hd> <p>The sample involves randomly selected 408 (51 from each university) faculty participants who were selected from a list of faculty members in the aforementioned eight public Universities. However, it was 404 (356 male [88%] and 48 female [12%]) participants who filled and returned the questionnaires. These participants were diversified in their academic rank (Graduate Assistant & Assistant Lecturer [8%], Lecturer [74%], Assistant Professor [15%], Associate Professor & Full Professor [3%]), qualification (BA/BSc [9%], MA/MSc [82%], & PhD [9%]) and teaching experience (mean and median years of experience, 7 and 7 years, respectively).</p> <hd id="AN0183372110-8">Measures</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0183372110-9">Student survey</hd> <p>The survey was constructed to have students' perceptions towards practices of active learning. This survey has two main parts: a scale for assessing attitudes towards active learning methods and a set of common active learning methods used in the classroom.</p> <p>The attitude items are 12 (rated in terms of 'Strongly disagree', 1 to 'Strongly agree', 5). After constructing the survey, we tested it for reliability and validity. Following a forced unidimensional factor analysis, Cronbach α reliability is.87. The scale reliabilities across universities vary from.89 (Injibara University) to.92 (Arbaminch University). The reliability of males' and females' data, respectively, was.90 and.86.</p> <p>Sixteen common instructional methods (e.g. lecture, group discussion) used in the classroom were rated in terms of 'never' (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref43">1</reflink>) to 'always' (<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref44">5</reflink>).</p> <hd id="AN0183372110-10">Faculty survey</hd> <p>This survey has three main parts: The first two are those listed above in the Student Survey, and the third is a list of 15 challenges (e.g. large class size, inconvenient classrooms) teachers face in the teaching-learning process. The challenges are rated in five scale values ranging from 'never', 1, to 'always', 5.</p> <p>The Attitude Scale has 11 items. Following a forced unidimensional factor analysis, Cronbach α reliability is.87. The scale reliabilities across universities vary from.79 (Selale University) to.92 (Arbaminch University). The reliability of males' and females' data, respectively, is.88 and.84.</p> <hd id="AN0183372110-11">Control variables</hd> <p>In order to provide a more stringent test of the hypotheses, we used several control variables. These involved students' demographic features like gender, age, place of origin, SES, and academic achievement (Cumulative grade point). Besides, instructors' sex, age, teaching experience, workload (hours spent in teaching and office work per week), academic qualification (Bachelor's degree, Master's, and PhD), and rank were also used as control variables.</p> <hd id="AN0183372110-12">Data collection procedures</hd> <p>The data were collected from eight public universities by surveying instructors and students enrolled in undergraduate programs. Initially, a letter of support was secured from the Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer Office of Addis Ababa University and presented to each university's top management for consent. After securing consent, faculty participants were contacted through their respective department heads and student participants through their course instructors. Besides, the research team members briefed the objective of the study and secured participants' oral consent ahead of administering the survey. Participants were then, provided with a questionnaire each assessing their attitudes towards active learning methods and a set of common active learning methods used in the classroom. The questionnaires were administered to all students in their usual classrooms. The questionnaires were distributed to faculty members during office hours, and they were requested to fill them out and return them the next day.</p> <hd id="AN0183372110-13">Scoring and analytic strategy</hd> <p>There are three types of substantive variables in this study: common types of instructional methods, attitude towards active learning, and challenges to the use of active learning. The first and third group of variables with frequency data were analyzed using a Chi-square test, which is used to measure the discrepancy between the observed and expected frequency distribution in each category (Spiegelhalter [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref45">41</reflink>]). The second variable (i.e. continuous data) was analyzed using a <emph>t-test</emph>.</p> <p>Attitudes towards active learning items were factor analyzed for unidimensionality or general factor attribute. Then a comparison of the two groups (teachers and students) was made using a <emph>t</emph>-<emph>test</emph> for the difference between the mean scores of students and teachers towards their attitude towards using active learning methods in the classroom.</p> <hd id="AN0183372110-14">Ethical considerations</hd> <p>A technical committee established by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer (VPRTT) at Addis Ababa University reviewed and approved the study proposal for the broad thematic study (VPRTT/PY-010/2022). Data were collected after discussing with all the study participants and obtaining their consent. The participants were explicitly informed that participation was voluntary and that they could withdraw at any time from the study when they felt uncomfortable. Above all, before and after the administration of the questionnaires, the confidentiality and anonymity of participants were ensured.</p> <hd id="AN0183372110-15">Result</hd> <p>This section has three sub-sections related to the use of active learning methods in higher education institutions. These involve (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref46">1</reflink>) the commonly used active learning methods, (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref47">2</reflink>) attitude towards the use of active learning methods in the classroom, and (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref48">3</reflink>) challenges faced when using active learning methods.</p> <hd id="AN0183372110-16">The commonly used and not used active learning methods</hd> <p>Both faculty members and students were asked about the frequently used methods in classrooms. A summary of their response is presented as follows (Table 1).</p> <p>Table 1. Response of instructors.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead valign="bottom"><tr><td>Methods</td><td>The extent of use (Percentages)</td></tr><tr><td>Never</td><td>Rarely</td><td>Sometimes</td><td>Often</td><td>Always</td><td>Total</td><td>Chi-Square</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Lecture</td><td char="(">4 (1.0)</td><td char="(">11 (2.7)</td><td char="(">41(10.2)</td><td char="(">170 (42.4)</td><td char="(">175 (43.6)</td><td char="(">401(100)</td><td>363.88, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr><tr><td>Questions & Answers</td><td char="(">6 (1.5)</td><td char="(">26 (6.6)</td><td char="(">91 (23.2)</td><td char="(">156 (39.7)</td><td char="(">114(29.0)</td><td char="(">393(100)</td><td>196.38, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr><tr><td>Debate</td><td char="(">94(23.4)</td><td char="(">115(28.7)</td><td char="(">122(30.4)</td><td char="(">55(13.7)</td><td char="(">15(3.7)</td><td char="(">401(100)</td><td>100.19, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr><tr><td>Demonstration</td><td char="(">43(11.1)</td><td char="(">89(22.9)</td><td char="(">151(38.8)</td><td char="(">82(21.1)</td><td char="(">24(6.2)</td><td char="(">389(100)</td><td>123.48, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr><tr><td>Role Play</td><td char="(">87(22.5)</td><td char="(">101(26.1)</td><td char="(">105(27.1)</td><td char="(">71(18.3)</td><td char="(">23(5.9)</td><td char="(">387(100)</td><td>56.99, <italic>P</italic> <.050</td></tr><tr><td>Fieldwork & Report</td><td char="(">138(35.3)</td><td char="(">85(21.7)</td><td char="(">98(25.1)</td><td char="(">51(13.0)</td><td char="(">19(4.9)</td><td char="(">391(100)</td><td>105.61, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr><tr><td>Jigsaw</td><td char="(">91(22.9)</td><td char="(">98(24.7)</td><td char="(">132(33.2)</td><td char="(">59(14.9)</td><td char="(">17(4.3)</td><td char="(">397(100)</td><td>95.18, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr><tr><td>Case study</td><td char="(">85(21.2)</td><td char="(">115(28.7)</td><td char="(">127(31.7)</td><td char="(">53(13.2)</td><td char="(">21(5.2)</td><td char="(">401(100)</td><td>95.62, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>Of the list of instructional methods to be used in the classroom, teachers rated lecture as the most frequently used method. Eighty-six percent of teachers rated that lecture is used <emph>often</emph> and <emph>always</emph> in their classrooms. The use of Questions and answers was rated as the second most frequently used method. Close to 70% of teachers rated this method as used <emph>often</emph> and <emph>always</emph> in their classrooms. On the other hand, less than thirty-six percent of teachers rated Jigsaw as used <emph>often</emph> or <emph>always</emph>. The results were checked for statistical significance using Chi-square and found to be different in the degree of use.</p> <p>As depicted in Table 2, of the list of methods to be used in the classroom, students rated lecture as the most frequently used method. 72% of the students rated this method as used <emph>often</emph> or <emph>always</emph>. This was followed by the Questions and Answers method, which was rated by 55% of the students as used <emph>often</emph> and <emph>always</emph> in their classrooms. On the other hand, case study was rated as the least frequently used method of instruction. The results were checked for statistical significance using Chi-square and found to be different in the degree of practice.</p> <p>Table 2. Response of students.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead valign="bottom"><tr><td>Methods</td><td>The extent of use (Percentages)</td></tr><tr><td>Never</td><td>Rarely</td><td>Sometimes</td><td>Often</td><td>Always</td><td>Total</td><td>Chi-Square</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Lecture</td><td char="(">68(5.8)</td><td char="(">59(5.0)</td><td char="(">202(17.1)</td><td char="(">369(31.2)</td><td char="(">484(40.9)</td><td char="(">1182(100)</td><td>591.80, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr><tr><td>Questions & Answers</td><td char="(">93(8.0)</td><td char="(">116(10.0)</td><td char="(">315(27.1)</td><td char="(">359(30.9)</td><td char="(">280(24.1)</td><td char="(">1163(100)</td><td>249.77, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr><tr><td>Debate</td><td char="(">364(31.1)</td><td char="(">239(20.4)</td><td char="(">235(20.1)</td><td char="(">180(15.4)</td><td char="(">154(13.1)</td><td char="(">1172(100)</td><td>111.95, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr><tr><td>Demonstration</td><td char="(">173(15.30)</td><td char="(">191(16.9)</td><td char="(">371(32.7)</td><td char="(">256(22.6)</td><td char="(">142(12.5)</td><td char="(">1133(100)</td><td>145.69, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr><tr><td>Role Play</td><td char="(">214(18.7)</td><td char="(">194(17)</td><td char="(">286(25)</td><td char="(">283(24.8)</td><td char="(">166(14.5)</td><td char="(">1143(100)</td><td>50.67, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr><tr><td>Fieldwork & Report</td><td char="(">387(33.3)</td><td char="(">175(15.1)</td><td char="(">228(19.6)</td><td char="(">211(18.2)</td><td char="(">161(13.9)</td><td char="(">1162(100)</td><td>141.01, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr><tr><td>Jigsaw</td><td char="(">222(19.0)</td><td char="(">205(17.6)</td><td char="(">319(27.3)</td><td char="(">253(21.7)</td><td char="(">169(14.5)</td><td char="(">1168(100)</td><td>54.77, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr><tr><td>Case study</td><td char="(">230(19.6)</td><td char="(">230(19.6)</td><td char="(">320(27.2)</td><td char="(">244(20.8)</td><td char="(">151(12.9)</td><td char="(">1175(100)</td><td>61.33, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <hd id="AN0183372110-17">Attitude towards active learning</hd> <p>As presented in the method section of this article, attitude towards active learning was measured by fifteen items. The responses of these 15 items were added and averaged to a scale of 5 points, and presented in Table 3.</p> <p>Table 3. Attitude of students and teachers towards active learning method.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead valign="bottom"><tr><td /><td>Students</td><td>Teachers</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>N</td><td char=".">1193</td><td char=".">405</td></tr><tr><td>Mean</td><td char=".">3.96</td><td char=".">4.16</td></tr><tr><td>SD</td><td char=".">.70</td><td char=".">.56</td></tr><tr><td><italic>t</italic><sub>(862)</sub></td><td char=".">5.76</td></tr><tr><td><italic>p</italic></td><td><italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>As shown in Table 3, the attitude of both students and teachers on a scale of five points is almost four, which means that both 'agree', or are favorable, to the use of active learning method.</p> <p>The difference between the attitudes of the two groups is statistically significant (<emph>t</emph><subs>862</subs> = 5.76, <emph>p</emph> <.05), indicating teachers are a little bit higher than students in their favorable attitude towards this method of teaching.</p> <hd id="AN0183372110-18">Challenges in using active learning method</hd> <p>As presented in Tables 1 and 2, the most frequently used teaching method in higher education in Ethiopia was lecture followed by question and answer. Other desirable active learning strategies such as debate, demonstration, and role play were used less frequently. Teachers were asked why such active learning methods were not used in the classroom. Of the list of challenges, inconvenient classrooms, large class sizes, lack of resources, and poor English language skills of students were rated as the major challenges. The results are presented as follows.</p> <p>Table 4 shows that over 77% of teachers rated inconvenient classrooms as <emph>very much a challenge</emph> and <emph>extremely a challenge</emph> that made this obstacle the first, among the fifteen potential challenges presented for rating.</p> <p>Table 4. Challenges in using active learning methods.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead valign="bottom"><tr><td>Challenges</td><td>Not at all a challenge</td><td>Somewhat a challenge</td><td>Moderately a challenge</td><td>Very much a challenge</td><td>Extremely a challenge</td><td>Total</td><td>Chi-Square</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Inconvenient classrooms</td><td char="(">9 (2.2)</td><td char="(">27(6.7)</td><td char="(">54(13.5)</td><td char="(">166(41.4)</td><td char="(">145(36.2)</td><td char="(">401(100)</td><td>251.21, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr><tr><td>Large class size</td><td char="(">26(6.5)</td><td char="(">25(6.2)</td><td char="(">66(16.4)</td><td char="(">125(31.1)</td><td char="(">160(39.8)</td><td char="(">402(100)</td><td>181.1, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr><tr><td>Lack of resources</td><td char="(">17(4.2)</td><td char="(">43(10.7)</td><td char="(">64(15.9)</td><td char="(">118(29.3)</td><td char="(">161(40.0)</td><td char="(">403(100)</td><td>168.70, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr><tr><td>Students' Poor English language skills</td><td char="(">18(4.5)</td><td char="(">29(7.2)</td><td char="(">86(21.3)</td><td char="(">137(34.0)</td><td char="(">133(33.0)</td><td char="(">403(100)</td><td>155.55, <italic>P</italic> <.05</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <hd id="AN0183372110-19">Discussion</hd> <p>This study is aimed at examining the practices and challenges of active learning strategies in public universities in Ethiopia from students' and teachers' perspectives. The survey results revealed lecture as the most frequently used instructional method followed by the questions and answers method. This result is in agreement with previous studies (e.g. Mulugeta, Solomon, and Mathivanan [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref49">29</reflink>]; Robsan [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref50">37</reflink>]; Wondifraw [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref51">46</reflink>]) where the lecture method was found to dominate most classrooms in the surveyed public universities in Ethiopia. However, Sharma et al. ([<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref52">39</reflink>]) rated the effectiveness of lectures moderately. On the other hand, although scholars (e.g. Martini et al. [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref53">21</reflink>]; Purwati et al. [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref54">36</reflink>]) identified debate as an important active learning strategy, in this study, it was reported by both faculty members (17%) and students (28%) as the least used active learning method. In the same vein, previous local studies (e.g. Anbesaa [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref55">2</reflink>]; Ketemaw [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref56">17</reflink>]; Samuel [<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref57">38</reflink>]) have indicated that other varieties of active learning methods such as demonstration, inquiry, discovery, role play, jigsaw, and case study were among the less frequently used facets of active learning strategies, albeit the advantages of these methods have gained emphasis in Sumanasekera et al. ([<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref58">42</reflink>]) and Tharwat and Schenck ([<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref59">45</reflink>]). The less prevalent use of active learning methods, as evidenced by students' and teachers' perceptions hints that teachers may have either a lack of proper understanding or a favorable attitude towards active learning methods.</p> <p>As was revealed in the statistical analysis there was a significant difference in the attitude students and faculty members have toward active learning. Teachers have more positive attitudes than students. This was confirmed by the mean values obtained from participants' degree of agreement and disagreement about the attitude towards active learning methods. This was somewhat an expected result that teachers would have a socially desirable response to the items. Faculty members' positive attitude towards active learning strategies is one of the prerequisites for the application thereof (Prabhavalikar and Patil [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref60">33</reflink>]). However, instructors' positive attitude toward active learning strategies per se may not warrant its successful utilization. Rather, it can be affected by teachers' competence, classroom setting, class size, availability of resources, and students' academic background and interest (Bolden et al. [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref61">7</reflink>]).</p> <p>On the other hand, writing about educational practices in Ethiopia, scholars (e.g. Haile Gabriel [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref62">14</reflink>]; Keski-Mäenpää [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref63">16</reflink>]), highlighted some legacies of church education in contemporary public education of the country. This can be exemplified by an extensive use of the lecturing method and the depiction of teachers as a role model (to be imitated by students) (Aweke [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref64">4</reflink>]). In this sense, education is considered a knowledge transmission process where teachers impart knowledge and learners have little or no role. In the same line of argument, Keski-Mäenpää ([<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref65">16</reflink>]) attributed the diminished interest of students in active learning to the Ethiopian tradition of child upbringing, which encourages children to obey and respect the decisions taken by their elders and accept their place in a hierarchic social order. This particularly makes the utilization of active learning methods like debate or dialog difficult. Another possible explanation for the difference in attitude between students and instructors towards active learning could be students' perception of active learning as a mechanism of reducing instructors' burden and making learners busy rather than teaching them (Samuel [<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref66">38</reflink>]).</p> <p>As regards the challenges of using active learning methods, teachers reported that classroom inconvenience (78%), large class sizes (70%), lack of resources (69%), and poor English language skills of students (67%) as the major impediments to the successful adoption of active learning. This replicates the findings of Kefialew ([<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref67">15</reflink>]), Mulugeta, Solomon, and Mathivanan ([<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref68">29</reflink>]), and Takele and Yeshanew ([<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref69">43</reflink>]), who investigated the practice of active learning in different colleges and universities in Ethiopia. The inconvenience in most classrooms was partly explained by the classroom setting, which determines the variety of active learning strategies to be used. Fixed furnishings in a high-density arrangement for instance, restrict movement and flow, while open, small-scale, movable equipment supports different types of classroom layouts, which facilitate active learning approaches (Young, Hynes, and Hynes [<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref70">48</reflink>]). The fixed classroom seating arrangement was also criticized for discriminating students' learning experiences depending on seating positions as 'golden' and 'shadow zones' (Park and Choi [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref71">32</reflink>]). The seats in the front-center area (the golden zone) enable better communication with instructors, better understanding, and more interest and concentration on lecture material. However, fewer than 10% were actually able to obtain these seats, which depends on classroom arrival time and the seats selected by close friends (Park and Choi [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref72">32</reflink>]).</p> <p>Previous studies (e.g. Kefialew [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref73">15</reflink>]; Mulugeta, Solomon, and Mathivanan [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref74">29</reflink>]; Takele and Yeshanew [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref75">43</reflink>]) acknowledged large class sizes as the most common barriers affecting the successful implementation of active learning. This finding is particularly important, as the class size and instructional resources that proper utilization of active learning requires are different from the ones required for the traditional lecture approach (Gao [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref76">13</reflink>]; Miller and Metz [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref77">23</reflink>]). Teachers' responses to the above-mentioned challenges were an anticipated result. Although Ethiopia has experienced a significant expansion in higher education in the past few decades, most universities receive students beyond their available resources, such as classrooms and laboratories, which results in large classes. In this regard, although we couldn't find evidence suggesting an optimal class size for active learning, there is evidence that indicates diminishing returns in terms of opportunities to learn as class sizes increase (Gao [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref78">13</reflink>]). Small classes provide teachers with a broader opportunity to select and utilize a diverse set of active learning strategies. Furthermore, as Marine and Sing ([<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref79">20</reflink>]) pointed out large class size is not only an issue of numbers but is about the complexities and challenges associated with delivering both equality and quality learning opportunities for all students in a particular classroom. However, this should be taken cautiously as there are alternative strategies to apply active learning in large classes (Thalluri and Penman [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref80">44</reflink>]).</p> <p>Instructional materials like audiovisual aids and laboratory equipment enhance students' motivation and provide a joyful and collaborative learning environment that facilitates active learning (Galatsopoulou et al. [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref81">12</reflink>]). In contrast, the lack of appropriate instructional materials limits the utilization of various active learning strategies. On the other hand, the wider public in Ethiopia predominantly uses local languages for regular communication. Whereas English remains a medium of instruction in higher learning institutions. Hence, it is very common to hear teachers complaining about students' poor proficiency in spoken English, which impedes the implementation of active learning methods.</p> <hd id="AN0183372110-20">Conclusion</hd> <p>This study revealed students' and teachers' perceptions of the practice of active learning methods and the barriers that hinder its successful implementation in public universities in Ethiopia. The survey results showed lecture as the most frequently used instructional method in Ethiopian public universities. This leads to the conclusion that the practice of active learning in the surveyed universities was found to be low. On the other hand, an overwhelming majority of the participants had a favorable attitude toward active learning. However, the extent of perception significantly varied among students and faculty members, with the latter having more positive attitudes. This can be partly attributed to traditional values, where teachers are believed to be the only sources of information. Thus, given the culture of lecturing has strong roots in the history of Ethiopian education (Haile Gabriel [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref82">14</reflink>]), changing this culture needs a change in the beliefs, values, and power structures of teachers.</p> <p>In terms of practice, active learning strategies were found to be affected by such factors as classroom inconvenience, large class sizes, and lack of resources. Therefore, to promote active learning strategies in public universities in Ethiopia, it is imperative to see alternative mechanisms like dividing large groups of students into small groups. Furnishing classrooms with learning facilities and creating conducive classroom environments provide teachers with an opportunity to select and utilize various active learning strategies. 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An: EJ1500154
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PubType: Academic Journal
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Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Practices of Active Learning in Public Universities in Ethiopia: Student and Faculty Perceptions
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Taglo+Kassa%22">Taglo Kassa</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3756-5668">0000-0002-3756-5668</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tamirie+Andualem%22">Tamirie Andualem</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yekoyealem+Desie%22">Yekoyealem Desie</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fantahun+Admas%22">Fantahun Admas</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Abebaw+Minaye%22">Abebaw Minaye</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fiseha+Teklu%22">Fiseha Teklu</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kassahun+Habtamu%22">Kassahun Habtamu</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Seleshi+Zeleke%22">Seleshi Zeleke</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Studies+in+Higher+Education%22"><i>Studies in Higher Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 50(3):494-504.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 11
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Active+Learning%22">Active Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+Colleges%22">Public Colleges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Methods%22">Teaching Methods</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethiopia%22">Ethiopia</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1080/03075079.2024.2343953
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0307-5079<br />1470-174X
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: As it encourages students to solve problems on their own and guides them throughout the process, the importance of active learning has gained popularity in a growing body of scholarly literature. However, there is a paucity of research on the practice and challenges of active learning in public universities in Ethiopia. This study seeks to examine the attitudes of faculty members and students toward the practices of active learning. Data for the study were collected from randomly selected 1597 participants (404 faculty members and 1193 undergraduate students) in eight public universities. The findings revealed that most of the respondents perceived active learning positively. However, the practice of active learning was found to be low where lecture was the most frequently reported method of instruction. Faculty participants have identified factors that hinder their use of active learning methods. The study has practical implications and contributes to the literature on practices and challenges of active learning strategies in public universities.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1500154
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1500154
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/03075079.2024.2343953
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 11
        StartPage: 494
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Active Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public Colleges
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teaching Methods
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ethiopia
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Practices of Active Learning in Public Universities in Ethiopia: Student and Faculty Perceptions
        Type: main
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      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Taglo Kassa
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            NameFull: Tamirie Andualem
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            NameFull: Yekoyealem Desie
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            NameFull: Fantahun Admas
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            NameFull: Abebaw Minaye
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            NameFull: Fiseha Teklu
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            NameFull: Kassahun Habtamu
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            NameFull: Seleshi Zeleke
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              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0307-5079
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              Value: 1470-174X
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