Student-Posed Quecture Questions Can Engage First-in-Family Students with Meaningful Learning

Abstract

Students in their first semester at university were asked to pose their own questions, known as quecture questions, for each learning topic. This was as part of their weekly preparation for flipped lectures on two parallel compulsory biology courses. Quecture questions are intended to engage students, particularly those with educational disadvantages who may be unfamiliar with effective learning strategies, in meaningful concept-based learning. The mechanism of posting the questions differed between the two courses in that a forced sequence tool on the virtual learning environment required students to post something on the online board on one course while students could opt not to post on the online board on the other course. Small focus groups and qualitative analysis showed that the students realised both cognitive and metacognitive learning benefits from the quecture strategy. Students that were first-in-family to Higher Education were prioritised as focus group attendees and, although adjustment to the quecture strategy was judged to be more difficult within this group, positive learning benefits were discerned for all these students. The pressure to engage within one course was, on balance, considered to be useful for nudging students towards more effortful engagement with their learning. In this way cognitive and metacognitive benefits were recognised for first-in-family students.