Active Learning in a Discrete Mathematics Class

In this paper, we describe the active learning and collaborative learning activities implemented in an introductory mid-size discrete mathematics course for Informatics majors. Active learning and collaborative learning have been used to increase student engagement, but incorporating them in smaller classes is a completely different experience from doing so in larger classes. We offer some tips and suggestions on how to incorporate these activities in larger classes including the utilization of undergraduate teaching assistants during lectures, and allowing students to work together on worksheets during lectures with the help of the teaching staff. Course questionnaires collected from five different sections that ran in the spring, summer, and fall of 2016 with around 60 to 70 students suggest that this approach has been well-received. Furthermore, the DFW rate (the proportion of students that received a D, F, or withdrew from the class) of these sections was lower than the DFW rate of other sections that shared the same evaluations (exams, homework assignments, and quizzes) and grading scheme to determine the final letter grade.