Experience level: 
Intermediate
Intended Audience: 
All
Authors: 
Gezinus J. Hidding, Peter W. Stonebraker

The Impact of Ignatian Pedagogy on Learning Outcomes in an Undergraduate Business Statistics Course

This study presents the results of a before/after-study of 200+ students in six sections of an undergraduate business statistics course, taught in the same academic year, by the same instructor, using the same teaching materials in the same business school program and measured by the same survey. The sections were delivered in different modes which fall along a continuum of conceptual delivery modes (ranging from traditional to on-line), and in an experiential mode. The experiential section incorporated the five elements of Ignatian Pedagogy and included a project for Catholic Charities to analyze a database of some 120,000 observations and present recommendations. That project also reinforced other aspects of Ignatian Pedagogy, notably concern for others and social responsibility. We found that, compared to the traditional and online sections, the experiential section was associated with statistically significant improvements in learning outcomes.