Using Varying Pedagogical Approaches in College Classrooms: Increasing Motivation for Undergraduate Finance Students

Abstract

This paper discusses the collaboration of a crossdiscipline teaching partnership aimed at addressing lagging student motivation and engagement in finance courses at a regional university in Texas. Based on research in current university-student demographics, pedagogy and teaching methods, and pedagogical training for university faculty, this collaboration between the disciplines of Education and Finance resulted in the use of a variety of pedagogical tools and techniques in the finance classroom. These techniques include project based learning, tiered assignments, and immediate feedback assessment tools. Anecdotal evidence and faculty evaluation comments both suggest that implementing these techniques has led, for students, to increased participation in and greater understanding of requisite course content.