Peak Learning Moments: A Thematic Analysis of Student Experiences in Higher Education

Kendall McGoey, Kathleen Boyd, Ben Farrow, Tom Leathem, & Eric Wetzel   |    Volume 20 Issue 2  |   

Peak learning moments are meaningful events that change an individual’s perspective. Indeed, collecting students’ accounts of peak learning can inform university-wide improvements. Researchers, at a large Southeastern university, employed NVivo in a two-part study to identify and compare themes within students’ peak learning moments. Researchers identified 14 peak learning moment themes, with responses being categorized as class (22%) or faculty (15%) most frequently. A second study then compared the frequency of responses into the same 14 themes across two colleges with similar missions. As expected, similar top themes emerged in the two-college sample. However, study abroad emerged as a top theme in one college, while internship surged in the other, likely due to different co-curricular requirements. These studies highlight the value of qualitative data at various organizational levels and its ability to deepen understanding of student learning when combined with quantitative research.

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