This Comparative Case Study Analysis will carefully investigate the significance of interactive instructional methods and their effects on Freshman students' academic performance and engagement in the classroom. In addition, the observation of student achievement and retention will reflect the differences in lecturing versus an active learning classroom environment in Higher Education composition courses. Interactive instructional methods can be used to create a more connected classroom environment. Most importantly, student learning and participation can increase all the while being thoroughly entertained in class.

The Research Design, Study Participants, Data Collection, Data Analysis, and Significance of each of the three case studies are observed to provide evidence and outcomes of techniques used to increase student academic performance. Case Study One entitled The Prediction of College Student Academic Performance and Retention: Application of Expectancy and Goal Setting Theory on student academic performance through purposeful learning and goal setting. Case Study Two entitled A Case Study of Cooperative Learning and Communication Pedagogy: Does working in teams make a difference? provides insight on an active learning instructional method and the enhancement of student engagement and positive outcome of academic achievement, retention, and GPA. Case Study three entitled Learning Environment, Interaction, Sense of Belonging and Student Success in Ethnically Diverse Student Groups can be used to show the link between active learning and the retention of minority students as well as the enhancement in their GPA. Each of these case studies play a significant role in demonstrating the importance of student engagement in the classroom.