Described is a teaching method for chemistry that gives college students practice in experimental design. Students are given a problem and required to design a procedure to solve the problem. Problems increase in complexity as the students progress through the courses. (RH)

This longitudinal case-study aimed at examining whether purposely teaching for the promotion of higher order thinking skills enhances students' critical thinking (CT), within the framework of science education. Within a pre-, post-, and post-post experimental design, high school students, were divided into three research groups. The experimental…

Undergraduate biology programs are currently undergoing reform to involve students in biomedical research. Engaging students in more active, hands-on experiments allows students to discover scientific principles for themselves, and to develop techniques of critical thinking and problem solving. This models the world of real scientific research,…

The purpose of this monograph is to heighten awareness about action research for both teachers and administrators involved in California middle level reform efforts. This approach to educational research is a means of developing knowledge through collaboration in a process that improves both student learning and professional autonomy. The…

Provides an exercise for introducing research methods to undergraduates. The students view a graph revealing that left-handed people are underrepresented in older age groups. Small group discussions attempt to explain this phenomenon. A follow-up class discussion focuses on the different approaches and methods available for interpreting the data.…

Describes the application of the problem method, or case study approach, to teach undergraduate research methods. Maintains that the approach is particularly applicable because research design is a classic ill-defined task. Reports that students find the method challenging and interesting. (CFR)

Describes a research project that takes a problem-solving approach to teaching about social stratification. Students identify a local issue related to stratification (homeless, welfare reform, etc.). They break into small groups and design a research plan, conduct a literature search, perform the fieldwork, and arrive at a synthesis. (MJP)

Teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) are encouraged to conduct classroom research to (1) discover what happens when they teach and students try to learn, assess and improve teaching practices; monitor innovations in teaching, syllabus, or materials; and investigate problems in the classroom. Simple steps are outlined: developing a plan…

Science fairs represent the culmination of student research efforts under the guidance of teachers and other persons interested in science topics. The total scientific process should be involved in the development of a project which results in a science fair exhibition. The student should learn to recognize problems, plan an experiment, gather and…

The most popular activities from APA's successful "Activities Handbooks for the Teaching of Psychology" are gathered together and updated in this book of teachers' favorites. The lesson plans, which encourage active learning and involve the whole class, have stood the test of time and proven themselves to be entertaining, effective, and easy to…