This research assesses the extent to which asynchronous online STEM courses at a public university integrate Merrill's First Principles of Instruction. Through a quantitative content analysis of thirty unique online courses within the College of Arts and Sciences, the study investigates the extent, if any, to which these courses embody principles…

In the past decade, health and human service educational programs have transitioned to competence-based outcomes to enhance the quality of graduating professionals. While such outcomes are a critical step in ensuring professional quality, they require curricular and pedagogical adjustments that do not fit easily within university environments.…

The current paper presents the assessment of the infusion of sustainability principles into university curricula at two Jordanian universities. The peer review process of revising the curricula infusing sustainability principles is also discussed. The research methodology involved quantitative methods to assess the revised courses. The results…

A common challenge in higher education is teaching required content for which students traditionally have lower levels of interest. Physical therapist education programs experience this challenge when training entry-level students to document in the medical record. The authors compared learning outcomes among physical therapy students taught…

In this study, the authors employed a quasi-experimental research design to examine the efficacy of a cooperative learning pedagogy (i.e., think-pair-share exercises) integrated into sections of microeconomic principles. Materials, exercises, and assessment instruments for all study sections are identical except for the nature of the…

Given the wide range of options for students to further their education online, it is important to determine what factors impact overall student perceptions of online course quality. Specifically, the study validates the reliability of Merrill's (2012) First Principles of Instruction as factors that impact students' perceptions of online course…

Greater interest from students, universities, and communities has increased pressure on faculty to design and implement service-learning courses. Often with no prior experience and limited institutional and programmatic guidance, faculty must make their way through a growing body of literature on service-learning. This article presents a novice…

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the demand from professionals in different areas for improving the curricula regarding information security. The use of authentic case studies in teaching information security offers the potential to effectively engage students in active learning. In this paper, the authors introduce the…

A series of workshops with educators at Birmingham City University about enhancing student involvement in course evaluation prompted us to consider the principles of assessment for learning as an approach to enhancing the quality and value of this evaluative activity. We focus on student enhanced learning through effective feedback which is a…

This article introduces the guiding principles of integrated multicultural instructional design (IMID), a new pedagogical model created to promote retention by addressing multicultural perspectives and social justice issues across the curriculum. To illustrate the model, specific strategies for implementing IMID in a content-based,…

In this study, members (n = 48) of 2 sections of a required educational psychology course conducted 3 service-learning-type field experiences and wrote reflections on the experiences in relationship to the theories and principles addressed in the course. Participants also described their vision for teaching at the beginning and the end of the…

The Great Plains Distance Education Alliance (Great Plains IDEA) emphasizes the importance of a collaborative environment for instructors and students in distance education. The authors highlight a number of important principles for distance-education programs and point out similarities and differences when compared to traditional face-face-to…

This article addresses the interface between environmental and humane education, as a theoretical and practical emerging field in Brazil. We begin by presenting conceptual similarities that, in our view, underpin and justify the need for a growing connection between the two fields of research and educational practice. We then describe an…

Teaching in higher education increasingly requires greater accountability, the utilization of contemporary learner-focused teaching models, and transparent grading methods for nonstandardized learning products. This article describes learner-centered evaluation and assessment strategies and illustrates how these approaches emphasize learners'…

Recent research has touted the benefits of learner-centered instruction, problem-based learning, and a focus on complex learning. Instructors often struggle to put these goals into practice as well as to measure the effectiveness of these new teaching strategies in terms of mastery of course objectives. Enter the course evaluation, often a…