Three direct complexometric titration methods for bismuth subsalicylate determination in over-the-counter stomach relief caplets and liquids are presented, as well as a UV-vis assay, for use in student laboratories. The main difference between titration methods is the choice of indicator; either xylenol orange (XO), pyrocatechol violet (PV), or…

The literature review showed the relationship with the lesson study with other practices such as CPD [continuous professional development], SBI [school-based in-service teacher training] through Peer learning altogether contributing to the implementation of Rwandan CBC [competence-based curriculum]. Lesson study practices showed tremendous…

As demand for Anatomy and Physiology education increases faster than construction projects and budgets, instructors are finding themselves in front of ever-growing classroom sizes. Teaching large classes presents a number of challenges, including planning the courses, navigating technical equipment, handling exams and student accommodations, or…

Large-enrollment undergraduate science courses are often seen as "gatekeepers" and tend to support less-than-ideal pedagogical approaches. Student satisfaction with teaching and learning and gains in student conceptual understanding in these courses is often limited at best. At University of Colorado Denver, the Learning Assistant (LA)…

The Department of Physics at EKU [Eastern Kentucky University] with support from the National Science Foundations Course Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement Program has successfully converted our entire introductory physics sequence, both algebra-based and calculus-based courses, to an activity-based format where laboratory activities,…

Anyone who has taught a lecture to a large group of students has probably experienced undesirable student behaviors. The author, who has taught an introductory college biology course at Syracuse University for 45 years, relates that an important part of his teaching philosophy is that everyone should learn from everything that they do, and…

The SCALE-UP (Student-Centered Activities for Large Enrollment for Undergraduate Programs) project was developed to implement reforms designed for small classes into large physics classes. Over 50 schools across the country, ranging from Wake Technical Community College to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), have adopted it for classes of…

This report describes a molecular biotechnology-based laboratory curriculum developed to accompany an undergraduate genetics course. During the course of a semester, students researched the pathogen, developed a research question, designed experiments, and performed transcriptional analysis of a set of genes that confer virulence to the food-borne…

This article describes how a top physicist took charge of reforming undergraduate science education at the University of British Columbia. Carl E. Wieman, the 2001 Nobel Prize winner in Physics, gave up his research career to devote himself to improving the way college science is taught. Wieman is heading up a $10.2 million science education…

Describes a method for improving engineering student performance in large classes, based on Bloom's four variables for improvement of the educational process, which include time, intelligence, testing, and personality. Describes manipulation of these variables for a more effective undergraduate engineering program. (DS)

Data sharing among multiple lab sections increases statistical power of data analyses and informs student-generated hypotheses. We describe how to collect, organize, and manage data to support replicate and rolling inquiry models, with three illustrative examples of activities from a population-level biology course for science majors. (Contains 1…

Classes of 100 students or more are not uncommon in higher education. With such large enrollments, it can be difficult for instructors to integrate active learning components to the traditional lecture format typically adopted in such large classes. To help address this problem, Johnny El-Rady discusses his use of an electronic classroom voting…

Discusses a survey of selected undergraduate chemistry laboratory courses. Topics include: who preps the experiment; degree of faculty involvement; instructional loads; types of directions used; satisfaction with materials used; techniques taught; computer use; rating the laboratory; and a self rating. Provides data for each topic. (MVL)

To help students develop successful strategies for learning how to learn and communicate complex information in cell biology, we developed a quarter-long cell biology class based on team projects. Each team researches a particular human disease and presents information about the cellular structure or process affected by the disease, the cellular…

Compares class size and faculty rating by students. Warns that certain instructors may not be effective with large class size (>100) but may be very effective with small class size. Infers that some poor large class instructors do not improve with time. (MVL)