Learning assistant (LA) programs have become increasingly popular at large universities striving to promote student engagement in the classroom. The LA program at the Pennsylvania State University was initiated in 2012 and has rapidly grown to over 500 LA positions per year. The purpose of this study was to gather LA and faculty member perceptions…

While research has demonstrated the links between active learning and student success, lecture remains a dominant instructional method within introductory STEM courses. In this project, we used the strategy of enlisting peer mentors to develop and facilitate active learning modules within introductory computer science. First, we describe the…

How can science instructors prepare students for the statistics needed in authentic inquiry labs? We designed and assessed four instructional modules with the goals of increasing student confidence, appreciation, and performance in both experimental design and data analysis. Using extensions from a just-in-time teaching approach, we introduced…

Oxford College is a small liberal-arts intensive 2-year undergraduate division of Emory University, where inquiry-based courses are a required part of the general education program. We have developed an authentic research experience for undergraduates that mimics--as much as possible--a real undergraduate research experience. Our program provides…

The ELMO (Embedded Learning Modules) curriculum reform project has designed science curricula for specific nonscience students that fulfill core requirements and demonstrate how science can be engaging and relevant. ELMO students experience science through active learning and group activities that encourage them to make connections between science…