Self-regulated learning (SRL) is the metacognitive aspect of learning that goes beyond learning content and skills. With SRL, students are aware of their content understanding and learning progress and use advanced thinking skills to create goals and improve their academic achievement. In this action research, SRL strategies were integrated into…

This article is prepared as part of a "Practice Teaching in Science" course of a teacher education program aiming for developing prospective science teachers' teaching through inquiry-based instruction involving practices of science and active learning strategies. During the semester, student teachers are required to prepare four…

The Index of Learning Styles (ILS) generates reliable data. Its ability to characterize learning preference has been validated. However, the ILS has had very limited application in biology education. In 2009, students in an introductory biology laboratory completed the ILS. Overall academic performance (2009) was negatively associated with…

The California Teach Program at the University of California, San Diego, recruits and prepares undergraduates interested in teaching science and mathematics. One of the products of the program is a set of courses taught by faculty in science disciplines that integrate subject matter with theories of learning and instruction, with the goal of…

In order to be effective competitors in the marketplace, students must be able to think critically, communicate complex ideas through writing, collaborate with peers, and apply their knowledge of biological science to generate solutions for issues facing society. In this paper we examine the nature of the instructional tools, strategies, and…

Twin strategies of Institutes on the Teaching and Learning of Science and Mathematics and support for faculty through minigrants are shown to be effective in stimulating college science and mathematics faculty to modify their introductory courses to include more active learning strategies. The institutes were designed to provide faculty who are…

Describes Noel Entwhistle's book "Styles of Learning and Teaching," detailing how it can be used to help students learn and store knowledge. Also describes a course on the theory and practice of cognitive processes taught at Carnegie Mellon University. (DH)

Describes how college science laboratory activities can be developed by student teams in which original questions are formulated as testable hypotheses and refined into experimental designs on the basis of personal observations. Distinguishes this "minds-on" approach from traditional college science laboratories with respect to students'…

Provides details of an advanced cell biology course that has as its overall design the critical reading and examination of primary literature. Contains guidelines to assist students in critical reading. (DDR)

A narrative in the form of a courtroom trial is used to compare evidence on the nature of light as part of an introductory college physics course. Prosecuting and defense attorneys present evidence for and against competing wave and particle hypotheses for light behavior while students play the roles of jurors. (Contains 5 figures.)

Students crave problem-solving strategies that promise increased achievement on tests. Student ambitions seem to align with teacher goals, yet students resist using these strategies for various reasons. We seek to establish a pedagogy modifying student behavior so they are more likely to use any strategy a teacher deems useful. (Contains 1 figure…

Describes an exercise which focuses on the ethical and human aspects of science. Outlines the approach and components of a writing assignment based on a literary and humanistic analysis of "The Double Helix" by James Watson. Provides sample questions and examples of integrative literary works. (ML)

Describes an engineering course for education and other nonscience majors. In this course, students integrate basic principles of applied physical science and engineering to solve authentic design problems. Discusses the nature of the interactive and problem-based instructional format and its effects on developing students' scientific inquiry…

Describes the reform of an introductory biology curriculum to reverse high attrition rates. Objectives include fostering self-directed learning, emphasizing process over content, and offering laboratory experiences that model the way to acquire scientific knowledge. Teaching methods include discussion, group mentoring, laboratory sections, and…

Describes a classroom technique designed to inject an interactive discussion framework into the classroom and to focus students' attention on reading and absorbing information from a textbook. (DDR)