Many science, engineering, technology, and math (STEM) majors fail to complete their degrees, and those who leave report they lack learning skills required for STEM coursework. In 2 studies, we examined the effects on students' exam performances when they were assigned to complete a brief digital learning skills training program we embedded into…

Learning within first-year biology is about inquiry, but in this content-heavy science students can easily fall into the trap of parrot-fashion learning. This study investigates the influence of lecturers' expectation of students in meaning making on the nature of their slides and the quality of students' note-making. Data were collected by…

Although the practice of giving examples is central to the effective teaching and learning of science, it has been the object of little educational research. The present study attends to this issue by systematically examining the exemplification practices of a university professor and his students' learning experiences during a biology lecture on…

This paper presents and analyses the results obtained by applying Active Learning techniques in overcrowded Physics lectures at the University of the Republic, Uruguay. The course referred to is Physics 1, the first Physics course that all students of the Faculty of Engineering take in their first semester for all the Engineering-related careers.…

Although traditional lectures are still the dominant form of undergraduate instruction, there have been relatively few studies comparing various learner-centered and active learning teaching strategies to one another in order to guide professors in making informed instructional decisions. To study the impact of different active learning…

Introductory biology courses form a cornerstone of undergraduate instruction. However, the predominantly used lecture approach fails to produce higher-order biology learning. Research shows that active learning strategies can increase student learning, yet few biology instructors use all identified active learning strategies. In this paper, we…

Personal response systems ("clickers") have become an important means for instructors to gauge student learning in large lecture classes. In addition to measuring students' performance on a particular question, requesting a measure of mental effort from students allows for richer data concerning student learning. This information can be…

This paper reports the findings of a study of student attitudes and student improvement in conceptual understanding using conceptests with an electronic response system in lecture courses. Students and instructors valued the feedback and interaction that the response system afforded. For a majority of the chemistry topics studied, student…

Described are five techniques to improve student learning during lectures: (1) separating listening from recording and requiring note-taking to be undertaken from memory; (2) using active review during the lecture; (3) using structured discussion; (4) using instant questionnaires; and (5) having students summarize important things from the…

A multiphasic plan to improve lecture effectiveness which centers on teaching behaviors that can facilitate the learning process is described. Lectures were evaluated based on the inclusion of behaviors such as objectives, advance organizers, questioning, wait-time, and use of teaching aids. Included are the results and a discussion. (KR)

An open format in which students keep log books to help them become more active in the learning process is discussed. Included are creative thought and language, visualization, and using writing to learn how to learn. Examples of student writing are provided. (CW)

Reviews a study that examined the effects of laboratories on the grade performance of undergraduates in an introductory crop science course. Results indicated that students enrolled in lecture and laboratory concurrently did not receive higher lecture grades than students enrolled solely in lecture, but did have higher laboratory grades. (ML)

Discusses several issues important to chemistry: enticing top-notch students into the discipline, keeping up with the tremendous growth of chemical information, and promoting chemistry to the general public. Suggests eight methods to answer these issues. (MVL)

Describes a self-managed learning approach designed to help engineering students take charge of their own learning. Discusses marker events, exploratory learning versus linear instruction, knowledge through self-discovery, information retrieval, production through writing and speaking, and promoting a mature response. (TW)

Reports on the development of a modified Problem-Based Learning approach to a freshman course. Enables faculty to teach basic biochemical concepts and principles as well as their application to clinical cases. Includes the syllabus and workshop goals based on Bloom's taxonomy. (MVL)