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…

An upper-division undergraduate polymer chemistry course was developed as a blended/hybrid course. The students met face-to-face once a week for 75 min with all other components being available online. Face-to-face meetings were used for class discussions/problem-based lectures, student presentations, hands-on activities, and examinations. Online…

A Synchronous Distance Education (SDE) course, jointly offered by Auburn University, Tuskegee University and Auburn University at Montgomery, introduced non-science majors to the concepts of nanoscience. Lectures originated from each of the three campuses during the semester, and video conferencing equipment allowed students at all three campuses…

We have undertaken an integrated and collaborative approach to developing foundational skills of students in a first year, Introductory Biology course. The course is a large lecture and laboratory course with enrollments ranging from 800-1000 per year. Teaching and Learning experts were brought into the course as weekly "Foundation Skills for…

The war on cancer has been waged for nearly 40 years, yet the cancer burden remains high, especially among minority and underserved populations. One strategy to make strides in the war on cancer and its disparate impacts is to increase the diversity of the cancer research workforce. We describe an approach to recruit a diverse population of future…

Discusses the inclusion of knowledge on macromolecules into a freshman chemistry course which emphasizes topics in organic chemistry, polymer science and biochemistry, atoms, chemical thermodynamics, and inorganic chemistry. Indicates that the program is the only way to keep chemistry education up to date. (CC)

Presented is a description of a technical laboratory-oriented science course dealing with the science of enology or wine-making. Experiments and the distillation apparatus are described. (SA)

Discusses the teaching of a natural sciences core course to nonscience majors, involving course objectives and mini-course and discussion formats. Indicates that the lecture-discussion format using volunteer discussion leaders and guest speakers offers an attractive alternative to a strictly lectural format. (CC)

Outlines a one-semester course on Physics of the Environment'' which is designed for physics and nonphysics majors with a one-semester physics prerequisite. Indicates that the students are content to learn about the environment thoroughly rather than a course concentrating on pollution. (CC)

Describes an experiment with a special section of a terminal" physics survey. The experiment consisted of systematically removing as much structure as feasible while using a lecture format. Evaluation indicates student enthusiasm and performance increase as structure disappears. (Author/TS)

Discusses how "live" experiments were combined with media packages and recorded lectures to allow coverage of more material and foster greater student/teacher interactions. Notes were distributed at the beginning of the semester which allow students to record experimental data from class demonstrations. Problems and suggestions for course…

Describes an instruction system combining features of lecture and independent study methods, including course management and instructional materials. Compares course to lecture and independent study sections. (SK)

Self-paced and lecture versions of a general geology course were taught by the same instructor using identical exams and nearly identical instructional materials. No significant differences were found in apparent scholastic abilities, exam results, or levels of satisfaction with the course. Enrollment was notably higher in the lecture version.…

A two-quarter Human Anatomy and Physiology course for health-science students has been developed which incorporates the principles of individualization while maintaining the lecture hall setting. The lecture method contributes the following components to the course: (1) no special equipment or supplies; (2) personal interaction between instructor…

Results of three studies comparing lecture/discussion to a Personalized System of Instruction (PSI) suggest that students perform better using PSI. (SK)