Over the past two decades, postsecondary classrooms have been shifting from passive to active learning methods. This shift has been supported by behavior analysis, which has a rich history of strategies that promote active student responding and engagement. One behavior analytic strategy is interteaching, whereby students discuss questions based…

Active-learning approaches have recently been broadly promoted on many campuses, but research is limited on how varying levels of interaction impact student success. The aim of this study was to compare student success between two sections of an introductory biology course that used classroom response systems (i.e., clickers), but were taught with…

This paper presents a model for teaching large classes that facilitates a "small class feel" to counteract the distance, anonymity, and formality that often characterize large lecture-style courses in higher education. One author (E. P.) has been teaching a 300-student general education critical thinking course for ten years, and the…

The lecture-script/assignment method can replace the lecture, freeing time for students' active participation in group discussion. (IR)

This practical reference guide for college faculty who teach large classes is presented, based on a workshop on improving teaching and learning in large classes. The workshop involved weekly meetings for the academic year, 1981-82, at Colorado State University. The following problems of teaching and learning in large classes were identified: (1)…

Innovations which were incorporated into large, introductory, educational psychology lecture classes are described and compared to smaller classes that did not make use of the innovations. Four innovative pedagogical techniques are used: (1) a mastery approach, (2) formative evaluation, (3) a modified pyramid-like structure using small group…

A practical reference guide for educators who teach large classes is presented, based on a workshop on improving teaching and learning in large classes. The workshop involved weekly meetings for a year at Colorado State University. The following problems of teaching and learning in large classes were identified: social and physical control, class…

IN A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF CERTAIN VARIABLES ON THE OUTCOMES OF A COURSE IN INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY, PRETESTS AND POSTTESTS WERE ADMINISTERED TO 180 STUDENTS IN FOUR PSYCHOLOGY CLASSES AND TO 50 OTHERS. VARIABLES WERE CLASS SIZE, INSTRUCTOR, AND LECTURE VS. DISCUSSION METHOD, AND THE TESTS WERE MEASURES OF CHANGES IN STUDENTS' SELF-CONCEPT,…

The history of research on college teaching is traced, and methodologies used are highlighted. Topics reviewed include (1) class size; (2) lecture versus discussion; (3) student-centered discussion; (4) independent study and peer learning; (5) evaluation of teaching; (6) teaching and technology; and (7) impact of cognitive psychology. (SLD)

This handbook is designed to assist community college administrators in using the various reports generated by the faculty and staff subsystem of the Illinois Community College Board management information system. Among the reports generated by the subsystem are: faculty and staff salary report, class size by instructional type, number and percent…