The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive account on case-based instructional practices. Semester-long participant observation records in torts, marketing, and online instructional design classes, instructor interviews, course syllabi and teaching materials were used to describe the within-class complexity of the practices in terms…

Open online distance learning in higher education has quickly gained popularity, expanded, and evolved, with Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) as the most recent development. New web technologies allow for scalable ways to deliver video lecture content, implement social forums and track student progress in MOOCs. However, we remain limited in…

This study investigates whether adequate yearly progress (AYP) status, locale, and sector--common variables used to judge the quality of schools--accurately signal true differences in instructional practices in high school mathematics and science. Using data from the High School Longitudinal Study (HSLS), we find the school-to-school variation in…

In three separate introductory psychology classes over a three-year period, I tested whether over 600 students' exam scores were associated with the use of textbook technology supplements (TTSs). Each class used a different textbook and a different TTS ("Learnsmart," "PsychPortal," and "Aplia"). In general, students…

The present study examined the influence of curriculum reform on teachers' perceived instructional practices. There were 584 elementary mathematic teachers surveyed, including 390 teachers who implemented the reform-based curriculum and 194 teachers who applied the conventional curriculum. The results showed that the teachers who used the…

To develop a teaching style, educators must become knowledgeable in certain areas of teaching and in their expert field in order to understand how to transfer learning. Being an expert in one field does not necessarily mean that one knows how to transfer the learning to students. Educators develop their own teaching styles by understanding their…

The article discusses kindergarten and primary school teachers' preferences for instructional approaches and teaching practices. One hundred and thirty-three teachers from Estonia completed questionnaires. The results showed that the promotion of students' comprehension and independence, enhancing practical application and individualisation of…

The purpose of this causal comparative study is to test the theory of no significant difference that compares pre- and post-test assessment scores, controlling for the instructional delivery model of online and face-to-face students at a Mid-Atlantic university. Online education and virtual distance learning programs have increased in popularity…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there were significant differences in student success in face-to-face and online biology courses as categorized by gender, major, and age; and as measured by lecture grades, lab grades, and final course grades. The data used for analyses included data from 170 face-to-face sections and 127…

This study elucidates pedagogical differences and similarities between the ways in which instructors from business and communication disciplines teach the introductory business communication course. During the spring of 2008, the authors surveyed 444 instructors teaching this course at colleges and universities across the United States. Their…

This paper presents initial results from a survey of project based learning conducted across a dozen strata of high schools including several major reform networks. This approach to instruction appears to be central to progressive reforms in small high schools. We found relationships to reforms such as teaching across the curriculum, student…