This paper presents the development and implementation of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in an engineering thermodynamics course at Kettering University. In this project, the thermodynamics course was restructured as modules presenting practical applications first, whereas principles were introduced just-in-time and as encountered. Theoretical…

Reports on the use of a survey to assess college science classroom learning environments. Recommends that college science instructors carefully examine their instructional techniques in light of decreased enrollment in such courses. Contains 21 references. (DDR)

Argues against a type of program evaluation of undergraduate institutions that assumes students are products. Proposes that if students are products, then students are raw materials. Discusses the philosophical problems of considering students as raw materials. (DDR)

As optometry expands its science curriculum, teaching methods must be examined. Instructional modalities must fit teaching needs, facilitate and improve student learning capacity, and be efficient; the student must participate as much as possible; and faculty must be aware of what colleagues are teaching and be receptive to new methods. (MSE)

Examines a classification system that offers a framework for discussing and choosing questions regarding curricular organization, classroom environment, and teaching and learning strategies. (Contains 21 references.) (DDR)

Describes a teaching-exchange visit between the United Kingdom and the United States that reveals the dangers of making too many cultural assumptions. Differences can be traced to long-term cultural divergence and different technologies. (DDR)

An action research framework is used to learn what cooperative learning activities mean to students in a physical chemistry course, to discover how the activities can be improved, and to learn how students' perception of cooperative learning changes. Through an analysis of field notes and a student questionnaire, two findings emerged which…

This handbook is designed for college teachers who want to explore new ways to enhance student learning. The handbook draws on the knowledge of teachers and scientists with extensive experience in the natural sciences and a keen interest in effective science teaching, and is appropriate for anyone teaching undergraduate science. This handbook…

Suggests that numerous interventions for increasing the status of women in qualitative disciplines can be found in the literature. Presents an annotated bibliography of print and computer resources related to such interventions. Contains 37 references. (DDR)

Reports on a project that attempts to inform faculty of female-friendly changes in curriculum content and pedagogy derived from research in women's and ethnic studies. Supports the hypothesis that more inclusionary techniques help reverse the trend of increasing student attrition. (DDR)

In this paper a new conception of school science is set forth, based on the utilization of data collected in introductory college chemistry classrooms in a western university. Two sections of freshmen chemistry and several of the accompanying laboratory periods for the first weeks of the fall semester were observed. The methods of research were…

Examines four teachers implementing a project-based curriculum (Air Quality module) on a web-based platform (ActiveInk Network) in four very different settings. Discusses each case across two themes by examining how the project-level question was contextualized to meet local needs and the cultural context that surrounded the implementation of the…

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of two laboratory environments for introductory chemistry on undergraduate students' inquiry skills. The two laboratory environments are embedded in the same lecture course. The standard laboratory curriculum and instruction are distinct from the curriculum explored in this study, the MORE…

A collaborative effort designed to combine the skills of scientists and educators to prepare science teachers is described. The cooperative effort between a scientist, a science educator, and a science teacher in teaching a course and in field supervision is discussed. Classroom environment, collaborative and cooperative instruction, and…

Abstracts and abstractors' critiques are presented for 11 articles related to instruction, attitudes, and teacher education. The research studies examined: (1) an instructional strategy incorporating process and conceptual knowledge to promote transfer of learning; (2) effects of instruction using a Visual Response System on achievement of male…