A 2 min film clip from the classic movie "Son of Frankenstein" is a surprisingly good illustration of, and introduction to, the scientific method as traditionally formulated. It may be useful in introducing the topic to a large variety of audiences. The text includes a description of the clip's content, questions to elicit student…

Financial literacy is crucial for making sound financial decisions and living a better life. However, the field of finance is full of abstract concepts, such as inflation, liquidity, asset allocation and credit. Abstract concepts may be harder to comprehend than concrete concepts due to their lack of tangible referents in the physical world. In…

Researchers of cognitive load theory and the cognitive theory of multimedia learning have identified several strategies to optimize instructional materials. In this review article we focus on five of these strategies or solutions to problematic instructional designs in multimedia learning: (a) the multimedia principle (use visualizations and…

This guide addresses the challenge of inaccessible digital learning resources by providing K-12 education stakeholders with actionable information about EPUB, a digital file format. EPUB is a widely adopted format for many digital books and is specifically designed to display text, audio, images and, in some cases, video in a manner usable by all…

If the goal of library instructional guidance is to provide students with the knowledge needed to acquire new skills in order to accomplish their learning objectives, then it is prudent to consider factors that impact learning. Cognitive load theory addresses several of these factors and is applicable to a wide-range of instructional devices used…

This case presents the design and implementation process of multimedia case-based learning modules for a Sex and Gender Specific Health (SGSH) education curriculum. The learning modules were designed to advance understanding of sex and gender differences, increase awareness of gender-specific health issues, and improve clinical knowledge of sex…

Traditionally, active engagement in higher education courses requires learners to spend time reading sections of an assigned textbook. Feedback from learners suggests that they are discouraged from reading when the text is difficult to access and isn't engaging. As an interactive digital environment, Revel aims to enhance students' engagement with…

Teaching the subject of the electron transport chain is one of the most challenging aspects of the chemistry curriculum at the high school level. This article presents an educational program called "Electron Transport Chain" which consists of 14 visual animations including a biochemistry quiz. The program was created in the Adobe Flash…

This report talks about how a constructivist teacher used flipped learning in a college class. To illustrate how to use flipped learning in a constructivist classroom, examples were given with the four pillars of F-L-I-P: Flexible environment, learning culture, intentional content, and professional educator.

In accelerating fast changing knowledge-based and information societies such like the European Union technology dominates most facets of our everyday lives, and learning activities as well. Unfortunately, particularly seniors and elderly people suffer the risk to be left behind, and that the digital divide becomes bigger. This is problematic…

The author of this article, a developmental anthropologist, illustrates how the instructor can use ethnographic films to enhance the study of anthropology and override notions about the scope and efficacy of Western intervention in the Third World, provided the instructor places such films in their proper historical and cultural context. He…

Task cards are instructional tools that combine a picture of a skill with written instructions about how to perform the skill. This article provides practical guidelines for developing research-based task cards for use in physical education classes. Fitness-related motor skills are used as examples to clarify design principles for task cards. The…

This article describes the assignments the author created to engage preservice teachers in designing instructional materials that befit today's students to help them overcome hurdles sometimes present when learning classic literature. Secondary and middle school English teachers may find these assignments useful as well so their students, too,…

In science and math classes across the country, digital tools are being used to conduct experiments, analyze data, and run 3-D simulations to explain complex concepts. Language arts teachers are now pushing the definition of literacy to include the ability to express ideas through media. This report, "Multimedia Transformation," examines the many…

Student-centered instruction incorporating authentic assessments can provide an alternative instructional model. Student-centered instruction generally requires learners to take on alternate roles such as that of historian, advocate or op-ed writer in order to complete a project. It is often both collaborative and constructivist in nature. In…