When engineering students are unable to evaluate the validity of their solutions, they are unprepared to solve complex, real-world engineering problems that require decomposition or knowledge transfer. A proper framework is key to successful implementation and can encourage more institutions to adopt problem-solving engineering labs. This paper…

Purpose: In this tutorial, we describe the initiation and implementation of a recently developed PhD Student-Mediated Mentorship Model (PS-MMM) used within our lab. In a PS-MMM, PhD students mentor graduate and undergraduate students under the direction of a faculty advisor. The model aims to address the PhD shortage by (a) teaching PhD students…

In "School Rethink 2.0," editors Frederick M. Hess, Michael B. Horn, and Juliet Squire gather leaders immersed in the nuts-and-bolts work of educational reinvention to present ten promising education improvements and ways to implement them. Contributors, including acclaimed education pioneers Sal Khan, Beth Rabbitt, and Larry Berger,…

This lab exercise exposes students to Evernote, which is a powerful productivity application that has gained significant purchase in professional work environments. In many academic settings the introductory computer applications course has a specific focus on standard productivity applications such as MS Word and MS Excel. While ensuring fluency…

This lesson is designed as a lab assignment for Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography students wherein they use the popular Gapminder web site to compare levels of development in countries from different world regions. For this lesson, it is important for the teacher to practice with Gapminder before giving the assignment to students. (Contains…

Scientific literature was used to give a research oriented context to our immunology lab course. Immunology lab, a senior level course (60 students/year) was formerly taught in a traditional mode, with exercises aimed at learning lab protocols. To engage students in understanding we connected the protocols to their use as reported in research…

Research-based learning in a teaching environment is an effective way to help bring the excitement and experience of independent bench research to a large number of students. The program described here is the second of a two-semester biochemistry laboratory series. Here, students are empowered to design, execute and analyze their own experiments…

A new challenge in science education at the university level is the implementation of effective field components within online courses. In nationwide online graduate geoscience courses composed of practicing teachers (N = 130), Google Earth laboratory exercises were incorporated to provide virtual field experiences. Student opinions of these…

As emerging technologies become increasingly inexpensive and robust, there is an exciting opportunity to move beyond general purpose computing platforms to realize a new generation of K-12 technology-based learning environments. Mixed-reality technologies integrate real world components with interactive digital media to offer new potential to…

In our Fundamentals of Genetics lab, students perform a wide variety of labs to reinforce and extend the topics covered in lecture. I developed an active-learning lab to augment the lecture topic of mutagenesis. In this lab exercise, students determine if a compound they bring from home is a mutagen. Students are required to read extensive…

This study details the establishment of a teacher/learner laboratory at Monash University in Australia and the information it yielded about the learning and teaching of mathematics. Both instructors and learners understood they were cooperating to help develop an understanding of difficulties in learning and teaching strategies and ways to reduce…

In the field of computer aided language learning (CALL), there is a need for emphasizing the importance of the user. "User-Centered Computer Aided Language Learning" presents methodologies, strategies, and design approaches for building interfaces for a user-centered CALL environment, creating a deeper understanding of the opportunities and…

An overview is provided of De Anza College's use of computerized instruction in its mathematics courses. After reviewing the ways in which computer technology is changing math instruction, the paper looks at the use of computers in several course sequences. The instructional model for the algebra sequence is based on a large group format of…

A class of preservice teachers was divided into teams to research geometry, measurement, probability, and statistics topics and ascertain ways each can be taught to children. Activities are set up so other students can work with them. References and materials are listed. (MNS)

The first of three sections of this handbook deals with the use of the computer in the learning resource center. A dictionary of computer terms is followed by a description of areas of computer use in the learning resource center. Information for first-time computer users is then provided, including use of the Apple microcomputer and care and use…