We have previously described the reformed introductory physics course, collaborative learning through active sense-making in physics (CLASP), for bioscience students at a large public research one university (Original University) and presented evidence that the course was more successful and more equitable than the course it replaced by several…

This study was undertaken to address an issue of student retention and learning in undergraduate computer science (CS) courses. To improve students' CS learning experience, the goal of this case study was to support five CS faculty's integration of active learning into their teaching, using the Understanding by Design framework. We explored the CS…

Engineering education has a long and well-researched history; however, recent declines in the number of undergraduate students entering and matriculating through to graduation has commanded the engineering education community's attention. To help counter the declining number of students entering and persisting in engineering, an engineering…

Gateway courses are high-enrollment, low completion introductory courses foundational to a major. Because these courses have a disproportionately negative impact on the retention and persistence of Latinx students to their desired STEM major, we refer to these understudied, high-stakes courses as gatekeeping courses. Framing our exploratory study…

This study identifies the best online teaching practices to benefit first-year visual arts students, notably to include instructor-created videos. Such instructor-created videos provide a firm foundation for these students to succeed in their first year of college. The introduction of Web 2.0, focusing on user-generated content, has shown…

In Cell Biology, a sophomore/junior undergraduate-level high-enrollment core course, students areexpected to develop a broad and detailed understanding of the functioning of eukaryotic cells. Forexample, some of the more challenging biological concepts include machinery involved in thereplication and translational processes, protein…

Teaching and learning pyramid are demonstrated retention rate of educational subjects by passive or active educational methods. The objective of this study was comparison of teaching, learning pyramid and average retention rates in health students. This study was an experimental research which was done by using the curriculum of health, the course…

Engineering leaders around the world are concerned about the decrease in skilled professionals in engineering fields. This concern led to the exploration of active learning in two undergraduate civil engineering courses. The purpose of this mixed-methods study is to investigate the impact of active learning on engineering students' motivation to…

Team-based learning is an instructional method of specifically structured in class team activities that has been proposed as an alternative to traditional lecture methods. Proponents of TBL claim that it promotes aspects of learning that traditional lecture methods do not. There have been numerous studies examining the benefits of TBL; however,…

Background: Research illustrates that student motivations influence learning engagement, persistence, and achievement in powerful ways and that positive motivations are linked to deeper learning, critical thinking, pro-social behavior, and better performance. Most studies of learner motivation, however, are conducted outside of STEM and are…

Interdisciplinary education offers a collaborative approach to multifaceted topics, such as environmental sustainability. In this article, we present the conceptual framework and lessons learned from a team-taught course, entitled Sustainability, Energy, and the Green Economy (SEGE). Faculty from the departments of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology…

Although the number of bachelor's degrees in the U.S. awarded to women has gone up, engagement of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) continues to be low. This paper presents a project-based learning program, informed by education research best practices, designed to provide research experiences to female students…

Teaching and learning research typically focuses on learning outcomes relating to the acquisition of knowledge. In this article, we shift focus to a different outcome: student commitment to, and thus successful completion of, a course. By examining the relationship between instructor pedagogical choices and rates of student retention--as measured…

This case study details the integration of an online grading platform in a Calculus program. Initially implemented to increase the efficiency and quality of grading written assessments in a large undergraduate program, the effects were many and surprising. Two main concerns surfaced that we needed to address, namely: (1) consistency in grading;…

This study explored whether gender and active learning and student-centered pedagogies such as project-based and peer-led in introductory science "gatekeeper" major courses; BIOL 1306 and CHEM 1311 had an impact on student success rates, student perceptions, and student persistence in STEM fields at a community college in South Texas…