This multicase study explores how instructors at one higher education institution used an emerging technology, Gradescope, in their large classes to support the assessment of student learning. The study examined the practices of two instructors who taught large lecture classes with more than 100 students and used Gradescope to assist with the…

Academic writing has been a widely substantial course in higher education as it plays a vital role in cultivating students' academic writing skills. Drawing on qualitative descriptive study, this study aims to explore the fundamental requirements for academic writing to base the creation of an effective learning framework. Data consisted of…

While proof is often presented to mathematics undergraduates as a well-defined mathematical object, the proofs students encounter in different pedagogical contexts may bear salient differences. In this paper we draw on the work of Dawkins and Weber (2017) to explore variations in norms and values underlying a proof across different pedagogical…

Difficulty index and its derivative performance index (PFI) have been commonly used to measure student learning outcomes. However, these indexes have a high volatility and low sensitivity. This work has established the simplex learning index (SLI), which has a low volatility and high sensitivity. To construct SLI, students were divided into two…

The use of video has become commonplace in education today. Educators are engaging students with video communication technology more frequently than ever before, given COVID-19. However, questions remain on how instructors use video as a communication and teaching tool in online and blended courses. The purpose of this literature review was to…

The spread of COVID-19 pandemic upturned higher education routines, inducing a shift to online learning which sometimes translated into a huge leap towards didactic experimentation. While exposing critical issues in existing teaching methodologies and assessment processes, such emergency distance education condition could spark meaningful…

Background: A growing number of educators have started exploring student-centered approaches to improve students' learning and satisfaction with courses and programs. While prior research shows a positive impact of such strategies on student learning, further exploration of the perceptions of traditional, lecture-based and other more inquiry-based…

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of assessment method (essays vs. examinations) and instruction method (seminars vs. lectures) on student perceptions of the fairness of the assessment process. Department-specific combinations of these factors give a unique profile to the assessment process and to the way students interact with…

At the authors' public liberal arts institution, biology masters students are required to enroll in BIOL 5050: Teaching Techniques. Course topics include designing effective lectures, assessment, classroom management, diversity in the classroom, and active learning strategies. The impact of this type of training on graduate students' attitudes and…

This research provides evidence that the flipped classroom instructional format increases student final exam performance, relative to the traditional instructional format, in a large lecture principles of economics course. The authors find that the flipped classroom directly improves performance by 0.2 to 0.7 standardized deviations, depending on…

Over the course of two years, 2012-2014, we have implemented a "flipping" the classroom approach in three of our large enrolment first year calculus courses: differential and integral calculus for scientists and engineers. In this article we describe the details of our particular approach and share with the reader some experiences of…

This article explores teaching and learning perspectives in relation to a first-year English Literature module on foundational literary texts and considers the value of certain assessment modes. The essay discusses methodological and pedagogical questions and argues that the module provides a contextual platform from which first-year students are…

The authors describe several types of classroom assessment techniques (CATs) and cognitive scaffolding procedures that they have developed over the years. They then bring the procedures together in a sample lecture/group learning class presentation.

Constructivist approaches to education embrace students' prior learning experiences and preference for learning in social environments. However, many postsecondary classes continue to embrace lecture-styles of teaching. This study sought to understand first-year students' perceptions of the mistakes instructors make in large lecture classes.…

The student cohort on the University Science Extended Degree (SED) course is diverse in terms of educational experience. One of the key facets of teaching at this level is to engage and prepare students for higher levels of education in the sciences. The purpose of this evaluation is to relate a specific virtual framework, designed for students…