Active learning has often been reported to improve student outcomes in STEM courses. However, there are barriers to its implementation, and it is challenging to include this approach in large classrooms with fixed seating. This investigation explores the development of a novel approach in which the class contact time was reallocated for a general…

While process simulation tools offer immense potential in chemical engineering, effectively integrating them into the educational curriculum poses challenges. This work explored and practiced online-offline blended teaching in process simulation courses. The design of this blended course was based on a comparison of students' performances in fully…

Science in rural and remote schools has received unenviable press around the world. The political and administrative spotlight has fallen on the inadequate physical resources available to rural schools (Hawkes, Halverson and Brockmueller, 2002), inadequate professional development (Howley, Chadwick and Howley, 2002), and the problems…

Professors often expect students to have the skills that are necessary to participate in discussions. Students, on the other hand, have been trained to glean information from the lecture format; their prior experiences in discussions are likely to be limited to personal opinions on topics such as stem-cell research or evolution. Sudden changes in…

Estimated the impact of class size on instructional practices and the use of time in high school mathematics and science courses using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study. Findings reveal that class size has an impact on the use of class time, both instructional and noninstructional. (SLD)