Reforming the traditional teaching mode and practicing a student-centered interactive teaching mode is the trend of development of the university. Interactive teaching can not only inspire the students' enthusiasm to learn and make them obtain better results on study, but also improve their analytical ability, practical ability and creative…

This study examined the attitudes, beliefs, and experiences of faculty and students about the use of nontraditional pedagogies such as active learning, collaborative/cooperative learning, and the encouragement of student participation and involvement in the learning experience. The data came from two surveys of faculty (n=136) and students (n=676)…

Proposes the use of cases and instructional modules to teach invention, engineering design, and technology management. Discusses the case method in graduate business education, cases and modules in engineering education, using cases in class, and the development and distribution of cases. Presents examples of using cases about total quality…

Examined the impact of a college course that focused on intergroup relations and social conflict. Student surveys indicated that the course increased students' structural attributions for racial/ethnic inequality and socio-historical causation. In thinking or cognitive understanding and competencies, engaged learning mediated the impact of content…

Describes a teaching approach that uses an operating classroom business to fund service learning projects. (YDS)

Compares the effects of three different teaching methods: (1) traditional instruction through listening to a lecture, reading, and participating in discussion; (2) instruction with teacher-constructed self-teaching resources; and (3) instruction with student-constructed self-teaching resources. Determines their effectiveness and the time required…

Uses examples of rich tasks that are linked with traditional science curriculum topics to demonstrate how teachers can come to a better understanding of how to teach topics in context, how rich tasks help build student understanding, and what opportunities exist for making connections within and between topics and disciplines. (Author/YDS)

Describes the first year of an ongoing professional-development project that engaged 37 middle school teachers in roles that promoted them as active learners and decision makers. (ASK)

Discusses the efficiency of using lectures in medical education and explains a computer-based teaching system that aims to provide an active learning environment for adult learners. Explains the basics of the computerized audience response system and gives tips for designing similar presentation questions in PowerPoint. (YDS)

In a recent attempt to infuse her instructional design course at Penn State with the problem-based approach, the author began using real-world cases as the centerpiece for the class. This article describes the course requirements, how cases work, and probably pitfalls to this approach. Two sidebars include an Occupational Hearing Conservation…

Provides an example of a directed case on human anatomy and physiology. Uses brief real life newspaper articles and clinical descriptions of medical reference texts to describe an actual, fictitious, or composite event. Includes interrelated human anatomy and physiology topics in the scenario. (YDS)

Describes an algorithm for planning college-level mathematics lessons based on the identification and achievement of student learning objectives. Discusses the ways in which this algorithm can help novice instructors to include opportunities for active learning in their lessons. (Contains 50 references.) (Author/ASK)

Transfers the environment of a large enrollment oceanography course by modifying lectures to include cooperative learning via interactive in-class exercises and directed discussion. Results of student surveys, course evaluations, and exam performance demonstrate that learning of the subject under these conditions has improved. (Author/SAH)

Questions the goals of high school to college science education and compares what is achieved with traditional teaching strategies. Describes how science majors and non-science majors alike are based on an authentic field-based research. Explains the principles of best practices in undergraduate science education. (YDS)

Applies Benson's think-pair-share and Mazur's peer instruction techniques to enhance student involvement during the respiratory component of the medical physiology class. Investigates changes in students' level of understanding and ability to synthesize and integrate material. Includes 15 references. (Author/YDS)