Active learning yields better learning outcomes than traditional, lecture-based teaching. Common approaches in large lecture courses are activating elements during the lectures and warm-up activities using online learning environments. However, implementing warm-up exercises, on which students work on by themselves makes formative feedback…

This research examines whether online discussion groups enhance students' ability to analyze political problems and recall factual knowledge. The study compares four sections of the author's introductory world politics course--two that employed online discussion groups and two that did not. The results revealed little difference in the performance…

The development of international cooperation requires cooperation in the sphere of education. An enhanced sharing of experience in the sphere of practical teaching activities implies the increase of the quality of teaching process and of scientific cooperation. Sharing of experience in educational activities implies understanding among…

Flipped classroom is a hybrid educational format that shifts guided teaching out of class, thus allowing class time for student-centered learning. Although this innovative teaching format is gaining attention, there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of flipped teaching on student performance. We compared student performance and student…

This article describes the conversion of a lecture-based molecular biology course into an active learning environment in a studio classroom. Specific assignments and activities are provided as examples. The goal of these activities is to involve students in collaborative learning, teach them how to participate in the learning process, and give…

Calibrated Peer Review™ (CPR), a web-based instructional tool developed as part of the National Science Foundation reform initiatives in undergraduate science education, allows instructors to incorporate multiple writing assignments in large courses without overwhelming the instructor. This study reports successful implementation of CPR in a…

Ensuring that students spend time preparing for class has always been one of the challenges of teaching. Indeed, when students are given an assignment that they are required to do before coming to the next lecture--whether it be written exercises or just studying--one wonders how often they are actually doing it. There are many ways in which…

Online teaching provides a new avenue for the human imagination, another way for artists and teachers to creatively participate in the predominant cultural form of our time, the Internet. Several online university courses are presented as examples of communities of learners in action. They provide an overview of what was found to be effective in…