Collaboration between a public affairs faculty member and an instructional developer resulted in design of a learner-centered large lecture course. Evaluation after three years revealed which elements of the course format generated the most student interest and, in some cases, changed attitudes about learning in college. Suggestions are made for…

Reports findings of ethnographic research into second-language lectures conducted at a university in Hong Kong. Six sociocultural features of second-language lectures are discussed: purposes of lectures, roles of lecturers, styles of lecturing, simplification, listener behavior, and humor. (31 references) (Author/CK)

Discussion of use of the World Wide Web for literary studies focuses on a course on contemporary Canadian literature offered at the University of Northern British Columbia. Highlights include weekly lectures, discussion forum, assignments, evaluations, Web courses versus other distributed learning media such as videoconferencing, and future…

Discusses the development of interactive multimedia learning modules and describes the decisions and processes involved in transforming a traditional lecture in medical sociology into an interactive online learning module at the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom). Considers method of delivery, including the World Wide Web; media choices; and…

Expounds that "The Geography Discipline Network Guides on Teaching, Learning, and Assessment" that were produced by the English Geography Discipline Network are a worthwhile addition to the efforts to promote geographic literacy. Maintains that there are deficiencies since the guides aim only at individual lecturers and instructors of geography.…

Reports on a study exploring patterns of discourse organization in seminar-type discussions. Analysis was made of patterns of sequential organization in discussions between English for academic purposes students in university seminars in the United Kingdom. Analysis revealed two patterns of organization: simple exchanges of pre-formed ideas and…

First-year students in genetics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, attend two general biology modules, one in each semester. Teaching involves four formal lectures per week of 45 min each, one 3-h practical, and one lecture period tutorial. These students, graduating from secondary education, are well schooled in rote learning but…

This study compared the effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) versus lecture-based instruction (LBI) in high school foods and nutrition classes. Two classes were randomly assigned to the PBL group, while the remaining two were assigned to the LBI group. A pretest was administered. During the semester, LBI students received course content…

Introduction: The headmaster of a school (NRMV) in rural eastern Nepal, pleaded for help from the public health Department of Psychiatry, BKIHS, Dharan, Nepal, to prevent closure of his school as guardians of many students refused to send their children to his school, which was supposedly haunted by evil spirits. The author, along with his staff,…

This article describes how a traditional biology lecture course was transformed into an interactive class. A review the activities used, changes made to grading policy, and practical tips for integration of active learning in the classroom are provided. Analysis of student responses to course assessments indicated that active learning experiences…

This study investigated the impact of learning style on performance in a Web-based learning environment. Specifically, Introductory Psychology students with different learning styles, as measured by Kolb's Learning Styles Inventory (LSI-IIa), were randomly assigned to one of two Web-based training modules that differed only in terms of their…

The following research is the result of frustrations involving teaching carpentry students who display little interest in learning within a classroom environment; however, often the same students excel in a laboratory (kinesthetic/hands-on) situation. Learning style surveys were given and nearly ninety percent of the students within this program…

This article explores the synergy that can be created when concept-mapping techniques are used in collaboration with the construction of PowerPoint presentations to increase the richness of the learning experience. Some weaknesses of the typical PowerPoint format are highlighted with a description of how they can be overcome through a more…

Biology students in their first year at university have difficulty understanding the abstract concepts of photosynthesis. The traditional didactic lecture followed by practical exercises that show various macroscopic aspects of photosynthesis often do not help the students visualise or understand the submicroscopic (molecular-level) reactions that…

Lecture is a common presentation style that gives instructors a lot of control over topics and time allocation, but can limit active student participation and learning. This article presents some ideas to increase the level of student involvement in lecture. The examples and suggestions are based on the author's experience as a senior lecturer for…