Evaluated the influence of three testing conditions on college students' ratings of instruction, along with relationships between ratings and amount learned. Students rated instruction lowest immediately after taking the posttest. Correlations between learning and instructional ratings were low. Agreement between perceived amount learned and…

Describes an evaluation of lectures in a computer-based, personalized system of instruction (PSI) introductory psychology class. Results question the effectiveness of lectures, based on students instructor evaluations, student characteristics, personality test scores, and academic performance. (Author/LRW)

Compares teaching observational research using a lecture format to using a software program called Courseware for Observational Research (COR). Finds that the COR-instructed class obtained a mean score of 78% on the examination, earned higher grades on the research reports, and rated the usefulness of conducting research more highly than the…

This article discusses the advantages of delivering course content by classroom multimedia rather than by traditional lecture, and describes a three-tiered approach used by Salisbury State University (MD) to motivate and train those faculty willing to adapt presentations for the use of multimedia technology. The method hinges on faculty sharing…

Describes a computer-based instructional system called Stat Lady and reports the results of an evaluation study of undergraduates that tested the efficacy of learning probability from this program compared to a traditional lecture and a no-treatment control group. Aptitude treatment interaction is also investigated. (Author/LRW)

Study analyzes three dimensions of teaching quality perceived by Chinese students in Hong Kong, China: satisfaction with lecturing; satisfaction with course-design; and a self-rated measure of effort devoted to studying. Results reveal that the strongest effect on course ratings came from students' judgment of aspects of course design and…

Addresses the issue of teaching students in the U.S. history survey course to read historical works by shifting the focus from the lecture method to collaborative learning techniques. Describes various techniques that can be used in the classroom such as expert groups, Particulars into Generalizations (PIG), and making lists and evaluative…

Investigates undergraduate students' development and sociological learning by comparing two classes of students enrolled in a Race and Ethnic Relations course in which one section utilized service learning and the other was a lecture-discussion course with experiential exercises. Reports that service learning improved student learning in areas…

Observed Israeli students taking notes in a first language while listening to lectures in English-as-a-foreign-language given by the law faculty. Questions addressed include these: (1) Why did the students translate the lecture into Hebrew while taking their notes?; (2) What did they gain and lose by doing this?; (3) How good was their…

Compares outcomes in developmental mathematics classes that used lectures with classes that utilized computer-mediated instruction. Finds that the results showed no significant differences on common exams. States that course satisfaction levels, however, were higher in computer-mediated classes, partly because students wanted greater control over…

Large lecture classes can often be quite impersonal. Creating a teaching team, consisting of the instructor, graduate assistants, and a few undergraduates, is one of the ways the University of Arizona has adopted in order to make the large lecture class more personal. As members of the Department of Mathematics we train the undergraduates, who are…

Educational literature is overflowing with testimonials, data, and research confirming that collaborative group work, at its best, produces better results (Baer 2003; Johnson and Johnson 1994; McKeachie 2002). Many claim that students enjoy group work and that it leads to both increased learning and enhanced social skills. If this is commonly…

Objective: This article explores past, present, and future issues for women and teaching in academic psychiatry. A small study of didactic teaching responsibilities along faculty groups in one academic psychiatry department helps to illustrate challenges and opportunities for women in psychiatric teaching settings. Background: Although women have…

Student success in solving physics problems is related to the representational format of the problem. We study student representational competence in two large-lecture algebra-based introductory university physics courses with approximately 600 participants total. We examined student performance on homework problems given in four different…

Notetaking is important for recording and remembering class content in most university courses. Despite the importance of this behavior, however, students are often poor notetakers. This study compared undergraduates' notes after traditional lecture, lecture with slides, and lecture with slides plus guided notes. Data on the percentages of…