Higher education institutions are compelled to accommodate growing class sizes as student numbers have increased over time, especially at undergraduate level. Good teaching principles are relevant to all class sizes. For example, teachers of all classes are required to create safe learning environments, motivate and engage students, interact with…

Students enrolled in a large-lecture, non-majors biology course employing a diversified instructional approach featuring both instructor-centered and student-centered techniques evaluated the effectiveness of each approach in fostering course goals. Students perceived both approaches to be effective to some extent. Students indicated that the…

To gather information on the importance of current educational-technology innovations for students in the IBM Teacher Preparation Program (an integrated Bachelor's and Master's program) at the University of Connecticut's School of Education, a survey was sent to all students enrolled in the program in April 1993. Responses were received from 115…

This study examined 10 kindergarten teachers' use of instructional time to determine its relationship to student learning. Data were collected through classroom observations of student time-on-task and teacher-student interactions at 3-minute intervals over the course of 2 half-hour sessions with each teacher and his or her pupils. It was found…

The 68 journal articles, books, and ERIC documents described in this annotated bibliography cover all aspects of the topic of lecturing, from general considerations on the methodology and effectiveness of lecturing to specific advice on how to lecture and the results of research studies on lecturing's effect and usefulness. Besides summarizing the…

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING IS BASED UPON THE DIVISION OF CLASS SESSIONS INTO MODULES OF 20 TO 25 MINUTES. MODULES CAN BE COMBINED IN VARIOUS WAYS TO SUIT THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS, AND MORE FLEXIBLE USE MAY BE MADE OF THE SUBJECT OR CURRICULUM, THE PUPILS, AND THE TEACHERS. IF FLEXIBILITY IS APPLIED TO BOTH THE CURRICULUM AND THE PUPIL, PROGRESS IN A…

Innovations which were incorporated into large, introductory, educational psychology lecture classes are described and compared to smaller classes that did not make use of the innovations. Four innovative pedagogical techniques are used: (1) a mastery approach, (2) formative evaluation, (3) a modified pyramid-like structure using small group…

This manual contains eight Spanish lessons intended for classroom use in small, heterogeneous groups of no more than six children for a daily period of approximately 20 minutes. Lessons may be adapted for use in kindergarten, first, or second grade. Emphasis is placed on question-asking utterances to encourage information-seeking skills and to…

A new look at the standard lecture/discussion format for the large introductory college course is offered, along with suggestions to upgrade its quality. Foci for improvement include organization of lecture material, teacher-student interaction, lecture delivery, feedback, discussion group supervision, and course evaluation. (JMD)

Describes institutes developed at Rutgers University to introduce practicing librarians to the information search process from the user's perspective. Highlights included library search sessions followed by small and large group discussions, presentations on the theoretical foundations of the search process, and developing plans for libraries'…

The National Association for Humane and Environmental Education (NAHEE) produces this workshop guide which offers a scripted workshop with handouts for elementary educators interested in sharing curriculum-based activities dedicated to helping young people develop values of kindness and respect toward people, animals, and the Earth. This guide…

The nature of group decision support systems (GDSS), its key advantages, and the experience of using it with several classes help illustrate that this type of computer technology can serve an important function in supplementing instruction of the small group course. The primary purpose of a GDSS is to improve group decision-making and…

Author signed up for a creative writing course at a new community arts centre, which provided the opportunity for students to work with practising artists. (Editor/RK)

This study compares the teaching of problem-solving skills to preschool children in individual and group settings. Subjects were 8 girls and 7 boys of 3 years, 6 months to 5 years, 10 months of age who attended a university laboratory preschool. There were two experimental groups and one comparison group. Children were presented with a problem…