Aaron Sorkin has a passion for words--his signature movie and television scripts are fast talking, jargon laced, word pictures that are instantly recognizable. "The Social Network," Sorkin's 2011 Academy Award Winning movie about the founding of Facebook, Inc., offers more than just witty banter; it provides an ideal teaching platform for…

The introductory course has a variety of objectives for both students and the college, including recruitment and screening of majors, provision of prerequisite knowledge, explorations of learning, developing commitment to college, and cognitive development. Fostering these goals depends on the students, faculty, and classroom climate. (MSE)

Discussion of course structure in active learning at the college level looks at ways level and type of structure can be varied and manipulated to meet challenges presented by a diverse student body. Issues discussed include the relationship of structure to cognitive style and development, fitting structure to content and objectives, and what can…

This paper focuses on the "match" between Botswana secondary school students' Piagetian status and the cognitive demands of chemistry education. The chemistry syllabus studied by the most talented students engaged in the pure sciences at the senior secondary level is cognitively well within the reach of most. However, a serious mismatch…

The traditional lecture format of college courses can be enhanced by including active learning designed to further course goals of learning knowledge, developing skills, or fostering attitudes. Techniques suggested include using pauses, short writing periods, think-pair-share activities, formative quizzes, lecture summaries, and several assessment…

Describes a method of integrating a course syllabus with a field geological inventory of the surrounding area. Consists of three modules, each with a preparatory unit, field trip, and summary unit. Discusses first hand experiences, learning cycles, novelty factors, and moving from the concrete to abstract. (MVL)