It's time to design the next iteration of higher education. There is no question that higher education faces significant challenges. Most of today's universities aren't prepared to tackle issues like demographic change, the continued defunding of public education, cost pressures, and the opportunities and challenges of educational technologies.…

Since the content of the Theory of Interest course in an actuarial science program is tied to an external exam, instructors may be hesitant to attempt to use inquiry-based learning. In this paper, I outline how and why I did so, including descriptions of the materials that I wrote. I found that student performance on the final exam improved…

Because polarization and demonization of the "other" are increasingly prevalent in today's America, there are limited opportunities for deep and informed engagement across lines of difference, particularly on college campuses. "Bridging the Gap: Dialogue across Difference" (BTG) is a 2-3 week January term immersive experience…

With the advance of engineering education research and scholarship, there has been an increased focus on amending chemical engineering courses to increase student learning, engagement and enjoyment. These approaches are often incorporated in project-based courses such as capstone design courses and laboratory courses, providing opportunities to…

This article describes how fifth grade students participated in a place-based environmental education initiative in West Michigan that supports teachers who want to involve their students in citizen science by protecting local water resources. Every year, Groundswell works with about 100 teachers at 30 schools to engage students in citizen science…

Pedagogy informed by environmental communication can enhance collaboration within and outside the classroom. Through our collaborative, sustainability-focused work within the United States and internationally, we identified core capacities that prepare people to work together to form inclusive organizations and identify and respond to pressing…

In this paper, we report on the implementation of a novel compute-to-learn pedagogy, which is based upon the theories of situated cognition and meaningful learning. The "compute-to-learn" pedagogy is designed to simulate an authentic research experience as part of the undergraduate curriculum, including project development, teamwork,…

Problem solving has long been a focus of research and curriculum reform (Kilpatrick 1985; Lester 1994; NCTM 1989, 2000; CCSSI 2010). The importance of problem solving is not new, but the Common Core introduced the idea of making sense of problems and persevering in solving them (CCSSI 2010, p. 6) as an aspect of problem solving. Perseverance is…

Students are naturally curious and inquisitive with powerful intrinsic motives to probe, learn, and understand their world. Accordingly, class activities must capitalize on this inherently energetic and curious nature so that learning becomes a lifelong activity where students take initiative for learning, are skilled in learning, and want to…

A specially designed English course at Model High School in suburban Detroit teaches high school students about disabilities in order to increase their knowledge and understanding. It also fosters opportunities for actual interaction with special needs students by training students to be peer mentors.

In their collegiate studies, students are given a wide range of concepts, theories, and equations to assist them in their future endeavors. However, students have not been sufficiently exposed to practical critical thinking methodologies that will benefit them as they encounter open-ended problems. A course developed at the University of Michigan…

This paper provides examples of Aid-to-Thought uses in urban decision making, classroom laboratory planning, and in a ship antiaircraft defense system. Aid-to-Thought modeling and simulations are tools students can use effectively in a STEM classroom while meeting Standards for Technological Literacy Benchmarks O and R. These projects prepare…

Youth are in the cross-fire of gun violence, and the highest rate in the nation is in Flint, Michigan. This article highlights six innovative strategies that prepare youth to solve problems at home and in their communities in peaceful ways. The Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center (MI-YVPC) works with community groups to strengthen…

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has called for sweeping changes in mathematics instruction, arguing that knowledge should emerge from experience with problems. Deborah Ball's third grade class in East Lansing, Michigan, is a community of youthful mathematicians who argue, concur, and theorize about odd and even numbers. Instituting…

Compares the ability of students in Michigan (N=302) and Scotland (N=221) to do simple calculation exercises and relational/practical problems involving number and operation. Although this is not a controlled statistical study (data collected included birth date and sex), sample sizes are sufficient to make the reported results meaningful. (JN)