Neelu Sinha, Laila Khreisat, and Kiron Sharma describe how learner-interface interaction promotes active learning in computer science education. In a pilot study using technology that combines DyKnow software with a hardware platform of pen-enabled HP Tablet notebook computers, Sinha, Khreisat, and Sharma created dynamic learning environments by…

"Although the description of mentorships can be traced back to ancient Greek history," most of the empirical research on mentorships has been conducted within the past two decades. Such research has tended to focus on the relationship itself--an intense, personal bond that spans a spectrum of activities and time. This article, however,…

PowerPoint arouses many strong feelings, but the debate over the popular program typically pits advocates against detractors: fewer people discuss "how" PowerPoint should best be used in the classroom. Howard Strauss of Princeton University has observed that "a lot of the stuff that people try to do in smart classrooms is done badly," but…

Since the 1990s was declared to be the decade of the brain, technology has advanced enough through MRIs, CAT Scans and PET Scans, that live brains have been able to be studied. Although this is still a relatively new field of study, what has been discovered thus far, has wide reaching implications for educators in the area of pedagogy and how to…

Reviews the research on the lecture method of teaching. Found that little effort has been directed to the effectiveness of the lecture in adult education. Limitations in the extant research highlight the need for renewed efforts to examine the appropriate use of the lecture in adult learning situations. (JOW)

Discusses the style and structure of videos. Discusses four models particularly suitable for communicating technical subjects: lecture, demonstration, documentary, and dramatization. Discusses how to select the most appropriate style for a proposed video and offers an example of each of the four basic styles. (SR)

Describes the Guided Lecture Procedure (GLP), a procedure that requires students to suspend all notetaking and listen carefully during an approximately 20-minute lecture, followed by an active notetaking and small group interaction phase. Adds one extra requirement in the active notetaking phase: requiring each learner to write a question for the…

Shares some surprising results from a business communication program's recent experiment in using a large lecture format to teach an upper-division business communication course: approximately 90-95% of the students liked the large lecture format, and the quality of their communication deliverables was as good as that produced by students who took…

Discusses the lack of success with lecturing for academic library instruction and suggests active learning as a better alternative. Highlights include a historical overview of active learning; considerations for active learning in the library classroom; and active learning and library instruction for special groups. (LRW)

A lesson was designed for lower division general education, non-major biology lecture-only course that included the historical and scientific context, some of the skills used to study the human genome, results, conclusions and ethical consideration. Students learn to examine and compare the published Human Genome maps, and employ the strategies…

This article briefly outlines some strategies that the author has successfully implemented to infuse elements of civic engagement into a large, first-semester chemistry course, without sacrificing traditional content. The selection of appropriate illustrative examples and recurrent themes in the lectures sets the stage for civic engagement. The…

Students with learning disabilities lack effective note-taking skills for a variety of reasons. Despite the important role that notes play in helping students to understand lecture content information and serving as documents for later review, many students with learning disabilities are simply not effective note-takers. Many of these students…

Rice University has created a team-taught interactive biology course for nonmajors with a focus on cutting edge biology in the news--advances in biotechnology, medicine, and science policy, along with the biological principles and methodology upon which these advances are based. The challenges inherent to teaching current topics were minimized by…

This article considers the value of collaborative forms of educational action research in higher education and the difficulties involved in implementing such forms of research. It is argued that educational action research represents an opportunity for improving teaching and learning and developing the knowledge and skills of those participating…

Twenty years of research shows that using interactive techniques more often can make a class more effective. For example, a study of six thousand physics students compared classes using passive lecture to classes using interactive techniques that allowed for discussion among students and between the professor and students. The study showed that…