This article describes and illustrates a physics course for first-year college students whose only knowledge of physics is that they do not like the subject. The physics content is driven entirely by what appears in the daily newspapers and generally covers most physics topics in a semester. This course was structured as a learning community that…

The relevance of the research in this article is conditioned upon the problems of introducing environment-oriented education in the field of chemical discipline for the development of an important component of the information part of this science among students, based on its application in the framework of restoration and conservation of ecology.…

A goal of introductory physics for life sciences (IPLS) curricula is to prepare students to effectively use physical models and quantitative reasoning in biological and medical settings. To assess whether this goal is being met, we conducted a longitudinal study of the impact of IPLS on student work in later biology and chemistry courses. We…

A semester-long hypothesis-driven laboratory project for second-semester biochemistry has been developed. Working independently, students propose a hypothesis about the role of one amino acid residue in the active site of 5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate synthetase (MTHFS). They then test this hypothesis by site-directed mutagenesis of a plasmid…

Purpose: This study reports on the outcome of an investigative inquiry approach - Model Based Inquiry (MBI) on achievement and critical thinking of college pre-service chemistry teachers. Methodology: Anchored on Constructivism, the study employed quasi experimental (nonequivalent control group) design. A total of 174 level 200 college pre-service…

We introduce a novel approach to visualizing temporal clickstream behaviour in the context of a degree-satisfying online course, "Habitable Worlds," offered through Arizona State University. The current practice for visualizing behaviour within a digital learning environment is to generate plots based on hand-engineered or coded features…

Many introductory biology courses amount to superficial surveys of disconnected topics. Often, foundational observations and the concepts derived from them and students' ability to use these ideas appropriately are overlooked, leading to unrealistic expectations and unrecognized learning obstacles. The result can be a focus on memorization at the…

Objective: To develop a totally online reality-based course that engages students and enables the development of enhanced teamwork and report-writing skills. Setting: Outbreaks of infectious diseases impacts upon commerce, trade and tourism as well as placing strains on healthcare systems. A general course introducing university students to…

This paper discusses some traditional approaches to the teaching of evolutionary theory at pre-university level, criticising in particular some of the more commonly used models and exemplars. Curricular demands are described and an alternative approach is suggested, using the emerging story of human evolution. Recent discoveries help to illustrate…

Describes a graduate engineering course which specializes in model predictive control. Lists course outline and scope. Discusses some specific topics and teaching methods. Suggests final projects for the students. (MVL)

Introductory courses in biology are often either designed for majors or watered-down versions for nonmajors that are not stimulating. A course developed for nonmajors emphasizes the relationship of biology to the human condition and focuses on five basic concepts while being flexible enough to adapt to new research and technology. (MSE)

Presents three dimensional models of biological pathways for the following cycles: carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and a combination of the three. Discusses steps involved in each cycle and breaks each cycle into trophic and environmental regions. (MVL)

To enhance both teaching and learning in an advanced undergraduate elective course on the interrelationships of plants and human affairs, the computer was used for information retrieval, multiple choice course review, and the running of three simulation models--plant related systems (e.g., the rise in world coffee prices after the 1975 freeze in…

Presents a scheme for a one-year course of study in Science, Technology and Society that can be easily adapted. Includes a listing of course goals, topic areas, and instructional strategies and techniques. Provides examples of activities and descriptions of four courses in Science, Technology and Society. (ML)

Describes a physics course designed to engage preservice elementary teachers in the practices and discourses of science through activities that would later be used with children. Presents an account of preservice teachers' progress in inventing and testing models, working with empirical data, critically evaluating and using authoritative sources,…