Looks at ways in which computer-assisted instruction transforms three traditional aspects of college teaching: lectures are replaced with multimedia presentations; homework becomes electronic, with instant grading and detailed explanations; and traditional office hours are replaced with electronic mail, list-serv, and live screen interaction…

Outlines the nature of electronic performance support and ways it can be used to enhance conventional lecturing. Describes the generic processes and related tools involved in creating and using electronic lectures. Concludes with a short case study of a prototype system recently created to investigate staff and student attitudes toward this…

This article discusses various definitions of teaching, arguing that teaching takes many forms and is conducted at numerous levels. It outlines a continuum of nine forms, with the teacher as disseminator/transmitter, lecturer/dramatist, inducer/persuader, inquirer/catalyst, dialogist, facilitator/guide, witness/abiding presence, learner, or…

Discusses the goals and purposes of history instruction as reported in a survey of historians. Presents and discusses four goals for history instruction in a private college's history department. Asserts that the use of collaborative groups and discussion is preferable to the lecture method. (CFR)

Reports the results of five contrasts between small-group learning and a more teacher-centered instructional style employed in junior high, high school, and college mathematics classes. In no case did the small-group class perform more poorly than the one led by a teacher; in one case, measuring long-term retention, the small-group class performed…

Reports survey results of 126 students enrolled in first- or second-year biology courses concerning the effectiveness of different teaching methods within the lecture format. Indicates that the traditional, didactic lecture, although perceived as least effective, was regarded as highly effective when enhanced by active student involvement.…

A national survey of 82 medical schools concerning curriculum and instruction on homosexuality found mean instruction time of 3 hours 26 minutes, with significant geographic variation. The most common strategy was lectures in human sexuality, followed distantly by panel presentations and interaction with gays and lesbians. Integration of the topic…

Presents the ozone depletion story as an excellent case study for the integration of science-related social issues into the college science curriculum. Describes the history of ozone depletion and efforts to remedy the problem. Provides a lecture outline on ozone depletion. Discusses integrating other science-related interdisciplinary topics in…

Reports the outcomes of a video conferencing trial in an undergraduate mass lecture context. Highlights effects on students and staff, and supports issues through a formative and summative evaluation. Surveys, focus groups, interviews, video recordings, exam results and reflective diaries provide data for the evaluations. (Author/AEF)

College mathematics and computer science students in two math courses (conventional lecture-based, and a multimedia variant of the Personalized System of Instruction) completed the Approaches to Studying Inventory. Students in the latter course obtained higher scores on meaning orientation. The effect was significant in computer-science students,…

Asserts that current software makes it easy for instructors to integrate visual displays into their lectures. Reviews the benefits of using visual displays, provides a taxonomy of visual displays, and proposes principles for constructing each type of display. Includes reproductions of related computer graphic screens. (MJP)

In this article, the author discusses "The Biology of Food" course. This course--a large lecture course with no laboratory section--is a mixture of kitchen chemistry, post-eating food metabolism, origins of different foods (from crop breeding to evolution), and ecological and environmental impacts of farming and harvesting practices. Nearly every…

The reform movement, with its bold and innovative approaches that focus on student-centered learning, has been able to uncover the richness in undergraduate mathematics. The most outstanding pedagogical practices take into account the environment in which learning occurs as well as the background of the student body. Mathematics educators should…

An interdisciplinary course centered on mathematical ideas (involving infinity and geometry) is described. The course was developed by the authors, both mathematicians, as a vehicle for engaging students in learning about mathematical ideas that are rarely found in the general undergraduate curriculum. The course was offered to honors students…

Worldwide, electronic learning (E-learning) has become an important part of the education agenda in the last decade. The Suan Dusit Rajabhat University (SDRU), Thailand has made significant efforts recently to use Internet technologies to enhance learning opportunities. The results reported here are part of a pioneering study to determine the…