In this article, the author describes the first lesson for his Chicago History Workshop, a course designed to take students beyond the Gradgrind memorization of facts approach and to introduce them, through a series of critical reading exercises, to the ways that historians actually work. In this lesson, the students begin to see that history is…

The process of diffusion is described as the movement of a substance from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. In this article, the authors present a novel way to introduce students to diffusion through the use of an analytical puzzle. This exercise engages students in active learning through a thought provoking exercise…

The aim of this investigation was to determine the effectiveness of a project-based learning program delivered to children with mild mental disabilities. The 7 children (4 girls and 3 boys) selected for this experimental study were from an elementary school and attending a special class. The theme of the project was "Patisserie." At posttest the…

Individual response technology (IRT), in which students use wireless handsets to communicate real-time responses, permits the recording and display of aggregated student responses during class. In comparison to a traditional class that did not employ IRT, students using IRT performed better on exams and held positive attitudes toward the…

Participation of environmental chemistry students in mock congressional hearings is described, as a means of helping them better develop their speaking and debating skills. The activity brings active learning principles into the classroom and greatly increases student participation in an otherwise traditional lecture course.

This investigation reports on a study that assesses how students value active, cooperative, and traditional learning activities within a single large cross-disciplinary class. The study surveyed students' perceived value of a range of teaching techniques (from traditional to cooperative) utilized within a general education class. Students rated…

Over the years, educators have proposed a variety of active learning pedagogical approaches that focus on encouraging students to discover for themselves the principles and solutions that will engage them in learning and enhance their educational outcomes. Among these approaches are problem-based, inquiry-based, experiential, and discovery…

The development of e-learning materials for teaching and learning often needs to be guided by appropriate educational theories or models. As such, this paper provides alternative e-learning design pedagogy, the TSOI Hybrid Learning Model as a pedagogic model for the design of e-learning cognitively in science and chemistry education. This model is…

Many researchers emphasize the significance of employing inquiry learning in shaping preservice elementary teachers' tendencies to teach science. Using an interpretive research methodology, this study examined the influence of employing an inquiry-based teaching approach on teaching biology to preservice elementary teachers at the Hashemite…

Curiosity, wonder, creativity, questions, initiation by the child, and framing by the teacher--all these characterize the project approach. Projects can be an invaluable part of any curriculum, providing opportunities for children to study subjects they find interesting in detail. Project work is not a method one uses after the "real" teaching has…

Kansas State University converted its introductory biology course, previously taught as an audio-tutorial (A-T), to a studio format in 1997. We share with others information about the process involved and present assessment data for the studio format course that address 1) student exam performance in A-T and studio; 2) student course grades in A-T…

Developing strategies for engaging mathematics activities is always a challenge. Teachers seek out new resources and online activities to excite students and support their learning. Mathematics through Movement offers an active learning strategy requiring few resources, and a bit of imagination, to achieve a variety of outcomes across mathematics…

College honors courses provide an opportunity to tackle controversial topics in an atmosphere that encourages active learning, critical thinking, and open discussion. This venue is particularly appropriate for examining the debate about teaching intelligent design (ID) in public school science classes. A one-credit honors enrichment seminar taught…

On the first day of Principles of Accounting classes, students learn the fundamental accounting equation from which all financial accounting practice emerge. The accounting equation is the criterion by which companies are valued and by which company performance is measured. This activity simplifies assets, liabilities, and owners' equity to the…

A central recurring theme in business education is the optimal strategy for improving introductory accounting, the gateway subject of business education. For many students, especially non-accounting majors, who are required to take introductory accounting as a requirement of the curriculum, introductory accounting has become a major obstacle for…