Technology and design was added to the Northern Ireland curriculum in September 1992 and through it, teachers seek to address the need for pupils to understand the ever-changing man-made world by developing skills and understanding in its four elements of designing, communicating, manufacturing and the use of energy and control. To be effective in…

Anecdotal and research evidences show that the Free and Open Source Software (F/OSS) development model has produced a paradigm shift in the way we develop, support, and distribute software. This shift is not only redefining the software industry but also the way we teach and learn in our software engineering (SE) courses. But for many universities…

Learning is an active process, and, as such, interactive lectures are considered as the educational best practice. This study investigated the efficacy of interactive lecturing in a module of eight respiratory physiology lectures in a second-year Physiology course with two distinct subcohorts: students with strong science backgrounds and those…

Mathematics and science standards were created in response to concern throughout the United States about the performance of students in these areas and the demands of an increasingly scientific and technological world. Educators and community leaders recognize that students will need more mathematical and scientific knowledge both in their jobs…

This study examined teachers' use and evaluation of cooperative learning along with students' reactions to cooperative grouping and the quality of the group cooperation in a sample of Dutch primary school teachers who implemented cooperative learning methods. Data collection involved teacher questionnaires, student questionnaires, and observation.…

Describes a series of hands-on experiments that engage students in hypothesis testing and promotes active learning of the concepts of evolution and adaptation. Laboratory exercises demonstrate how features of the hands and eyes distinguish primates from other mammals. (SOE)

Claims that the major obstacle to active learning techniques comes from students. To free class time for active learning, students must take on the responsibility for learning factual information on their own. Looks at ways to explain the benefits of active education and to orient students in this approach. (RJM)

Active learning in secondary physical education can facilitate the learning of class content and equip students with tools to learn independently. The article presents active learning strategies for physical education (clarification pauses, shared paragraph writing, application notes, study lecture, guided lecture, cooperative learning, and fish…

Focuses on identifying the educational effects of "activity oriented" instructional techniques. Examines which instructional methods produce enhanced learning and comprehension. Discusses the problem of learning "sorting algorithms," a major topic in every Computer Science curriculum. Presents a low-tech, hands-on teaching method for sorting…

Research confirms that active learning techniques, like case studies, increase student participation and learning. This article provides an overview of case study methodology, discusses its appropriateness in library instruction, and presents two case studies used in a library instruction course at Murray State University (Murray, Kentucky).…

The main research question of this study was: How do selected high school chemistry students' understandings of the elements, structure, and periodicity of the Periodic Table change as they participate in a unit study consisting of inquiry-based activities emphasizing construction of innovative science graphics? The research question was answered…

A clinical study was designed and used to show the relationship of health and medicine, in a typical clinical scenario, where many chemical principles are involved and that an integrated knowledge of chemistry and biology is essential to the understanding, diagnosing and treating of illnesses. A case study would be a positive learning experience…

Education policymakers often go astray when they attempt to integrate multiple intelligences theory into schools, according to the originator of the theory, Howard Gardner, and his colleagues. The greatest potential of a multiple intelligences approach to education grows from the concept of a profile of intelligences. Each learner's intelligence…

Students in advanced psychopathology courses can learn key concepts by administering semistructured interviews designed to identify specific mental disorders. Such an active learning approach potentially can help students gain fundamental knowledge about psychopathology and begin to develop clinical and research skills. To explore the value of…

Active engagement in the classroom is one of the best tools available for overcoming conceptual difficulties. Science educators agree that students of all ages learn more by participating actively in the interpretation of scientific phenomena (NAS 2003; NSF 1998). In this article, the authors describe demonstrations in class using paper wads as an…