Technology has long been a part of the classroom space. Sometime in the 1990s, the word technology was co-opted to refer only to digital tools. "Technology in the classroom" or "technology stocks" or "the dangers posed by technology" came to refer only to digital technology rather than to technology as a whole. As such, much of the discussion…

Classroom discussion is a frequently used "active learning" strategy; however, a dilemma this strategy produces is what to do about students who are less inclined to volunteer. This study examines an environment which uses cold calling and graded participation to include more students in discussions. The results suggest that despite widespread…

This article describes an active learning method for the teaching of physical sciences and mathematics to engineers. After defining the challenges involved in the training of engineers, we shall describe the answers provided by our method, "learning by doing" (named "Apprentissage Par l"Action" in French), by introducing…

There is a nascent literature on the question of whether active learning methods, and in particular simulation methods, enhance student learning. In this article, the authors evaluate the utility of an international relations simulation in enhancing learning objectives. Student evaluations provide evidence that the simulation process enhances…

This paper describes a pedagogical technique employed for an interdisciplinary course on Cold War America. Students had to "become" a fictional person and discuss how political and social changes during the Cold War era would have impacted that person. By doing a semester-long project that required primary source research, this…

Incorporating newspapers into a science course encourages students to take control of their learning. Assignments related to newspapers facilitate active learning in a classroom environment focused on the learner. Several different types of assignments are described for three different general education science courses. (Contains 3 tables.)

This article describes the following aspects of teaching biochemistry in undergraduate health courses: objectives, number of hours, time in which the subject is studied, selection of content, teaching strategies, and evaluation methodologies used. Fifty-three courses distributed in 13 areas within the health field and offered by 12 institutions…

This paper reports on the experiences of a small collaborative inquiry group consisting of a high school science teacher, Deidre, and two university researchers, the authors of this paper, as they explored an active, inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning referred to as Problem-Based Learning or PBL (Barrows, 1994; Barrows & Tamblyn,…

One reason students give for attending a community college is that the mathematics requirements appear to be less rigorous. Many of the author's students have told her that they have chosen to seek an associate's degree first because they do not feel confident that they could successfully complete the mathematics requirement at a four-year…

In order to have a democratic society, equal rights to education are assumed. A democratic society needs citizens who are willing and able to commit themselves to lifelong learning--self-directed individual learning as well as collective learning. Learning in real life, although different for various people, can be seen as encompassing five steps:…

The benefits of cooperative and/or active learning techniques for academic library instruction have been well established in the literature of the field. However, learning about and finding appropriate techniques can be a time-consuming and frustrating task. The following is a listing of cooperative learning and active learning techniques…

Whether we are conscious or not, technology has made an important impact in our daily life. Like in all other areas, education has been transformed and more active learning methods are now being implemented. This paper is attempting to describe a novel approach for using modern technology. This approach expects that learners prepare their own…

This paper describes the results of a research study focusing quality improvement in mathematics education and promotion with the use of mathematics laboratory. The primary purpose was to assess the perception of teachers regarding the teaching method through activities and the subsequent need for the mathematics laboratory in schools. This…

The teaching and learning "dance" is one that traditionally has been led by the instructor with the student following passively. Faculty members in higher education are entering the realm of online learning, many with the previous experience and hopes of facilitating student-centered, active learning experiences. However, due to factors…

This guide to interactive training provides tools and techniques to stimulate the trainer's imagination to provide enriching, engaging training and an energizing learning experience. An introduction describes a REST Stop: give time to Reflect on the concept, Expand the content and Extract ideas with the intent of Stimulating imaginative Thinking.…