Use of active learning techniques in upper-division probability courses at the University of Minnesota is discussed. Techniques include cooperative, small-group learning, and essay-writing about technical topics. Emphasis is on student participation, interaction, and broadening of student perspective. Student response to the approach is also…

Examined the relationship between literacy development and sociocultural aspects. Identified some cognitive processes in biliteracy acquisition through categorizing children's work according to Piaget's active learner categories that show learners constructing knowledge for different purposes. Results suggest that these cognitive processes are…

Descriptions of students projects raising chickens and studying salmon illustrate how project-based learning engages high-risk Alaska Native students. Projects make learning relevant, involve the community, increase student self-esteem, and help students and teachers bond with each other. A 4-day workshop for teachers emphasized how projects must…

A software development collaboration project designed to maximize the skill sets and interests of school children and teachers, educational software technologists and researchers, and college undergraduates is presented. The work brings elementary school children with college seniors and technology consultants to implement a problem-solving…

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional approach that has been used successfully for over 30 years and continues to gain acceptance in multiple disciplines. It is an instructional (and curricular) learner-centered approach that empowers learners to conduct research, integrate theory and practice, and apply knowledge and skills to develop…

Taking advantage of user-friendly technology, Audience Response Systems (ARS) facilitates greater interaction with participants engaged in a variety of group activities. Each participant has an input device that permits them to express a view in complete anonymity, and the composite view of the total group appears on a public screen. ARS can then…

In this paper, we discuss ways collaborative research groups can be used and what students appear to learn about social science reasoning and quantitative literacy from such groups. Data are from field observations, pre- and post-semester surveys in both collaborative and traditional courses, end of the semester student comments, and student work…

"Active learning" where students are required to do something in the classroom rather than simply listen to a lecture has been repeatedly shown to be superior to the lecture method in advancing student learning. The use of case studies in the classroom is one of the most successful active learning methods of teaching science, technology,…

The National Science Education Standards recommend that science be taught using inquiry-based approaches. Inspired by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, we examined whether undergraduate students could learn how to conduct field research by teaching elementary school children basic neuroscience concepts in interactive workshops. In an…

Many professions are increasingly emphasizing the role of reflection, encouraging educators to look for appropriate ways to help students engage in reflective practice during their professional preparation. Journal writing is an insightful and powerful instructional technology utilizing strategies that foster understanding and the application of…

This study examines the degree of active learning, participation and engagement of civic, social and political education (CSPE) pupils through an analysis of interview and focus group data, supplemented with key findings from a survey undertaken with CSPE pupils. The study focuses on pupils' views of the status of CSPE, their experience of active…

The faculty learning community project at Howard University involved a diverse group of men and women, tenured, tenure-track, and future faculty across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The purpose of the group was to engage in the scholarship of teaching and learning by learning about teaching, reflecting on…

Outdoor education, a general term describing the use of resources outside the classroom, has long been considered a method to improve student learning. This book aims to create a bridge between current school reform efforts and the field of outdoor education. Chapter 1 introduces the idea of outdoor education and relates several recent educational…

Many teachers want to use media technology to add a new dimension to classroom learning. Focusing on curriculum application and integration, the 75 projects in this activity book engage students in active, participatory, real-life learning. This book gives simple instructions and reproducible activity sheets for standard, basic technologies in the…

This publications presents 20 papers from a conference on innovations in teaching psychology at the college level along with a conference program that lists and describes all presentations. The papers are "They Can't Learn When They Don't Know How: Teaching Statistics Using a Learning to Learn Model" (Beverly Rolker-Dolinsky and Donna Qualters);…