Family communication, as an upper-level communication course, attracts communication majors and students studying in other disciplines. As such, instructors employ pedagogies that appeal to both majors and non-majors. This essay reflects on how I used project-based learning (PBL) in a family communication course filled with mostly non-majors. The…

Kolb's experiential learning cycle is perhaps the most scholarly influential and cited model regarding experiential learning theory. However, a key issue in interpreting Kolb's model concerns a lack of clarity regarding what constitutes a "concrete experience," exactly. A systematic literature review was conducted in order to examine:…

Researchers have documented that high engagement in learning is linked to high academic achievement, and that low engagement is linked to low academic achievement, student alienation, and withdrawing from school. While research provides insights into student engagement and instructional practices, this research is typically conducted in…

This communication contains the experience of two early-career organic professors at primarily undergraduate institutions during the rapid transition to an online learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The techniques and methods for transitioning both the organic lecture and lab of two class sizes (~50 and ~10) are juxtaposed, and…

A biochemistry class was transformed to implement student-centered, active-learning pedagogies to help improve competencies associated with the scientific method. In responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the course content switched from the biochemistry of nucleic acids to the science of the newly discovered virus, SARS-CoV-2. This provided a…

Scholarly community has raised concerns over the effectiveness of traditional classroom pedagogy in entrepreneurship education (EE), highlighting the need for alternative pedagogic approach. Our study explores the superiority of action learning pedagogy over traditional classroom pedagogy for EE, to overcome these challenges. The impact of both…

Building on active, experiential, and situated learning, the Retail Safari brings together students and executives in a retail setting to witness first-hand how course knowledge will play out in the aisles and shelves of the retail world. Retail Safari was evaluated favorably in terms of pedagogical affect, perceived value of the course content,…

The authors of this article estimate the learning effects of the flipped classroom format using data from 16 sections of principles of microeconomics over a 4-year period. The experimental design is unique in that two treatment and two control sections were taught during the fall semester in four consecutive years. Further, the instructor switched…

Several studies have found active learning to enhance students' motivation and attitudes. Yet, faculty indicate that students resist active learning and censure them on evaluations after incorporating active learning into their instruction, resulting in an apparent paradox. We argue that the disparity in findings across previous studies is the…

Purpose: Although the methods and approaches of sustainable design have been developing for more than 20 years, their application in design education and the design process is still under-examined. This study aims to investigate how to integrate sustainability into project-based undergraduate courses in industrial design education, where…

The authors explain that the commonly held concept of project-based learning (PBL) as a student investigating a topic or creating something individually (a passion project) is only part of the PBL story. Projects in which students collaborate and do something to make a difference in their community are also a way to structure PBL and build agency.…

Blood flow through the cardiovascular system is governed by the same physical rules that govern the flow of water through domestic plumbing. Using this analogy in a teaching laboratory, a model of the cardiovascular system constructed of pumps and pipes was used to demonstrate the basic interactions of pressure, flow, and resistance in a regulated…

Learning about neural communication can be a dry and challenging undertaking, particularly for students without a background in biology. To enhance learning of this and other STEM material, there has been a call for science educators to embrace the use of active learning techniques. The aim of this Brief Communication is to encourage the use of…

Students need to be actively engaged to learn--intellectually curious, physically active, and emotionally involved in collaborative work that builds their capacity for empathy. What can teachers do to instill these elements in the classroom? "Active Learning: 40 Teaching Methods to Engage Students in Every Class and Every Subject" is the…

Do you want your students to be more engaged in their mathematics lessons while also amplifying cultural relevancy and equity? If so, proceed to the next level of instruction with project-based learning (PBL)! This book provides the whole PBL game plan designed by an experienced, award-winning teacher and researcher. Whether you want to start with…