This research explores how explaining an anchoring phenomena and engaging students in investigations, as central designs of a model-based inquiry (MBI) unit, afforded or constrained the representation of scientific activity in the science classroom. This research is considered timely as recent standards documents and scholars in the field have…

The traditional teaching style in higher education is didactic. However, the current literature states that student learning improves when they are active players in the process, triggering the move to implement active learning within the curriculum. In accordance, Monash University (an Australian research-intensive university) introduced the…

We investigate the effectiveness of an active learning curriculum designed for an upper division Biochemistry series at a large, public research university. The goal was to determine how effective this format was when compared to a parallel conventional course, and to see if the active learning series can be run with limited resources (one…

Active learning techniques are being use with increasing frequency in the classroom and more time is being dedicated to designing and implementing them. However, the literature still suffers from a lack of rigorous empirical methods to test the effects of simulations. Most of the claimed benefits of utilizing simulations, and other active learning…

Although mastering the art of learning how to learn is considered one of the most important skills for young people, few teens know the basics of how to best learn something. And teachers rarely receive training in how to helps students become successful learners. The author describes seven well-supported techniques for learning anything that…

Laboratory experiences are a key and integral part of the chemistry degree that are intended to provide the students the necessary training for laboratory work and improve their scientific reasoning/research abilities and their understanding of the uncertainty in experimental measurements. Despite the unquestionable capacity of hands-on laboratory…

The learning objectives of the introductory American Government course, one of the most common entry-level political science classes in American universities, span both content knowledge and civic education. Much research has shown the pedagogical value of integrated learning--taking part in active and authentic experiences with democracy at the…

Educational researchers suggest that physical education can not only address the physical fitness of students but can also provide students with unique opportunities to actively engage in learning and the development of cognitive capacities. The contemporary teaching technique, inquiry-based learning, is identified as an active, engaging and…

This book offers a roadmap for growing students' confidence and competence in learning. We strive to empower our students to lead their own inquiry, discover knowledge, and construct approaches to solving real-life challenges. Often, though, we make the mistake of designing learning experiences that burden students with the unrealistic expectation…

The predominant use of lecturing in introductory STEM classrooms--which perpetuates a stressful, competitive, and unsupportive learning environment--has been identified as one of the primary causes of diminished student motivation and interest, eventually leading to exit from these fields. These effects are exacerbated among women and students of…

This paper describes an original interlinking of a conceptual frame and co-production methodology of a participatory internet radio intervention (RadioActive101) that supports engagement and non-formal learning amongst socially excluded young people. This considers the inclusive learning of socially excluded young people as a social innovation…

The article draws on concepts from speculative design to explore an alternative educational group existing outside the boundaries of an accredited university. Inspired by the imaginative approach of speculative design, I propose a small-scale reading and discussion group as a pathway to explore possible futures open to aspects of humanities…

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many challenges that resulted from the suspension of face-to-face classes. Some of these challenges involved the problems associated with remote learning. One problem with this approach to learning is that it can be didactic. Remote learning can contribute to loneliness as well, and the lack of access to reliable…

The honors college at a large land-grant research university developed transdisciplinary courses to provide undergraduate opportunities for small, student-centered classes and collaborative problem engagement in a global context. In these courses, students engage principles of competency-based education and inquiry-based learning combined with…

The paper describes active learning strategies used in undergraduate college algebra and business calculus courses. There are a variety of active learning strategies described in the literature. We wanted to implement a few that together, satisfy the key characteristics of active learning strategies. The active learning strategies described in…