Transformation of Classroom Spaces: Traditional versus Active Learning Classroom in Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Elisa L.; Choi, Bo Keum

2014-01-01

Educational environment influences students' learning attitudes, and the classroom conveys the educational philosophy. The traditional college classroom design is based on the educational space that first appeared in medieval universities. Since then classrooms have not changed except in their size. In an attempt to develop a different perspective…

Transfer of Active Learning Strategies from the Teacher Education Classroom to PreK-12th Grade Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pepper, Kaye; Blackwell, Sarah; Monroe, Ann; Coskey, Shawn

2012-01-01

In this study, researchers investigated the influence of modeling active learning strategies in an introductory foundations teacher preparation course: 1) on teacher candidates' perceptions of participating in active learning in the college classroom, 2) on participants' acquisition of course content, and 3) on participants' later use of active…

An Integrative Review of In-Class Activities That Enable Active Learning in College Science Classroom Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arthurs, Leilani A.; Kreager, Bailey Zo

2017-01-01

Engaging students in active learning is linked to positive learning outcomes. This study aims to synthesise the peer-reviewed literature about "active learning" in college science classroom settings. Using the methodology of an integrative literature review, 337 articles archived in the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) are…

ASPECT: A Survey to Assess Student Perspective of Engagement in an Active-Learning Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiggins, Benjamin L.; Eddy, Sarah L.; Wener-Fligner, Leah; Freisem, Karen; Grunspan, Daniel Z.; Theobald, Elli J.; Timbrook, Jerry; Crowe, Alison J.

2017-01-01

The primary measure used to determine relative effectiveness of in-class activities has been student performance on pre/posttests. However, in today's active-learning classrooms, learning is a social activity, requiring students to interact and learn from their peers. To develop effective active-learning exercises that engage students, it is…

Finnish Students' Reasons for Their Achievement in Classroom Activities: Focus on Features That Support Self-Regulated Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mykkänen, Arttu; Perry, Nancy; Järvelä, Sanna

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate how finnish students explain factors that contribute to their achievement in classroom learning activities and whether these factors are related to support of self-regulated learning (SRL) in classroom. Over seven weeks, 24 primary school students were videotaped during their typical classroom activities in…

Situational Interest and Academic Achievement in the Active-Learning Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rotgans, Jerome I.; Schmidt, Henk G.

2011-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate how situational interest develops over time and how it is related to academic achievement in an active-learning classroom. Five measures of situational interest were administered at critical points in time to 69 polytechnic students during a one-day, problem-based learning session. Results revealed…

Strategies, Challenges and Prospects for Active Learning in the Computer-Based Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holbert, K. E.; Karady, G. G.

2009-01-01

The introduction of computer-equipped classrooms into engineering education has brought with it a host of opportunities and issues. Herein, some of the challenges and successes for creating an environment for active learning within computer-based classrooms are described. The particular teaching approach developed for undergraduate electrical…

Chaotic....!! Active and Engaged. Effects of an active learning classroom on student retention and engagement.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palsole, S.; Serpa, L. F.

2014-12-01

Scientific literacy has been defined as the foremost challenge of this decade (AAAS, 2012). The Geological Society of American in its position statement postis that due to the systemic nature of the discipline of earth science, it is the most effective way to engage students in STEM disciplines. Given that the most common place for exposure to earth sciences is at the freshman level for non majors, we decided to transform a freshman introductory geology course to an active, student centered course, using an inquiry based approach. Our focus was to ensure the students saw the earth sciences as broadly applicative field, and not an esoteric science. To achieve this goal, we developed a series of problems that required the students to apply the concepts acquired through their self guided learning into the different topics of the course. This self guided learning took the form of didactic content uploaded into the learning management system (the various elements used to deliver the content were designed video clips, short text based lectures, short formative assessments, discussion boards and other web based discovery exercises) with the class time devoted to problem solving. A comparison of student performance in the active learning classroom vs. a traditional classroom as measured on a geoscience concept inventory (the questions were chosen by a third party who was not teaching either courses) showed that the the students in the active learning classroom scored 10% higher on the average in comparison to the traditional class. In addition to this heightened performance, the students in the active classroom also showed a higher degree of content retention 8 weeks after the semester had ended. This session will share the design process, some exercises and efficacy data collected.

H2Oh!: Classroom demonstrations and activities for improving student learning of water concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan-Hilton, A.; Neupauer, R. M.; Burian, S. J.; Lauer, J. W.; Mathisen, P. P.; Mays, D. C.; Olson, M. S.; Pomeroy, C. A.; Ruddell, B. L.; Sciortino, A.

2012-12-01

Research has shown that the use of demonstrations and hands-on activities in the classroom enhances student learning. Students learn more and enjoy classes more when visual and active learning are incorporated into the lecture. Most college-aged students prefer visual modes of learning, while most instruction is conducted in a lecture, or auditory, format. The use of classroom demonstrations provides opportunities for incorporating visual and active learning into the classroom environment. However, while most instructors acknowledge the benefits of these teaching methods, they typically do not have the time and resources to develop and test such activities and to develop plans to incorporate them into their lectures. Members of the Excellence in Water Resources Education Task Committee of the Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) have produced a publication that contains a collection of activities aimed to foster excellence in water resources and hydrology education and improve student learning of principles. The book contains forty-five demonstrations and activities that can be used in water-related classes with topics in fluid mechanics, hydraulics, surface water hydrology, groundwater hydrology, and water quality. We present examples of these activities, including topics such as conservation of momentum, buoyancy, Bernoulli's principle, drag force, pipe flow, watershed delineation, reservoir networks, head distribution in aquifers, and molecular diffusion in a porous medium. Unlike full laboratory exercises, these brief demonstrations and activities (most of which take less than fifteen minutes) can be easily incorporated into classroom lectures. For each demonstration, guidance for preparing and conducting the activity, along with a brief overview of the principles that are demonstrated, is provided. The target audience of the activities is undergraduate students, although the activities also may be

Active Learning in the Digital Age Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heide, Ann; Henderson, Dale

This book examines the theoretical and practical issues surrounding today's technology-integrated classroom. The chapters cover the following topics: (1) reasons to integrate technology into the classroom, including the changing world, enriched learning and increased productivity, the learner, the workplace, past experience, and future trends; (2)…

ASPECT: A Survey to Assess Student Perspective of Engagement in an Active-Learning Classroom.

PubMed

Wiggins, Benjamin L; Eddy, Sarah L; Wener-Fligner, Leah; Freisem, Karen; Grunspan, Daniel Z; Theobald, Elli J; Timbrook, Jerry; Crowe, Alison J

2017-01-01

The primary measure used to determine relative effectiveness of in-class activities has been student performance on pre/posttests. However, in today's active-learning classrooms, learning is a social activity, requiring students to interact and learn from their peers. To develop effective active-learning exercises that engage students, it is important to gain a more holistic view of the student experience in an active-learning classroom. We have taken a mixed-methods approach to iteratively develop and validate a 16-item survey to measure multiple facets of the student experience during active-learning exercises. The instrument, which we call A ssessing S tudent P erspective of E ngagement in C lass T ool (ASPECT), was administered to a large introductory biology class, and student responses were subjected to exploratory factor analysis. The 16 items loaded onto three factors that cumulatively explained 52% of the variation in student response: 1) value of activity, 2) personal effort, and 3) instructor contribution. ASPECT provides a rapid, easily administered means to measure student perception of engagement in an active-learning classroom. Gaining a better understanding of students' level of engagement will help inform instructor best practices and provide an additional measure for comprehensively assessing the impact of different active-learning strategies. © 2017 B. L. Wiggins, S. L. Eddy, et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Learning Active Citizenship: Conflicts between Students' Conceptualisations of Citizenship and Classroom Learning Experiences in Lebanon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akar, Bassel

2016-01-01

Education for active citizenship continues to be a critical response for social cohesion and reconstruction in conflict-affected areas. Oftentimes, approaches to learning and teaching in such contexts can do as much harm as good. This study qualitatively examines 435 students' reflections of their civics classroom learning experiences and their…

The Flipped Classroom: An Opportunity to Engage Millennial Students through Active Learning Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roehl, Amy; Reddy, Shweta Linga; Shannon, Gayla Jett

2013-01-01

"Flipping" the classroom employs easy-to-use, readily accessible technology in order to free class time from lecture. This allows for an expanded range of learning activities during class time. Using class time for active learning versus lecture provides opportunities for greater teacher-to-student mentoring, peer-to-peer collaboration…

Strategies to Address Common Challenges When Teaching in an Active Learning Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petersen, Christina I.; Gorman, Kristen S.

2014-01-01

This chapter provides practical strategies for addressing common challenges that arise for teachers in active learning classrooms. Our strategies come from instructors with experience teaching in these environments.

The effectiveness of flipped classroom learning model in secondary physics classroom setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasetyo, B. D.; Suprapto, N.; Pudyastomo, R. N.

2018-03-01

The research aimed to describe the effectiveness of flipped classroom learning model on secondary physics classroom setting during Fall semester of 2017. The research object was Secondary 3 Physics group of Singapore School Kelapa Gading. This research was initiated by giving a pre-test, followed by treatment setting of the flipped classroom learning model. By the end of the learning process, the pupils were given a post-test and questionnaire to figure out pupils' response to the flipped classroom learning model. Based on the data analysis, 89% of pupils had passed the minimum criteria of standardization. The increment level in the students' mark was analysed by normalized n-gain formula, obtaining a normalized n-gain score of 0.4 which fulfil medium category range. Obtains from the questionnaire distributed to the students that 93% of students become more motivated to study physics and 89% of students were very happy to carry on hands-on activity based on the flipped classroom learning model. Those three aspects were used to generate a conclusion that applying flipped classroom learning model in Secondary Physics Classroom setting is effectively applicable.

Special Education in General Education Classrooms: Cooperative Teaching Using Supportive Learning Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Robin R.; And Others

1995-01-01

Supportive learning activities were implemented in a multiple-baseline time series design across four fifth-grade classrooms to evaluate the effects of a cooperative teaching alternative (supportive learning) on teaching behavior, the behavior and grades of general and special education students, and the opinions of general education teachers.…

Active Democratic Citizenship and Service-Learning in the Postgraduate Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Clodagh

2010-01-01

This article investigates the use of service-learning in teaching active democratic citizenship in the postgraduate classroom. In particular it draws on a case study of an MBS Government module (GV6104) entitled "Political Participation and Mobilisation" that explores the relationship between democracy and participation. Students of this…

The Flipped Classroom: An active teaching and learning strategy for making the sessions more interactive and challenging.

PubMed

Sultan, Amber Shamim

2018-04-01

Flipping the classroom is a pedagogical model that employs easy to use, readily accessible technology based resources such as video lectures, reading handouts, and practice problems outside the classroom, whereas interactive group-based, problem-solving activities conducted in the classroom. This strategy permits for an extended range of learning activities during the session. Using class time for active learning provides greater opportunity for mentoring and peer to peer collaboration. Instead of spending too much time on delivering lectures, class time can best be utilized by interacting with students, discussing their concerns related to the particular topic to be taught, providing real life examples relevant to the course content, challenging students to think in a broader aspect about complex process and encouraging different team based learning activities.

Throwing Paper Wads in the Chemistry Classroom: Really Active Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orvis, Jessica N.; Orvis, Jeffrey A.

2005-01-01

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…

PORTAAL: A Classroom Observation Tool Assessing Evidence-Based Teaching Practices for Active Learning in Large Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Classes

PubMed Central

Eddy, Sarah L.; Converse, Mercedes; Wenderoth, Mary Pat

2015-01-01

There is extensive evidence that active learning works better than a completely passive lecture. Despite this evidence, adoption of these evidence-based teaching practices remains low. In this paper, we offer one tool to help faculty members implement active learning. This tool identifies 21 readily implemented elements that have been shown to increase student outcomes related to achievement, logic development, or other relevant learning goals with college-age students. Thus, this tool both clarifies the research-supported elements of best practices for instructor implementation of active learning in the classroom setting and measures instructors’ alignment with these practices. We describe how we reviewed the discipline-based education research literature to identify best practices in active learning for adult learners in the classroom and used these results to develop an observation tool (Practical Observation Rubric To Assess Active Learning, or PORTAAL) that documents the extent to which instructors incorporate these practices into their classrooms. We then use PORTAAL to explore the classroom practices of 25 introductory biology instructors who employ some form of active learning. Overall, PORTAAL documents how well aligned classrooms are with research-supported best practices for active learning and provides specific feedback and guidance to instructors to allow them to identify what they do well and what could be improved. PMID:26033871

Enriching Classroom Learning through a Microblogging-Supported Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Kun; Darr, Kent; Gao, Fei

2018-01-01

Researchers have recognized the role that microblogging tools play in enhancing the effectiveness of communication and interaction in the classroom. However, few studies have specifically examined how to use microblogging tools to bring educational resources into the classroom to enrich the student learning experience. The exploratory case study…

An Exploratory Study of Elementary Classroom Teachers' Physical Activity Promotion from a Social Learning Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webster, Collin A.; Buchan, Heather; Perreault, Melanie; Doan, Rob; Doutis, Panayiotis; Weaver, Robert Glenn

2015-01-01

Despite its recommended use, physical activity promotion in the academic classroom (PAPAC) has received little attention in terms of the factors that help to facilitate it. In this study, a social learning perspective was adopted to examine the role of physical activity biographies in generalist classroom teachers' (CTs) PAPAC. CTs (N = 213) were…

Active Classroom Participation in a Group Scribbles Primary Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Wenli; Looi, Chee-Kit

2011-01-01

A key stimulus of learning efficacy for students in the classroom is active participation and engagement in the learning process. This study examines the nature of teacher-student and student-student discourse when leveraged by an interactive technology--Group Scribbles (GS) in a Primary 5 Science classroom in Singapore which supports rapid…

Effectiveness of classroom response systems within an active learning environment.

PubMed

Welch, Susan

2013-11-01

In nursing education, the inclusion of pedagogical tools is necessary to transform Millennial classrooms. One such pedagogical tool currently offered is classroom response systems (CRS). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of CRS as a pedagogical tool in improving nursing students' examination performance within an active learning environment. A pretest-posttest design was used to determine whether there was a relationship between the use of CRS (independent variable) and nursing students' examination performance in a first-year Professional Practice course (dependent variable). Paired t tests revealed no greater improvement in posttest scores. Therefore, the use of CRS technology was not effective in increasing nursing students' examination scores in the Professional Practice course. Additional research is needed to provide adequate understanding of the effectiveness of CRS within the nursing education classroom. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

Coming Out in Class: Challenges and Benefits of Active Learning in a Biology Classroom for LGBTQIA Students

PubMed Central

Cooper, Katelyn M.; Brownell, Sara E.

2016-01-01

As we transition our undergraduate biology classrooms from traditional lectures to active learning, the dynamics among students become more important. These dynamics can be influenced by student social identities. One social identity that has been unexamined in the context of undergraduate biology is the spectrum of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) identities. In this exploratory interview study, we probed the experiences and perceptions of seven students who identify as part of the LGBTQIA community. We found that students do not always experience the undergraduate biology classroom to be a welcoming or accepting place for their identities. In contrast to traditional lectures, active-learning classes increase the relevance of their LGBTQIA identities due to the increased interactions among students during group work. Finally, working with other students in active-learning classrooms can present challenges and opportunities for students considering their LGBTQIA identity. These findings indicate that these students’ LGBTQIA identities are affecting their experience in the classroom and that there may be specific instructional practices that can mitigate some of the possible obstacles. We hope that this work can stimulate discussions about how to broadly make our active-learning biology classes more inclusive of this specific population of students. PMID:27543636

Flipped Classroom with Problem Based Activities: Exploring Self-Regulated Learning in a Programming Language Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çakiroglu, Ünal; Öztürk, Mücahit

2017-01-01

This study intended to explore the development of self-regulation in a flipped classroom setting. Problem based learning activities were carried out in flipped classrooms to promote self-regulation. A total of 30 undergraduate students from Mechatronic department participated in the study. Self-regulation skills were discussed through students'…

How Learning in an Inverted Classroom Influences Cooperation, Innovation and Task Orientation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strayer, Jeremy F.

2012-01-01

Recent technological developments have given rise to blended learning classrooms. An inverted (or flipped) classroom is a specific type of blended learning design that uses technology to move lectures outside the classroom and uses learning activities to move practice with concepts inside the classroom. This article compares the learning…

Student anxiety in introductory biology classrooms: Perceptions about active learning and persistence in the major.

PubMed

England, Benjamin J; Brigati, Jennifer R; Schussler, Elisabeth E

2017-01-01

Many researchers have called for implementation of active learning practices in undergraduate science classrooms as one method to increase retention and persistence in STEM, yet there has been little research on the potential increases in student anxiety that may accompany these practices. This is of concern because excessive anxiety can decrease student performance. Levels and sources of student anxiety in three introductory biology lecture classes were investigated via an online survey and student interviews. The survey (n = 327) data revealed that 16% of students had moderately high classroom anxiety, which differed among the three classes. All five active learning classroom practices that were investigated caused student anxiety, with students voluntarily answering a question or being called on to answer a question causing higher anxiety than working in groups, completing worksheets, or answering clicker questions. Interviews revealed that student anxiety seemed to align with communication apprehension, social anxiety, and test anxiety. Additionally, students with higher general anxiety were more likely to self-report lower course grade and the intention to leave the major. These data suggest that a subset of students in introductory biology experience anxiety in response to active learning, and its potential impacts should be investigated.

Student anxiety in introductory biology classrooms: Perceptions about active learning and persistence in the major

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Many researchers have called for implementation of active learning practices in undergraduate science classrooms as one method to increase retention and persistence in STEM, yet there has been little research on the potential increases in student anxiety that may accompany these practices. This is of concern because excessive anxiety can decrease student performance. Levels and sources of student anxiety in three introductory biology lecture classes were investigated via an online survey and student interviews. The survey (n = 327) data revealed that 16% of students had moderately high classroom anxiety, which differed among the three classes. All five active learning classroom practices that were investigated caused student anxiety, with students voluntarily answering a question or being called on to answer a question causing higher anxiety than working in groups, completing worksheets, or answering clicker questions. Interviews revealed that student anxiety seemed to align with communication apprehension, social anxiety, and test anxiety. Additionally, students with higher general anxiety were more likely to self-report lower course grade and the intention to leave the major. These data suggest that a subset of students in introductory biology experience anxiety in response to active learning, and its potential impacts should be investigated. PMID:28771564

Formative Value of an Active Learning Strategy: Technology Based Think-Pair-Share in an EFL Writing Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demirci, Cavide; Düzenli, Halil

2017-01-01

Think-Pair-Share (TPS) activities in classrooms provide an opportunity for students to revise, practice and reproduce previously learned knowledge. Teachers also benefit from this active learning strategy by exploiting new learning materials, saving time by minimizing presentations and using it as a formative assessment tool. This article explores…

Lesson Plans: Road Maps for the Active Learning Classroom.

PubMed

Moore-Cox, Annie

2017-11-01

Lesson planning is a documentation process used extensively in education from kindergarten through 12th grade, but rarely in higher education, including undergraduate, prelicensure nursing education. Lesson plans help teachers plan what will happen during a class period from moment to moment. Trends in nursing education, such as the incorporation of active learning strategies in the classroom, make lesson plans a timely addition to the nurse educator's toolkit. This article describes the components of a lesson plan and offers an author-developed template for use in nursing education. Using the template helps nurse educators map out activities for all class participants, such as students, student pairs and teams, and faculty. The lesson plan enables faculty to plot out the many dynamic components of an active learning class period. It also serves as a road map for subsequent faculty, which is an important feature as the profession faces a wave of retirements in the coming decade. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(11):697-700.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

PORTAAL: A Classroom Observation Tool Assessing Evidence-Based Teaching Practices for Active Learning in Large Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Classes.

PubMed

Eddy, Sarah L; Converse, Mercedes; Wenderoth, Mary Pat

2015-01-01

There is extensive evidence that active learning works better than a completely passive lecture. Despite this evidence, adoption of these evidence-based teaching practices remains low. In this paper, we offer one tool to help faculty members implement active learning. This tool identifies 21 readily implemented elements that have been shown to increase student outcomes related to achievement, logic development, or other relevant learning goals with college-age students. Thus, this tool both clarifies the research-supported elements of best practices for instructor implementation of active learning in the classroom setting and measures instructors' alignment with these practices. We describe how we reviewed the discipline-based education research literature to identify best practices in active learning for adult learners in the classroom and used these results to develop an observation tool (Practical Observation Rubric To Assess Active Learning, or PORTAAL) that documents the extent to which instructors incorporate these practices into their classrooms. We then use PORTAAL to explore the classroom practices of 25 introductory biology instructors who employ some form of active learning. Overall, PORTAAL documents how well aligned classrooms are with research-supported best practices for active learning and provides specific feedback and guidance to instructors to allow them to identify what they do well and what could be improved. © 2015 S. L. Eddy et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2015 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

An integrative review of in-class activities that enable active learning in college science classroom settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arthurs, Leilani A.; Kreager, Bailey Zo

2017-10-01

Engaging students in active learning is linked to positive learning outcomes. This study aims to synthesise the peer-reviewed literature about 'active learning' in college science classroom settings. Using the methodology of an integrative literature review, 337 articles archived in the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) are examined. Four categories of in-class activities emerge: (i) individual non-polling activities, (ii) in-class polling activities, (iii) whole-class discussion or activities, and (iv) in-class group activities. Examining the collection of identified in-class activities through the lens of a theoretical framework informed by constructivism and social interdependence theory, we synthesise the reviewed literature to propose the active learning strategies (ALSs) model and the instructional decisions to enable active learning (IDEAL) theory. The ALS model characterises in-class activities in terms of the degrees to which they are designed to promote (i) peer interaction and (ii) social interdependence. The IDEAL theory includes the ALS model and provides a framework for conceptualising different levels of the general concept 'active learning' and how these levels connect to instructional decision-making about using in-class activities. The proposed ALS model and IDEAL theory can be utilised to inform instructional decision-making and future research about active learning in college science courses.

Effects of Active Learning Classrooms on Student Learning: A Two-Year Empirical Investigation on Student Perceptions and Academic Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiu, Pit Ho Patrio; Cheng, Shuk Han

2017-01-01

Recent studies on active learning classrooms (ACLs) have demonstrated their positive influence on student learning. However, most of the research evidence is derived from a few subject-specific courses or limited student enrolment. Empirical studies on this topic involving large student populations are rare. The present work involved a large-scale…

Research and Teaching: "It's Not You, It's the Room"--Are the High-Tech, Active Learning Classrooms Worth It?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cotner, Sehoya; Loper, Jessica; Walker, J. D.; Brooks, D. Christopher

2013-01-01

Several institutions have redesigned traditional learning spaces to better realize the potential of active, experiential learning. We compare student performance in traditional and active learning classrooms in a large, introductory biology course using the same syllabus, course goals, exams, and instructor. Using ACT scores as predictive, we…

A Planning Tool for Incorporating Backward Design, Active Learning, and Authentic Assessment in the College Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Heather L.; Kearns, Katherine Dowell

2017-01-01

Backward course design is a compelling strategy for achieving results-based, student-centered learning. The backward course-design approach is first to identify student-learning outcomes, then the means of assessing the outcomes, and lastly the classroom activities that would support the learning outcomes. With demonstrated success at improving…

Classroom learning and achievement: how the complexity of classroom interaction impacts students' learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Podschuweit, Sören; Bernholt, Sascha; Brückmann, Maja

2016-05-01

Background: Complexity models have provided a suitable framework in various domains to assess students' educational achievement. Complexity is often used as the analytical focus when regarding learning outcomes, i.e. when analyzing written tests or problem-centered interviews. Numerous studies reveal negative correlations between the complexity of a task and the probability of a student solving it. Purpose: Thus far, few detailed investigations explore the importance of complexity in actual classroom lessons. Moreover, the few efforts made so far revealed inconsistencies. Hence, the present study sheds light on the influence the complexity of students' and teachers' class contributions have on students' learning outcomes. Sample: Videos of 10 German 8th grade physics courses covering three consecutive lessons on two topics each (electricity, mechanics) have been analyzed. The sample includes 10 teachers and 290 students. Design and methods: Students' and teachers' verbal contributions were coded manual-based according to the level of complexity. Additionally, pre-post testing of knowledge in electricity and mechanics was applied to assess the students' learning gain. ANOVA analysis was used to characterize the influence of the complexity on the learning gain. Results: Results indicate that the mean level of complexity in classroom contributions explains a large portion of variance in post-test results on class level. Despite this overarching trend, taking classroom activities into account as well reveals even more fine-grained patterns, leading to more specific relations between the complexity in the classroom and students' achievement. Conclusions: In conclusion, we argue for more reflected teaching approaches intended to gradually increase class complexity to foster students' level of competency.

Constructing Knowledge: An Experience of Active and Collaborative Learning in ICT Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinheiro, Margarida M.; Simoes, Dora

2012-01-01

This paper reports on the impact of the implementation of active and collaborative practices in ICT (information and communication technologies) classrooms. Both of these approaches convey a lot of responsibility from the teacher to the students and the hoping, as backed up by the literature, is to promote deeper learning and reasoning skills at a…

Opening-up Classroom Discourse to Promote and Enhance Active, Collaborative and Cognitively-Engaging Student Learning Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardman, Jan

2016-01-01

This paper places classroom discourse and interaction right at the heart of the teaching and learning process. It is built on the argument that high quality talk between the teacher and student(s) provides a fertile ground for an active, highly collaborative and cognitively stimulating learning process leading to improved learning outcomes. High…

Effective Learning in Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Chris; Carnell, Eileen; Lodge, Caroline M.

2007-01-01

This book addresses an important and seldom addressed issue: learning. Not teaching, not performance, not "work": this book really is about learning, what makes learning effective and how it may be promoted in classrooms. The authors take the context of the classroom seriously, not only because of its effects on teachers and pupils, but because…

Social Studies Teachers' Views on Learning outside the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cengelci, Tuba

2013-01-01

Learning outside the classroom help students interpret their society, nature, and the world through concrete experiences. Although learning outside the classroom is usually used for environmental education, it is very important for the social studies course which aims to train students as active members of a democratic society. The purpose of this…

Inside Out: Active learning in fluid dynamics in and out of the classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaye, Nigel; Benson, Lisa; Sill, Ben

2014-11-01

Active learning can be broadly defined as any activity that engages students beyond just listening. But is it worth the effort, when we can just lecture and tell students all they need to know? Learning theories posit that students remember far more of what they say and do than of what they hear and see. The benefits of active learning include increased attendance (because class is now something different and attending is more worthwhile) and deeper understanding of concepts (because students get to practice answering and generating questions). A recent meta-analysis of research on active learning has summarized evidence of real outcomes of active learning. Research is showing that students' performance on exams are higher and that they fail at lower rates in classes that involve active learning compared to traditional lecturing. Other studies have shown evidence of improved performance in follow-on classes, showing that the improved learning lasts. There are some topics and concepts that are best taught (or at least introduced) through lecturing, but even lecturing can be broken up by short activities that engage students so they learn more effectively. In this presentation, we will review the findings of the meta study and provide examples of active learning both inside and outside the classroom that demonstrate simple ways of introducing this approach in fluid dynamics classes.

Classroom Discourse in Problem-Based Learning Classrooms in the Health Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodward-Kron, Robyn; Remedios, Louisa

2007-01-01

Classroom discourse analysis has contributed to understandings of the nature of student-teacher interactions, and how learning takes place in the classroom; however, much of this work has been undertaken in teacher-directed learning contexts. Student-centred classrooms such as problem-based learning (PBL) approaches are increasingly common in…

Promoting Active Learning in Technology-Infused TILE Classrooms at the University of Iowa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Horne, Sam; Murniati, Cecilia; Gaffney, Jon D. H.; Jesse, Maggie

2012-01-01

In this case study, the authors describe the successful implementation of technology-infused TILE classrooms at the University of Iowa. A successful collaboration among campus units devoted to instructional technologies and teacher development, the TILE Initiative has provided instructors with a new set of tools to support active learning. The…

Redesigning Learning Spaces: What Do Teachers Want for Future Classrooms?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pedro, Neuza

2017-01-01

The concepts of future classrooms, multimedia labs or active learning space has recently gained prominence in educational research. Evidence-based research has found that well-designed primary school classrooms can boost students' learning. Also, schools' principals, teachers and students are requesting for more flexible, reconfigurable and modern…

Coming Out in Class: Challenges and Benefits of Active Learning in a Biology Classroom for LGBTQIA Students.

PubMed

Cooper, Katelyn M; Brownell, Sara E

As we transition our undergraduate biology classrooms from traditional lectures to active learning, the dynamics among students become more important. These dynamics can be influenced by student social identities. One social identity that has been unexamined in the context of undergraduate biology is the spectrum of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) identities. In this exploratory interview study, we probed the experiences and perceptions of seven students who identify as part of the LGBTQIA community. We found that students do not always experience the undergraduate biology classroom to be a welcoming or accepting place for their identities. In contrast to traditional lectures, active-learning classes increase the relevance of their LGBTQIA identities due to the increased interactions among students during group work. Finally, working with other students in active-learning classrooms can present challenges and opportunities for students considering their LGBTQIA identity. These findings indicate that these students' LGBTQIA identities are affecting their experience in the classroom and that there may be specific instructional practices that can mitigate some of the possible obstacles. We hope that this work can stimulate discussions about how to broadly make our active-learning biology classes more inclusive of this specific population of students. © 2016 K. M. Cooper and S. E. Brownell. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Improvements from a Flipped Classroom May Simply Be the Fruits of Active Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Jamie L.; Kummer, Tyler A.; Godoy, Patricia D. d. M.

2015-01-01

The "flipped classroom" is a learning model in which content attainment is shifted forward to outside of class, then followed by instructor-facilitated concept application activities in class. Current studies on the flipped model are limited. Our goal was to provide quantitative and controlled data about the effectiveness of this model.…

Flipping my environmental geochemistry classroom using Team-Based Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffith, E. M.

2016-02-01

Recent studies indicate that active learning disproportionately benefits STEM students from disadvantaged backgrounds and women in male-dominated fields (Lorenzo et al., 2006; Haak et al., 2011). Freeman et al. (2014) went so far as to suggest that increasing the number of STEM graduates could be done, at least in part, by "abandoning traditional lecturing in favor of active learning". Motivated in part by these previous studies and working at a Hispanic-Serving Institution, I decided to flip my environmental geochemistry course, using Team-Based Learning (TBL) - an instructional strategy for using active learning in small groups (Michaelsen et al., 1982). The course is taught over a 3 hour long class period (once a week) with a mix of upper division undergraduate and graduate students from environmental science, geology, engineering, chemistry, and biological sciences. One of the major learning outcomes of my course is that students "will be able to explain and discuss environmental geochemical data and its significance with their peers." This is practiced each class period throughout the course using TBL, where both undergraduate and graduate students learn from each other and uncover misconceptions. It is essentially one version of a flipped classroom where the students' experience changes from acquiring course content in the classroom to applying course content in the classroom in teams. I will share an overview of the teaching and learning strategy and my experience as well as examples of activities done in the classroom. Cited references: Freeman et al. (2014) PNAS 111: 8410-8415; Haak et al. (2011) Science 332: 1213-1216; Lorenzo et al. (2006) Am J Phys 74: 118-122; Michaelsen et al. (1982) Organ Behav Teaching 7: 13-22.

Putting Structure to Flipped Classrooms Using Team-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jakobsen, Krisztina V.; Knetemann, Megan

2017-01-01

Current educational practices and cognitive-developmental theories emphasize the importance of active participation in the learning environment, and they suggest that the first, and arguably most important, step to creating a better learning environment is to make learning an active and reciprocal process. Flipped classrooms, in which students…

Transforming Principles into Practice: Using Cognitive Active Learning Strategies in the High School Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swiderski, Suzanne M.

2011-01-01

High school teachers who engage students through active learning in their classrooms can more fully understand this instructional practice by examining the theories and strategies underlying the cognitive perspective of educational psychology, which addresses the development of knowledge in the individual mind. Two theoretical explanations,…

Unpacking "Active Learning": A Combination of Flipped Classroom and Collaboration Support Is More Effective but Collaboration Support Alone Is Not

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rau, Martina A.; Kennedy, Kristopher; Oxtoby, Lucas; Bollom, Mark; Moore, John W.

2017-01-01

Much evidence shows that instruction that actively engages students with learning materials is more effective than traditional, lecture-centric instruction. These "active learning" models comprise an extremely heterogeneous set of instructional methods: they often include collaborative activities, flipped classrooms, or a combination of…

Activity Summaries as a Classroom Assessment Tool.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGee, Steven; Kirby, Jennifer; Croft, Steven K.

This study explored the usefulness of a classroom assessment technique called the activity summary template. It is proposed that the activity summary template enables students to process and organize information learning during an investigation. This process will in turn help students to achieve greater learning outcomes. The activity summary…

Vodcasts and active-learning exercises in a "flipped classroom" model of a renal pharmacotherapy module.

PubMed

Pierce, Richard; Fox, Jeremy

2012-12-12

To implement a "flipped classroom" model for a renal pharmacotherapy topic module and assess the impact on pharmacy students' performance and attitudes. Students viewed vodcasts (video podcasts) of lectures prior to the scheduled class and then discussed interactive cases of patients with end-stage renal disease in class. A process-oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) activity was developed and implemented that complemented, summarized, and allowed for application of the material contained in the previously viewed lectures. Students' performance on the final examination significantly improved compared to performance of students the previous year who completed the same module in a traditional classroom setting. Students' opinions of the POGIL activity and the flipped classroom instructional model were mostly positive. Implementing a flipped classroom model to teach a renal pharmacotherapy module resulted in improved student performance and favorable student perceptions about the instructional approach. Some of the factors that may have contributed to students' improved scores included: student mediated contact with the course material prior to classes, benchmark and formative assessments administered during the module, and the interactive class activities.

Learning outside the Primary Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sedgwick, Fred

2012-01-01

In "Learning Outside the Primary Classroom," the educationalist and writer Fred Sedgwick explores in a practical way the many opportunities for intense learning that children and teachers can find outside the confines of the usual learning environment, the classroom. This original work is based on tried and tested methods from UK primary…

Flipped classroom model for learning evidence-based medicine.

PubMed

Rucker, Sydney Y; Ozdogan, Zulfukar; Al Achkar, Morhaf

2017-01-01

Journal club (JC), as a pedagogical strategy, has long been used in graduate medical education (GME). As evidence-based medicine (EBM) becomes a mainstay in GME, traditional models of JC present a number of insufficiencies and call for novel models of instruction. A flipped classroom model appears to be an ideal strategy to meet the demands to connect evidence to practice while creating engaged, culturally competent, and technologically literate physicians. In this article, we describe a novel model of flipped classroom in JC. We present the flow of learning activities during the online and face-to-face instruction, and then we highlight specific considerations for implementing a flipped classroom model. We show that implementing a flipped classroom model to teach EBM in a residency program not only is possible but also may constitute improved learning opportunity for residents. Follow-up work is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of this model on both learning and clinical practice.

Flipped classroom model for learning evidence-based medicine

PubMed Central

Rucker, Sydney Y; Ozdogan, Zulfukar; Al Achkar, Morhaf

2017-01-01

Journal club (JC), as a pedagogical strategy, has long been used in graduate medical education (GME). As evidence-based medicine (EBM) becomes a mainstay in GME, traditional models of JC present a number of insufficiencies and call for novel models of instruction. A flipped classroom model appears to be an ideal strategy to meet the demands to connect evidence to practice while creating engaged, culturally competent, and technologically literate physicians. In this article, we describe a novel model of flipped classroom in JC. We present the flow of learning activities during the online and face-to-face instruction, and then we highlight specific considerations for implementing a flipped classroom model. We show that implementing a flipped classroom model to teach EBM in a residency program not only is possible but also may constitute improved learning opportunity for residents. Follow-up work is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of this model on both learning and clinical practice. PMID:28919831

Conducting an Introductory Biology Course in an Active Learning Classroom: A Case Study of an Experienced Faculty Member

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langley, David; Guzey, S. Selcen

2014-01-01

A case study is described that examines the beliefs and practices of a university instructor who teaches regularly in an active learning classroom. His perspective provides insights into the pedagogical practices that drive his success in these learning spaces.

Web-Based Interactive Video Vignettes Create a Personalized Active Learning Classroom for Introducing Big Ideas in Introductory Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, L. Kate; Newman, Dina L.; Cardinale, Jean A.; Teese, Robert

2016-01-01

The typical "flipped classroom" delivers lecture material in video format to students outside of class in order to make space for active learning in class. But why give students passive material at all? We are developing a set of high-quality online educational materials that promote active, hands-on science learning to aid in teaching…

Classrooms Are Killing Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hart, Leslie A.

1981-01-01

From his knowledge of the brain and learning, the author argues that Horace Mann's classroom system is the core cause for the outdated state of public education and attendant problems. He asserts that the conventional classroom is brain-antagonistic and the continued use of graded classrooms, ruinous. (Author/WD)

Creating Learning Communities in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saville, Bryan K.; Lawrence, Natalie Kerr; Jakobsen, Krisztina V.

2012-01-01

There are many ways to construct classroom-based learning communities. Nevertheless, the emphasis is always on cooperative learning. In this article, the authors focus on three teaching methods--interteaching, team-based learning, and cooperative learning in large, lecture-based courses--that they have used successfully to create classroom-based…

41 Active Learning Strategies for the Inclusive Classroom, Grades 6-12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casale-Giannola, Diane; Green, Linda Schwartz

2012-01-01

Motivating adolescents to learn can be a challenge! Often distracted and easily bored, these kids are also critical thinkers capable of thriving in the classroom while learning 21st century skills. How do we hold their attention and develop their abilities? Research shows that all students--regardless of learning style, disability category, or…

A Comparison of Active Learning and Traditional Pedagogical Styles in a Business Law Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, LeVon E.; Sipe, Stephanie R.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an active learning classroom environment is more effective in teaching university students certain concepts of business law than the traditional lecture environment. To generate data to answer this question, over a seven-semester period beginning in fall semester 2005, six classes of Legal…

The Ticket to Retention: A Classroom Assessment Technique Designed to Improve Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Divoll, Kent A.; Browning, Sandra T.; Vesey, Winona M.

2012-01-01

Classroom assessment techniques (CATs) or other closure activities are widely promoted for use in college classrooms. However, research on whether CATs improve student learning are mixed. The authors posit that the results are mixed because CATs were designed to "help teachers find out what students are learning in the classroom and how well…

MICE 2.0: Designing Multimedia Content to Foster Active Learning in a Malaysian Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neo, Tse-Kian; Neo, Mai; Kwok, Wai-Jing; Tan, Yeen-Ju; Lai, Chen-Haw; Zarina, Che Embi

2012-01-01

With the strong emphasis of social constructivism, many educators are finding new ways to stimulate and enhance social activities within the classroom. One such method is the use of cooperative learning. A cohort of students worked in small teams cooperatively to complete an assignment while using blogs to document and reflect their work.…

Designing Instruction for Active and Reflective Learners in the Flipped Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shahnaz, Sherina Mohamed Fauzi; Hussain, Raja Maznah Raja

2016-01-01

Purpose: This paper proposes a framework of instructional strategies that would facilitate active and reflective learning processes in the flipped classroom It is aimed at allowing one's maximum potential to be reached regardless of any individual learning style. As tertiary classrooms increasingly needs to be as active and social as possible, the…

Are students' impressions of improved learning through active learning methods reflected by improved test scores?

PubMed

Everly, Marcee C

2013-02-01

To report the transformation from lecture to more active learning methods in a maternity nursing course and to evaluate whether student perception of improved learning through active-learning methods is supported by improved test scores. The process of transforming a course into an active-learning model of teaching is described. A voluntary mid-semester survey for student acceptance of the new teaching method was conducted. Course examination results, from both a standardized exam and a cumulative final exam, among students who received lecture in the classroom and students who had active learning activities in the classroom were compared. Active learning activities were very acceptable to students. The majority of students reported learning more from having active-learning activities in the classroom rather than lecture-only and this belief was supported by improved test scores. Students who had active learning activities in the classroom scored significantly higher on a standardized assessment test than students who received lecture only. The findings support the use of student reflection to evaluate the effectiveness of active-learning methods and help validate the use of student reflection of improved learning in other research projects. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Roles of Teachers in Orchestrating Learning in Elementary Science Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, Junqing; Tan, Aik-Ling

2015-12-01

This study delves into the different roles that elementary science teachers play in the classroom to orchestrate science learning opportunities for students. Examining the classroom practices of three elementary science teachers in Singapore, we found that teachers shuttle between four key roles in enabling student learning in science. Teachers can play the role of (1) dispenser of knowledge (giver), (2) mentor of learning (advisor), (3) monitor of students' activities (police), and (4) partner in inquiry (colearner). These roles are dynamic, and while teachers show a preference for one of the four roles, factors such as the nature of the task, the types of students, as well as the availability of time and resources affect the role that teachers adopt. The roles that teachers play in the classroom have implications for the practice of science as inquiry in the classroom as well as the identities that teachers and students form in the science learning process.

Finite Element Learning Modules as Active Learning Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Ashland O.; Jensen, Daniel; Rencis, Joseph; Wood, Kristin; Wood, John; White, Christina; Raaberg, Kristen Kaufman; Coffman, Josh

2012-01-01

The purpose of active learning is to solicit participation by students beyond the passive mode of traditional classroom lectures. Reading, writing, participating in discussions, hands-on activities, engaging in active problem solving, and collaborative learning can all be involved. The skills acquired during active learning tend to go above and…

The Flipped Classroom and Cooperative Learning: Evidence from a Randomised Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foldnes, Njål

2016-01-01

This article describes a study which compares the effectiveness of the flipped classroom relative to the traditional lecture-based classroom. We investigated two implementations of the flipped classroom. The first implementation did not actively encourage cooperative learning, with students progressing through the course at their own pace. With…

DASL-Data and Activities for Solar Learning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Harrison P.; Henney, Carl; Hill, Frank; Gearen, Michael; Pompca, Stephen; Stagg, Travis; Stefaniak, Linda; Walker, Connie

2004-01-01

DASL-Data and Activities for Solar Learning Data and Activities for Solar Learning (DASL) provides a classroom learning environment based on a twenty-five year record of solar magnetograms from the National Solar Observatory (NSO) at Kitt Peak, AZ. The data, together with image processing software for Macs or PCs, can be used to learn basic facts about the Sun and astronomy at the middle school level. At the high school level, students can study properties of the Sun's magnetic cycle with classroom exercises emphasizing data and error analysis and can participate in a new scientific study, Research in Active Solar Longitudes (RASL), in collaboration with classrooms throughout the country and scientists at NSO and NASA. We present a half-day course to train teachers in the scientific content of the project and its classroom use. We will provide a compact disc with the data and software and will demonstrate software installation and use, classroom exercises, and participation in RASL with computer projection.

Incorporating active learning in psychiatry education.

PubMed

Kumar, Sonia; McLean, Loyola; Nash, Louise; Trigwell, Keith

2017-06-01

We aim to summarise the active learning literature in higher education and consider its relevance for postgraduate psychiatry trainees, to inform the development of a new Formal Education Course (FEC): the Master of Medicine (Psychiatry) at the University of Sydney. We undertook a literature search on 'active learning', 'flipped classroom', 'problem-based learning' and 'psychiatry education'. The effectiveness of active learning pedagogy in higher education is well supported by evidence; however, there have been few psychiatry-specific studies. A new 'flipped classroom' format was developed for the Master of Medicine (Psychiatry). Postgraduate psychiatry training is an active learning environment; the pedagogical approach to FECs requires further evaluation.

Research Agenda: Language Learning beyond the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reinders, Hayo; Benson, Phil

2017-01-01

Most language learning research is carried out either in classrooms or among classroom learners. As Richards (2015) points out, however, there are two dimensions to successful learning: what happens inside classrooms and what happens outside them. Rapid development of online media, communications technologies and opportunities for travel has also…

Capturing the Magic of Classroom Training in Blended Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laiken, Marilyn E.; Milland, Russ; Wagner, Jon

2014-01-01

Organizations today are faced with the challenges of expanding their traditional classroom-based approaches into blended learning experiences which integrate regular classrooms, virtual classrooms, social learning, independent reading, on the job learning and other methodologies. Our team converted a two-day classroom-based program, taught from…

Using Kahoot! In the Classroom to Create Engagement and Active Learning: A Game-Based Technology Solution for eLearning Novices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plump, Carolyn M.; LaRosa, Julia

2017-01-01

Instructional games are gaining acceptance in the classroom as the eLearning merits of student engagement and immediate feedback are recognized. Within higher education, the use of these tools is often limited due to lack of time, insufficient experience, or doubts regarding the scholarly merits of such activities. Kahoot! is a popular eLearning…

Different Identity Revelation Modes in an Online Peer-Assessment Learning Environment: Effects on Perceptions toward Assessors, Classroom Climate and Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Fu-Yun; Wu, Chun-Ping

2011-01-01

The effects of four different identity revelation modes (three fixed modes: real-name, anonymity, nickname and one dynamic user self-choice mode) on participants' perceptions toward their assessors, classroom climate, and past experience with the learning activity in which they were engaged were examined. A pretest-posttest quasi-experimental…

Successful Group Work: Using Cooperative Learning and Team-Based Learning in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant-Vallone, E. J.

2011-01-01

This research study examined student perceptions of group experiences in the classroom. The author used cooperative learning and team-based learning to focus on three characteristics that are critical for the success of groups: structure of activities, relationships of group members, and accountability of group members. Results indicated that…

Systematic review of acute physically active learning and classroom movement breaks on children's physical activity, cognition, academic performance and classroom behaviour: understanding critical design features.

PubMed

Daly-Smith, Andy J; Zwolinsky, Stephen; McKenna, Jim; Tomporowski, Phillip D; Defeyter, Margaret Anne; Manley, Andrew

2018-01-01

To examine the impact of acute classroom movement break (CMB) and physically active learning (PAL) interventions on physical activity (PA), cognition, academic performance and classroom behaviour. Systematic review. PubMed, EBSCO, Academic Search Complete, Education Resources Information Center, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, SCOPUS and Web of Science. Studies investigating school-based acute bouts of CMB or PAL on (PA), cognition, academic performance and classroom behaviour. The Downs and Black checklist assessed risk of bias. Ten PAL and eight CMB studies were identified from 2929 potentially relevant articles. Risk of bias scores ranged from 33% to 64.3%. Variation in study designs drove specific, but differing, outcomes. Three studies assessed PA using objective measures. Interventions replaced sedentary time with either light PA or moderate-to-vigorous PA dependent on design characteristics (mode, duration and intensity). Only one study factored individual PA outcomes into analyses. Classroom behaviour improved after longer moderate-to-vigorous (>10 min), or shorter more intense (5 min), CMB/PAL bouts (9 out of 11 interventions). There was no support for enhanced cognition or academic performance due to limited repeated studies. Low-to-medium quality designs predominate in investigations of the acute impacts of CMB and PAL on PA, cognition, academic performance and classroom behaviour. Variable quality in experimental designs, outcome measures and intervention characteristics impact outcomes making conclusions problematic. CMB and PAL increased PA and enhanced time on task. To improve confidence in study outcomes, future investigations should combine examples of good practice observed in current studies. CRD42017070981.

Learning Road Safety Skills in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Freddy Jackson; Gillard, Duncan

2009-01-01

This case study demonstrates the effectiveness of a classroom based learning programme in the acquisition of road safety skills. The participant, a child with severe learning disabilities, was taught road safety behaviours in the classroom with the aid of photograph cards. When he had mastered these skills in the classroom, he returned to the…

Using Flipped Classroom Approach to Explore Deep Learning in Large Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danker, Brenda

2015-01-01

This project used two Flipped Classroom approaches to stimulate deep learning in large classrooms during the teaching of a film module as part of a Diploma in Performing Arts course at Sunway University, Malaysia. The flipped classes utilized either a blended learning approach where students first watched online lectures as homework, and then…

Reorganizing Primary Classroom Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hastings, Nigel; Wood, Karen Chantrey

This book addresses the issue of classroom organization in primary education, explaining evidence that it asserts should prompt primary schools to re-think the contexts in which children are expected to concentrate and learn. New ways of arranging classrooms are illustrated through case studies of teachers who take a flexible and strategic…

Confronting the realities of implementing contextual learning ideas in a biology classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akers, Julia B.

1999-10-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the implementation of contextual learning practices in a biology class. Research contends that contextual learning classrooms are active learning environments where students are involved in "hands-on" team projects and the teacher assumes a facilitator role. In this student-centered classroom, students take ownership and responsibility for their own learning. This study examined these assertions and other factors that emerged as the study developed. The research methods used were qualitative. The subject for this study was a biology teacher with twenty-six years of experience who implemented contextual learning practices in two of her biology classes in the 1997--98 school year. As the teacher confronted contextual learning, we engaged in collaborative research that included fourteen interviews transcribed verbatim for analysis, classroom observations and the teacher's written reports. Throughout the study, factors developed that adversely affected contextual learning practices. These factors were discipline, curriculum, and administrative decisions over which the teacher had no control. These are examined along with their consequences for implementing a contextual classroom. Successful practices that worked in the teacher's classroom were also determined and included the teacher's "failure is not an option" policy, mandatory tutoring, behavior contracts, high expectations and teamed projects. Besides contextual learning, a key component of the study was the collaborative research process and its meaning to the subject, the researcher and future researchers who attempt this collaborative approach. The study's conclusion indicate that scheduling, multiple repeaters, discipline and the state Standards of Learning moved the teacher away from contextual learning practices to a more teacher-directed classroom. Two recommendations of this study are that further research is needed to study how the state Standards of Learning have

Service-Learning in Our Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

English, Kevin; Moore, Deb

2010-01-01

Many schools use service-learning on their campus to enhance their classroom content. According to Learn and Serve Clearinghouse, "Service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility and strengthen…

Professional Development as a Catalyst for Change in the Community College Science Classroom: How Active Learning Pedagogy Impacts Teaching Practices as Well as Faculty and Student Perceptions of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harmon, Melissa Cameron

2017-01-01

Active learning, an engaging, student-centered, evidence-based pedagogy, has been shown to improve student satisfaction, engagement, and achievement in college classrooms. There have been numerous calls to reform teaching practices, especially in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM); however, the utilization of active learning is…

Teaching & Learning Tips 6: The flipped classroom.

PubMed

Shi, Connie R; Rana, Jasmine; Burgin, Susan

2018-04-01

Challenge: The "flipped classroom" is a pedagogical model in which instructional materials are delivered to learners outside of class, reserving class time for application of new principles with peers and instructors. Active learning has forever been an elusive ideal in medical education, but the flipped class model is relatively new to medical education. What is the evidence for the "flipped classroom," and how can these techniques be applied to the teaching of dermatology to trainees at all stages of their medical careers? © 2018 The International Society of Dermatology.

Challenge Activities for the Physical Education Classroom: Affective Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenzie, Emily; Symonds, Matthew L.; Fink, Kevin; Tapps, Tyler

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to share three challenge-based lesson plans that can be implemented by physical educators in their classroom. Each of the lesson examples addresses the three learning domains: psychomotor, cognitive and affective. Additionally, each lesson is aligned with SHAPE America's National Standards for K-12 Physical…

Social-Emotional Learning Is Essential to Classroom Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Stephanie M.; Bailey, Rebecca; Jacob, Robin

2014-01-01

Research tells us that children's social-emotional development can propel learning. A new program, SECURe, embeds that research into classroom management strategies that improve teaching and learning. Across all classrooms and grade levels, four principles of effective management are constant: Effective classroom management is based in…

The Accounting Classroom--People, Activities, Content

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayne, F. Blair

1969-01-01

Discusses the classroom components of students, learning activities, and program content in relation to the increased demand for more extensive and detailed analysis of financial information, the increased use of automated data processing equipment, and resulting job shifts and the upgrading of skills. (CH)

Preschool Peer Interactions and Readiness To Learn: Relationships between Classroom Peer Play and Learning Behaviors and Conduct.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coolahan, Kathleen; Fantuzzo, John; Mendez, Julia; McDermott, Paul

2000-01-01

Examines whether low-income preschool children's peer play interactions relate to learning behaviors and problem behaviors, and differ according to age and gender. Positive interactive play behavior was associated with active engagement in classroom learning activities, whereas disconnection in play related to inattention, passivity, and lack of…

Lecturers' Perception of Classroom Management: An Empirical Study of Higher Learning Institutions in Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grapragasem, Selvaraj; Krishnan, Anbalagan; Joshi, Prem Lal; Krishnan, Shubashini; Azlin, Azlin

2015-01-01

The classroom is a learning environment where active interactions and meaningful learning occur between learners and knowledge providers. The teachers and the learners have a unique relationship and this relationship is highly determined by their backgrounds and experiences. Teachers have the responsibility to manage the classroom with the aim of…

Classroom Acoustics: Understanding Barriers to Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crandell, Carl C., Ed.; Smaldino, Joseph J., Ed.

2001-01-01

This booklet explores classroom acoustics and their importance on the learning potential of children with hearing loss and related disabilities. The booklet also reviews research on classroom acoustics and the need for the development of classroom acoustics standards. Chapters examine: 1) a speech-perception model demonstrating the linkage between…

Coming out in Class: Challenges and Benefits of Active Learning in a Biology Classroom for LGBTQIA Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Katelyn M.; Brownell, Sara E.

2016-01-01

As we transition our undergraduate biology classrooms from traditional lectures to active learning, the dynamics among students become more important. These dynamics can be influenced by student social identities. One social identity that has been unexamined in the context of undergraduate biology is the spectrum of lesbian, gay, bisexual,…

Empowering Students in the Process of Social Inquiry Learning through Flipping the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jong, Morris Siu-Yung

2017-01-01

The "flipped classroom" is an educational strategy about inverting the traditional use of in-class time for conducting lower-level learning activities and out-of-class time for conducting higher-level learning activities. "Guided social inquiry learning" (GSIL), which is a scaffolded constructivist pedagogic approach, has been…

Classroom Research in Accounting: Assessing for Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cottell, Philip G., Jr.

1991-01-01

The use of several college classroom assessment techniques to evaluate the processes and products of accounting instruction through cooperative learning is described. The discussion looks at considerations in planning classroom assessment, choosing initial assessment techniques and adapting them, and blending cooperative learning structures with…

Using technology to promote mobile learning: engaging students with cell phones in the classroom.

PubMed

Robb, Meigan; Shellenbarger, Teresa

2012-01-01

Advancements in cell phone technology have impacted every aspect of society. Individuals have instant access to social networks, Web sites, and applications. Faculty need to consider using these mobile devices to enrich the classroom. The authors discuss how they successfully designed and incorporated cell phone learning activities into their classrooms. Teaching-learning strategies using cell phone technology and recommendations for overcoming challenges associated with cell phone use in the classroom are discussed.

Exploring the boundaries: A study of multiple classroom learning environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritchie, Stephen M.; Tobin, Kenneth; Hook, Karl S.

1995-09-01

The study of learning environments has developed into a productive field of research in science education. Initially, the design and application of classroom perceptual measures of particular dimensions of science classrooms attracted much attention. More recently, such instruments have been used alongside of qualitative techniques to provide a richer understanding of sub-environments. We continue this trend in the present interpretive study by exploring the nature of multiple environments within a middle school classroom from the different perspectives of teacher, student and participant observer. In particular, we examine the activity settings of lectures and group work, as well as the issues of learning and assessment. We conclude by arguing that teachers need to adopt procedures that enable them to identify and plan for multiple environments.

Does the Room Matter? Active Learning in Traditional and Enhanced Lecture Spaces

PubMed Central

Stoltzfus, Jon R.; Libarkin, Julie

2016-01-01

SCALE-UP–type classrooms, originating with the Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies project, are designed to facilitate active learning by maximizing opportunities for interactions between students and embedding technology in the classroom. Positive impacts when active learning replaces lecture are well documented, both in traditional lecture halls and SCALE-UP–type classrooms. However, few studies have carefully analyzed student outcomes when comparable active learning–based instruction takes place in a traditional lecture hall and a SCALE-UP–type classroom. Using a quasi-experimental design, we compared student perceptions and performance between sections of a nonmajors biology course, one taught in a traditional lecture hall and one taught in a SCALE-UP–type classroom. Instruction in both sections followed a flipped model that relied heavily on cooperative learning and was as identical as possible given the infrastructure differences between classrooms. Results showed that students in both sections thought that SCALE-UP infrastructure would enhance performance. However, measures of actual student performance showed no difference between the two sections. We conclude that, while SCALE-UP–type classrooms may facilitate implementation of active learning, it is the active learning and not the SCALE-UP infrastructure that enhances student performance. As a consequence, we suggest that institutions can modify existing classrooms to enhance student engagement without incorporating expensive technology. PMID:27909018

Survey Development for Assessing Learning Identity in an ISLE Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Sissi L.; Roth, Jennifer A.; Demaree, Dedra

2010-10-01

Innovative STEM curricula such as the ISLE (Investigative Science Learning Environment) curriculum [1] are centered on active engagement in social learning processes as a means to achieve curricular goals. Classroom practices are highly interactive to facilitate students' development of authentic scientist abilities. To the students, these classroom practices often seem very different from their previous learning experiences in terms of behavioral expectations, attitude, and what it means to learn. Consequently, students must modify their identity as learners in addition to physics conceptual understanding in order to participate productively in this learning environment. Using a survey we developed, we want to assess their 1) expectations of student and teacher roles, 2) self efficacy towards skills supported in ISLE and 3) attitudes towards social learning as well as how these change as a result of their experience in this curriculum. We will discuss the development, validation and preliminary findings of the survey.

Activity Settings and Daily Routines in Preschool Classrooms: Diverse Experiences in Early Learning Settings for Low-Income Children.

PubMed

Fuligni, Allison Sidle; Howes, Carollee; Huang, Yiching; Hong, Sandra Soliday; Lara-Cinisomo, Sandraluz

2012-06-01

This paper examines activity settings and daily classroom routines experienced by 3- and 4-year-old low-income children in public center-based preschool programs, private center-based programs, and family child care homes. Two daily routine profiles were identified using a time-sampling coding procedure: a High Free-Choice pattern in which children spent a majority of their day engaged in child-directed free-choice activity settings combined with relatively low amounts of teacher-directed activity, and a Structured-Balanced pattern in which children spent relatively equal proportions of their day engaged in child-directed free-choice activity settings and teacher-directed small- and whole-group activities. Daily routine profiles were associated with program type and curriculum use but not with measures of process quality. Children in Structured-Balanced classrooms had more opportunities to engage in language and literacy and math activities, whereas children in High Free-Choice classrooms had more opportunities for gross motor and fantasy play. Being in a Structured-Balanced classroom was associated with children's language scores but profiles were not associated with measures of children's math reasoning or socio-emotional behavior. Consideration of teachers' structuring of daily routines represents a valuable way to understand nuances in the provision of learning experiences for young children in the context of current views about developmentally appropriate practice and school readiness.

Activity Settings and Daily Routines in Preschool Classrooms: Diverse Experiences in Early Learning Settings for Low-Income Children

PubMed Central

Fuligni, Allison Sidle; Howes, Carollee; Huang, Yiching; Hong, Sandra Soliday; Lara-Cinisomo, Sandraluz

2011-01-01

This paper examines activity settings and daily classroom routines experienced by 3- and 4-year-old low-income children in public center-based preschool programs, private center-based programs, and family child care homes. Two daily routine profiles were identified using a time-sampling coding procedure: a High Free-Choice pattern in which children spent a majority of their day engaged in child-directed free-choice activity settings combined with relatively low amounts of teacher-directed activity, and a Structured-Balanced pattern in which children spent relatively equal proportions of their day engaged in child-directed free-choice activity settings and teacher-directed small- and whole-group activities. Daily routine profiles were associated with program type and curriculum use but not with measures of process quality. Children in Structured-Balanced classrooms had more opportunities to engage in language and literacy and math activities, whereas children in High Free-Choice classrooms had more opportunities for gross motor and fantasy play. Being in a Structured-Balanced classroom was associated with children’s language scores but profiles were not associated with measures of children’s math reasoning or socio-emotional behavior. Consideration of teachers’ structuring of daily routines represents a valuable way to understand nuances in the provision of learning experiences for young children in the context of current views about developmentally appropriate practice and school readiness. PMID:22665945

Can blended learning and the flipped classroom improve student learning and satisfaction in Saudi Arabia?

PubMed

Sajid, Muhammad R; Laheji, Abrar F; Abothenain, Fayha; Salam, Yezan; AlJayar, Dina; Obeidat, Akef

2016-09-04

To evaluate student academic performance and perception towards blended learning and flipped classrooms in comparison to traditional teaching. This study was conducted during the hematology block on year three students. Five lectures were delivered online only. Asynchronous discussion boards were created where students could interact with colleagues and instructors. A flipped classroom was introduced with application exercises. Summative assessment results were compared with previous year results as a historical control for statistical significance. Student feedback regarding their blended learning experience was collected. A total of 127 responses were obtained. Approximately 22.8% students felt all lectures should be delivered through didactic lecturing, while almost 35% felt that 20% of total lectures should be given online. Students expressed satisfaction with blended learning as a new and effective learning approach. The majority of students reported blended learning was helpful for exam preparation and concept clarification. However, a comparison of grades did not show a statistically significant increase in the academic performance of students taught via the blended learning method. Learning experiences can be enriched by adopting a blended method of instruction at various stages of undergraduate and postgraduate education. Our results suggest that blended learning, a relatively new concept in Saudi Arabia, shows promising results with higher student satisfaction. Flipped classrooms replace passive lecturing with active student-centered learning that enhances critical thinking and application, including information retention.

The Application of Learning Theories in Community College Classrooms. UCLA Community College Bibliography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carducci, Rozana

2006-01-01

The references in this document provide an overview of empirical and conceptual scholarship on the application of learning theories in community college classrooms. Specific theories discussed in the citations include: active learning, cooperative learning, multiple intelligences, problem-based learning, and self-regulated learning. In addition to…

Implementing Flipped Classroom in Blended Learning Environments: A Proposal Based on the Cognitive Flexibility Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrade, Mariel; Coutinho, Clara

2017-01-01

Flipped Classroom is an issue that gains increased attention in Blended Learning models. Generally, in the traditional classroom, the teacher uses the time in the classroom to explain the theoretical and conceptual body content and leaves the practices and exercises as extracurricular activities. In the Flipped Classroom, students study at home…

The Philosophy of Learning and Listening in Traditional Classroom and Online Learning Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassan, Aminuddin; Abiddin, Norhasni Zainal; Yew, Sim Kuan

2014-01-01

It is important to consider the concepts of traditional classroom and online learning in evaluating effective learning and listening conducted in higher learning institutions. To reach the depth of both concepts, one should understand them in the philosophical point of view. Both traditional classroom and online learning play a role in the…

Silent and Vocal Students in a Large Active Learning Chemistry Classroom: Comparison of Performance and Motivational Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Obenland, Carrie A.; Munson, Ashlyn H.; Hutchinson, John S.

2013-01-01

Active learning is becoming more prevalent in large science classrooms, and this study shows the impact on performance of being vocal during Socratic questioning in a General Chemistry course. 800 college students over a two year period were given a pre and post-test using the Chemistry Concept Reasoning Test. The pre-test results showed that…

Exoplanet Science in the Classroom: Learning Activities for an Introductory Physics Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Della-Rose, Devin; Carlson, Randall; de La Harpe, Kimberly; Novotny, Steven; Polsgrove, Daniel

2018-03-01

Discovery of planets outside our solar system, known as extra-solar planets or exoplanets for short, has been at the forefront of astronomical research for over 25 years. Reports of new discoveries have almost become routine; however, the excitement surrounding them has not. Amazingly, as groundbreaking as exoplanet science is, the basic physics is quite accessible to first-year physics students, as discussed in previous TPT articles. To further illustrate this point, we developed an iOS application that generates synthetic exoplanet data to provide students and teachers with interactive learning activities. Using introductory physics concepts, we demonstrate how to estimate exoplanet mass, radius, and density from the app output. These calculations form the basis for a diverse range of classroom activities. We conclude with a summary of exoplanet science resources for teachers.

Implementation of a flipped classroom approach to promote active learning in the third-year surgery clerkship.

PubMed

Lewis, Catherine E; Chen, David C; Relan, Anju

2018-02-01

Constructivist student-centered instructional models such as the flipped classroom (FC) have been shown to improve learning. A FC approach was implemented for the surgery clerkship. Data was collected in phase 1 to evaluate student learning and attitudes. Based on these results, questions for the phase 2 open-ended survey were developed to improve understanding of learner attitudes, and ascertain how well the FC aligns with constructivist principles. There was no significant difference in shelf exam performance between the control and intervention groups. A majority of students agreed that they preferred the FC over lectures, and that their learning improved. Open-ended survey analysis demonstrated that the FC fostered self-directed, active learning, and that the in-class sessions facilitated application of concepts and deeper learning. Areas identified for improvement included better alignment with learning preferences through greater variety of pre-class learning options, improvement of podcast technical quality, and utilization of smaller in-class discussion groups. Students had a positive perception of the FC. The FC supports self-directed and more active and deeper in-class learning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does the Room Matter? Active Learning in Traditional and Enhanced Lecture Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoltzfus, Jon R.; Libarkin, Julie

2016-01-01

SCALE-UP-type classrooms, originating with the Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies project, are designed to facilitate active learning by maximizing opportunities for interactions between students and embedding technology in the classroom. Positive impacts when active learning replaces lecture are well…

Students' Perceptions of Teaching in Context-based and Traditional Chemistry Classrooms: Comparing content, learning activities, and interpersonal perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Overman, Michelle; Vermunt, Jan D.; Meijer, Paulien C.; Bulte, Astrid M. W.; Brekelmans, Mieke

2014-07-01

Context-based curriculum reforms in chemistry education are thought to bring greater diversity to the ways in which chemistry teachers organize their teaching. First and foremost, students are expected to perceive this diversity. However, empirical research on how students perceive their teacher's teaching in context-based chemistry classrooms, and whether this teaching differs from traditional chemistry lessons, is scarce. This study aims to develop our understanding of what teaching looks like, according to students, in context-based chemistry classrooms compared with traditional chemistry classrooms. As such, it might also provide a better understanding of whether teachers implement and attain the intentions of curriculum developers. To study teacher behaviour we used three theoretical perspectives deemed to be important for student learning: a content perspective, a learning activities perspective, and an interpersonal perspective. Data were collected from 480 students in 24 secondary chemistry classes in the Netherlands. Our findings suggest that, according to the students, the changes in teaching in context-based chemistry classrooms imply a lessening of the emphasis on fundamental chemistry and the use of a teacher-centred approach, compared with traditional chemistry classrooms. However, teachers in context-based chemistry classrooms seem not to display more 'context-based' teaching behaviour, such as emphasizing the relation between chemistry, technology, and society and using a student-centred approach. Furthermore, students in context-based chemistry classrooms perceive their teachers as having less interpersonal control and showing less affiliation than teachers in traditional chemistry classrooms. Our findings should be interpreted in the context of former and daily experiences of both teachers and students. As only chemistry is reformed in the schools in which context-based chemistry is implemented, it is challenging for both students and teachers to

Writing for Learning in Science: A Model for Use within Classrooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hand, Brian; Prain, Vaughan

1996-01-01

Discusses writing for learning within science classrooms. Presents a model that can be used by teachers to promote a greater variety of writing types. Includes examples of its use and an explanation of learning strategies students use in these activities. Discusses the value of the model in framing the planning of writing-for-learning tasks.…

Classroom Preschool Science Learning: The Learner, Instructional Tools, and Peer-Learning Assignments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reuter, Jamie M.

The recent decades have seen an increased focus on improving early science education. Goals include helping young children learn about pertinent concepts in science, and fostering early scientific reasoning and inquiry skills (e.g., NRC 2007, 2012, 2015). However, there is still much to learn about what constitutes appropriate frameworks that blend science education with developmentally appropriate learning environments. An important goal for the construction of early science is a better understanding of appropriate learning experiences and expectations for preschool children. This dissertation examines some of these concerns by focusing on three dimensions of science learning in the preschool classroom: (1) the learner; (2) instructional tools and pedagogy; and (3) the social context of learning with peers. In terms of the learner, the dissertation examines some dimensions of preschool children's scientific reasoning skills in the context of potentially relevant, developing general reasoning abilities. As young children undergo rapid cognitive changes during the preschool years, it is important to explore how these may influence scientific thinking. Two features of cognitive functioning have been carefully studied: (1) the demonstration of an epistemic awareness through an emerging theory of mind, and (2) the rapid improvement in executive functioning capacity. Both continue to develop through childhood and adolescence, but changes in early childhood are especially striking and have been neglected as regards their potential role in scientific thinking. The question is whether such skills relate to young children's capacity for scientific thinking. Another goal was to determine whether simple physics diagrams serve as effective instructional tools in supporting preschool children's scientific thinking. Specifically, in activities involving predicting and checking in scientific contexts, the question is whether such diagrams facilitate children's ability to

History and Evolution of Active Learning Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beichner, Robert J.

2014-01-01

This chapter examines active learning spaces as they have developed over the years. Consistently well-designed classrooms can facilitate active learning even though the details of implementing pedagogies may differ.

Curriculum Design of a Flipped Classroom to Enhance Haematology Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porcaro, Pauline A.; Jackson, Denise E.; McLaughlin, Patricia M.; O'Malley, Cindy J.

2016-06-01

A common trend in higher education is the "flipped" classroom, which facilitates active learning during class. The flipped approach to teaching was instituted in a haematology `major' class and the students' attitudes and preferences for the teaching materials were surveyed. The curriculum design was explicit and involved four major components (1) the preparation of the students; (2) the weekly pre-class work; (3) the in-class active learning strategies and (4) closing the learning loop using formative quizzes. Each of these components is discussed in detail and was informed by sound pedagogical strategies. Several different sources of information and several freely available software tools to engage the students are discussed. Two iterations are reported here, with improved pass rate for the final examination from 47 to 48 % in the traditional class to 56-65 % in the flipped classroom approach. The majority of students (93 and 89 %) came to the class prepared, after viewing the screencasts and engaged fully with the activities within the face-to-face time. The students perceived that solving case studies (93 %) was the most beneficial activity for their learning and this was closely followed by the production of essay plans (71 %). The majority of students recommended that this approach be repeated the following year (69 and 75 %).

The L-Shaped Classroom: A Pattern for Promoting Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lippman, Peter C.

2004-01-01

There has been little analysis of how the "L" Shape design pattern might influence learning as well as be incorporated into the design of new school facilities. This article: (1) re-examines the "Fat L" (Dyck, 1994) Classroom as a design pattern which supports a range of activity settings; (2) defines activity settings; (3)…

Integrating the Secondary School Foreign Language Classroom through Multiple Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeFalco, Laura

2011-01-01

Foreign language teachers experience difficulties in teaching students with learning disabilities. The challenge is to teach students with and without disabilities in the same classroom while having no background knowledge of how to teach towards all these students. Through observations and interviews with two foreign language teachers, the use of…

Living Classrooms: Learning Guide for Famous & Historic Trees.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Forest Foundation, Washington, DC.

This guide provides information to create and care for a Famous and Historic Trees Living Classroom in which students learn American history and culture in the context of environmental change. The booklet contains 10 hands-on activities that emphasize observation, critical thinking, and teamwork. Worksheets and illustrations provide students with…

Combining an Exciting Classroom Learning Environment with an Effective Computerized Learning Management System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hallam, Teresa A.; Hallam, Stephen F.

2009-01-01

Imagine a computerized learning management system that enables teachers to deliver pertinent learning materials to students. Lectures are prerecorded and made available to download from the learning management system. If all their lectures were prerecorded, what would teachers do in the classroom? Classroom time could be used to coordinate…

Can blended learning and the flipped classroom improve student learning and satisfaction in Saudi Arabia?

PubMed Central

Sajid, Muhammad R.; Abothenain, Fayha; Salam, Yezan; AlJayar, Dina; Obeidat, Akef

2016-01-01

Objectives To evaluate student academic performance and perception towards blended learning and flipped classrooms in comparison to traditional teaching. Methods This study was conducted during the hematology block on year three students. Five lectures were delivered online only. Asynchronous discussion boards were created where students could interact with colleagues and instructors. A flipped classroom was introduced with application exercises. Summative assessment results were compared with previous year results as a historical control for statistical significance. Student feedback regarding their blended learning experience was collected. Results A total of 127 responses were obtained. Approximately 22.8% students felt all lectures should be delivered through didactic lecturing, while almost 35% felt that 20% of total lectures should be given online. Students expressed satisfaction with blended learning as a new and effective learning approach. The majority of students reported blended learning was helpful for exam preparation and concept clarification. However, a comparison of grades did not show a statistically significant increase in the academic performance of students taught via the blended learning method. Conclusions Learning experiences can be enriched by adopting a blended method of instruction at various stages of undergraduate and postgraduate education. Our results suggest that blended learning, a relatively new concept in Saudi Arabia, shows promising results with higher student satisfaction. Flipped classrooms replace passive lecturing with active student-centered learning that enhances critical thinking and application, including information retention.  PMID:27591930

Examining the Effectiveness of Team-Based Learning (TBL) in Different Classroom Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuretich, Richard F.; Kanner, Lisa C.

2015-01-01

The problem of effective learning in college classrooms, especially in a large lecture setting, has been a topic of discussion for a considerable span of time. Most efforts to improve learning incorporate various forms of student-active learning, such as in-class investigations or problems, group discussions, collaborative examinations and…

Mathematics and Science Learning Opportunities in Preschool Classrooms

PubMed Central

Piasta, Shayne B.; Pelatti, Christina Yeager; Miller, Heather Lynnine

2014-01-01

Research findings The present study observed and coded instruction in 65 preschool classrooms to examine (a) overall amounts and (b) types of mathematics and science learning opportunities experienced by preschool children as well as (c) the extent to which these opportunities were associated with classroom and program characteristics. Results indicated that children were afforded an average of 24 and 26 minutes of mathematics and science learning opportunities, respectively, corresponding to spending approximately 25% of total instructional time in each domain. Considerable variability existed, however, in the amounts and types of mathematics and science opportunities provided to children in their classrooms; to some extent, this variability was associated with teachers’ years of experience, teachers’ levels of education, and the socioeconomic status of children served in the program. Practice/policy Although results suggest greater integration of mathematics and science in preschool classrooms than previously established, there was considerable diversity in the amounts and types of learning opportunities provided in preschool classrooms. Affording mathematics and science experiences to all preschool children, as outlined in professional and state standards, may require additional professional development aimed at increasing preschool teachers’ understanding and implementation of learning opportunities in these two domains in their classrooms. PMID:25489205

Preferred Learning Styles in the Second Language Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cincotta, Madeline Strong

1998-01-01

Outlines the preferred learning styles of students studying second languages, offering suggestions for their application in second-language classrooms. The paper describes the right-brain/left-brain theory and how the two brain hemispheres are involved in learning; presents four classroom strategies (diversification, contextualization,…

Foundational Aspects of Classroom Relations: Associations between Teachers' Immediacy Behaviours, Classroom Democracy, Class Identification and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kwitonda, Jean Claude

2017-01-01

This study focused on foundational aspects of classroom relations. Specifically, relationships between teachers' immediacy (interpersonal) behaviours, classroom democracy, identification and learning were considered. Previous work suggests that these variables can be used as a foundation to shape classroom climate, culture and learning outcomes…

The flipped classroom stimulates greater learning and is a modern 21st century approach to teaching today's undergraduates.

PubMed

Mortensen, C J; Nicholson, A M

2015-07-01

Many classrooms in higher education still rely on a transformative approach to teaching where students attend lectures and earn course grades through examination. In the modern age, traditional lectures are argued by some as obsolete and do not address the learning needs of today’s students. An emerging pedagogical approach is the concept of the flipped classroom. The flipped classroom can simply be described as students viewing asynchronous video lectures on their own and then engaging in active learning during scheduled class times. In this study, we examined the flipped classroom teaching environment on student learning gains in an Introduction to Equine Science course. Students (n = 130) were asked to view 7.5 h of recorded lectures divided into 8 learning modules, take online quizzes to enforce lecture viewing, take 3 in-class exams, and prepare to participate in active learning during scheduled class times. Active learning approaches included individual activities, paired activities, informal small groups, and large group activities. When compared to students in the traditional lecture format in earlier years, students in the flipped format scored higher on all 3 exams (P < 0.05), with both formats taught by the same instructor. Analysis of ACT scores demonstrated no intellectual capacity differences between the student populations. To evaluate any gains in critical thinking, flipped format students were asked to take the Cornell Critical Thinking Exam (version X). Scores improved from the pretest (50.8 ± 0.57) to the posttest (54.4 ± 0.58; P < 0.01). In the flipped course, no correlations were found with student performance and interactions with online content. Students were asked in class to evaluate their experiences based on a 5-point Likert scale: 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The flipped classroom was ranked as an enjoyable learning experience with a mean of 4.4 ± 0.10, while students responded positively to other pointed questions

The Effects of an Active Learning Intervention in Biology on College Students' Classroom Motivational Climate Perceptions, Motivation, and Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corkin, Danya M.; Horn, Catherine; Pattison, Donna

2017-01-01

This study examined differences in students' classroom motivational climate perceptions and motivational beliefs between those enrolled in undergraduate Biology courses that implemented an innovative, active learning intervention and those enrolled in traditional Biology courses (control group). This study also sought to determine whether…

Do Classroom Experiments Increase Learning in Introductory Microeconomics?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickie, Mark

2007-01-01

Interest in using classroom experiments to teach economics is increasing whereas empirical evidence on how experiments affect learning is limited and mixed. The author used a pretest-posttest control-group design to test whether classroom experiments and grade incentives that reward performance in experiments affect learning of introductory…

Second Language Learning; Investigating the Classroom Context.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Rosamond

1989-01-01

Reviews a number of second-language (L2) classroom-based research projects undertaken at the University of Stirling in Scotland. It is argued that a full understanding of classroom-based L2 learning requires the integration of sociolinguistic studies of the classroom context with psycholinguistic studies of second language acquisition. (Author/VWL)

Comparing Student Learning in the Team-Based Learning Classroom with Different Team Reporting Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Staci Neas

2017-01-01

The increase in classroom technology has resulted in the use of clickers and other audience response systems (ARS) for simultaneous reporting of choices in the teambased learning (TBL) classroom. A variety of techniques and practices using ARS technology in TBL courses has been noted. Learning gains in the TBL classroom with ARS reporting has not…

The Film as Visual Aided Learning Tool in Classroom Management Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altinay Gazi, Zehra; Altinay Aksal, Fahriye

2011-01-01

This research aims to investigate the impact of the visual aided learning on pre-service teachers' co-construction of subject matter knowledge in teaching practice. The study revealed the examination of film as an active cognizing and learning tool in classroom management course within teacher education programme. Within the framework of action…

Harmonious Learning: Yoga in the English Language Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Lisa

2011-01-01

This article looks at one way for teachers to make classrooms emotionally, mentally, and physically healthy places to learn--places where tensions and stresses are lessened and where teachers and students are concentrating, yet relaxed. "Harmonious language learning classroom" is the term the author coined to describe this kind of language…

Active Learning in the Middle Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Susan

2015-01-01

What is active learning and what does it look like in the classroom? If students are participating in active learning, they are playing a more engaged role in the learning process and are not overly reliant on the teacher (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2003; Petress, 2008). The purpose of this article is to propose a framework to describe and…

The Experience of Contrasting Learning Styles, Learning Preferences, and Personality Types in the Community College English Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, William K.

2014-01-01

This study focuses on the classroom experiences of students who identify themselves as learning best as reflective-observers (Assimilators) in contrast to those who learn best as active- experimenters (Accommodators), with additional consideration for their self-identified personality type (introvert vs. extrovert) as well as one of the VARK…

Learning Science beyond the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramey-Gassert, Linda

1997-01-01

Examines a cross-section of craft knowledge and research-based literature of science learning beyond the classroom. Describes informal science education programs, and discusses implications for science teaching, focusing on the importance of informal science learning for children and in-service and preservice teachers. Proposes a model for…

Flipped Classroom Instruction for Inclusive Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altemueller, Lisa; Lindquist, Cynthia

2017-01-01

The flipped classroom is a teaching methodology that has gained recognition in primary, secondary and higher education settings. The flipped classroom inverts traditional teaching methods, delivering lecture instruction outside class, and devoting class time to problem solving, with the teacher's role becoming that of a learning coach and…

Cooperative Learning in the Thinking Classroom: Research and Theoretical Perspectives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Christine; And Others

As a classroom organization and instructional method, cooperative learning merits serious consideration for use in thinking classrooms. Cooperative learning is more than just groupwork. In traditional group learning, students work in groups with no attention paid to group functioning, whereas in cooperative learning, group work is carefully…

Does the Room Matter? Active Learning in Traditional and Enhanced Lecture Spaces.

PubMed

Stoltzfus, Jon R; Libarkin, Julie

2016-01-01

SCALE-UP-type classrooms, originating with the Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies project, are designed to facilitate active learning by maximizing opportunities for interactions between students and embedding technology in the classroom. Positive impacts when active learning replaces lecture are well documented, both in traditional lecture halls and SCALE-UP-type classrooms. However, few studies have carefully analyzed student outcomes when comparable active learning-based instruction takes place in a traditional lecture hall and a SCALE-UP-type classroom. Using a quasi-experimental design, we compared student perceptions and performance between sections of a nonmajors biology course, one taught in a traditional lecture hall and one taught in a SCALE-UP-type classroom. Instruction in both sections followed a flipped model that relied heavily on cooperative learning and was as identical as possible given the infrastructure differences between classrooms. Results showed that students in both sections thought that SCALE-UP infrastructure would enhance performance. However, measures of actual student performance showed no difference between the two sections. We conclude that, while SCALE-UP-type classrooms may facilitate implementation of active learning, it is the active learning and not the SCALE-UP infrastructure that enhances student performance. As a consequence, we suggest that institutions can modify existing classrooms to enhance student engagement without incorporating expensive technology. © 2016 J. R. Stoltzfus and J. Libarkin. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Students with Learning Disabilities in the Music Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darrow, Alice-Ann

2012-01-01

There are a number of disabilities that music educators may never encounter among their students in the music classroom; however, all music educators will have students with learning disabilities. Students with learning disabilities may have a variety of "presenting problems" that limit their academic and social success in the music classroom. The…

Inquiry-Based Learning and the Flipped Classroom Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Love, Betty; Hodge, Angie; Corritore, Cynthia; Ernst, Dana C.

2015-01-01

The flipped classroom model of teaching can be an ideal venue for turning a traditional classroom into an engaging, inquiry-based learning (IBL) environment. In this paper, we discuss how two instructors at different universities made their classrooms come to life by moving the acquisition of basic course concepts outside the classroom and using…

Movement and Learning: Integrating Physical Activity into the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reeves, Emily; Miller, Stacia; Chavez, Crystal

2016-01-01

We know the benefits of physical activity, and yet recess and physical education classes are being cut or scaled back to make room for meeting academic standards. Is cutting recess and physical education really benefiting academics? A look at some recent studies suggests that it is not. Integrating physical activity into the classroom may increase…

Faculty motivations to use active learning among pharmacy educators.

PubMed

Rockich-Winston, Nicole; Train, Brian C; Rudolph, Michael J; Gillette, Chris

2018-03-01

Faculty motivations to use active learning have been limited to surveys evaluating faculty perceptions within active learning studies. Our objective in this study was to evaluate the relationship between faculty intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and demographic variables and the extent of active learning use in the classroom. An online survey was administered to individual faculty members at 137 colleges and schools of pharmacy across the United States. The survey assessed intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, active learning strategies, classroom time dedicated to active learning, and faculty development resources. Bivariate associations and multivariable stepwise linear regression were used to analyze the results. In total, 979 faculty members completed the questionnaire (23.6% response rate). All motivation variables were significantly correlated with percent active learning use (p < 0.001). Intrinsic motivation demonstrated the highest correlation (r = 0.447) followed by current extrinsic motivations (r = 0.245) and ideal extrinsic motivations (r = 0.291). Variables associated with higher intrinsic motivation included the number of resources used (r = 0.233, p < 0.001) and the number of active learning methods used in the last year (r = 0.259, p < 0.001). Years of teaching experience was negatively associated with intrinsic motivation (r = -0.177, p < 0.001). Regression analyses confirmed the importance of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in predicting active learning use. Our results suggest that faculty members who are intrinsically motivated to use active learning are more likely to dedicate additional class time to active learning. Furthermore, intrinsic motivation may be positively associated with encouraging faculty members to attend active learning workshops and supporting faculty to use various active learning strategies in the classroom. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychology for the Classroom: E-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woollard, John

2011-01-01

"Psychology for the Classroom: E-Learning" is a lively and accessible introduction to the field of technology-supported teaching and learning and the educational psychology associated with those developments. Offering a substantial and useful analysis of e-learning, this practical book includes current research, offers a grounding in both theory…

Traditional classroom education versus computer-based learning: how nurses learn about pressure ulcers.

PubMed

Esche, Carol Ann; Warren, Joan I; Woods, Anne B; Jesada, Elizabeth C; Iliuta, Ruth

2015-01-01

The goal of the Nurse Professional Development specialist is to utilize the most effective educational strategies when educating staff nurses about pressure ulcer prevention. More information is needed about the effect of computer-based learning and traditional classroom learning on pressure ulcer education for the staff nurse. This study compares computer-based learning and traditional classroom learning on immediate and long-term knowledge while evaluating the impact of education on pressure ulcer risk assessment, staging, and documentation.

Dental Students' Study Habits in Flipped/Blended Classrooms and Their Association with Active Learning Practices.

PubMed

Gadbury-Amyot, Cynthia C; Redford, Gloria J; Bohaty, Brenda S

2017-12-01

In recognition of the importance for dental education programs to take a student-centered approach in which students are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning, a pediatric dentistry course redesign aimed at promoting greater active and self-directed learning was implemented at one U.S. dental school. The aim of this study was to examine the association between the students' self-reported study habits and active learning practices necessary for meaningful learning in the flipped/blended classroom. A convenience sample of two classes of second-year dental students in spring 2014 (SP14, n=106) and spring 2015 (SP15, n=106) was invited to participate in the study. Of the SP14 students, 84 participated, for a response rate of 79%; of the SP15 students, 94 participated, for a response rate of 87%. Students' self-reported responses to questions about study strategies with the prerecorded lecture materials and assigned reading materials were examined. Non-parametric analyses resulted in a cohort effect, so data are reported by class. In the SP15 class, 72% reported watching all/more than half of the prerecorded lectures versus 62% of the SP14 class, with a majority watching more than one lecture per week. In the SP15 cohort, 68% used active learning strategies when watching the lectures versus 58.3% of the SP14 cohort. The time of day preferred by the majority of both cohorts for interacting with course materials was 7-11 pm. Both SP14 and SP15 students reported being unlikely to read assigned materials prior to coming to class. Overall, the course redesign appeared to engage students in self-directed active learning. However, the degree to which active learning practices were taking place to achieve meaningful learning was questionable given students' self-reported study strategies. More work is needed to examine strategies for promoting study practices that will lead to meaningful learning.

An Action Research Study from Implementing the Flipped Classroom Model in Primary School History Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aidinopoulou, Vasiliki; Sampson, Demetrios G.

2017-01-01

The benefits of the flipped classroom (FC) model in students' learning are claimed in many recent studies. These benefits are typically accounted to the pedagogically efficient use of classroom time for engaging students in active learning. Although there are several relevant studies for the deployment of the FC model in Science, Technology,…

Standing Classrooms: Research and Lessons Learned from Around the World.

PubMed

Hinckson, Erica; Salmon, Jo; Benden, Mark; Clemes, Stacey A; Sudholz, Bronwyn; Barber, Sally E; Aminian, Saeideh; Ridgers, Nicola D

2016-07-01

Children spend between 50 and 70 % of their time sitting while at school. Independent of physical activity levels, prolonged sitting is associated with poor health outcomes in adulthood. While there is mixed evidence of health associations among children and adolescents, public health guidelines in the USA, UK, Australia and Canada now recommend young people should break up long periods of sitting as frequently as possible. A potentially effective approach for reducing and breaking up sitting throughout the day is changing the classroom environment. This paper presents an overview of a relatively new area of research designed to reduce youth sitting time while at school by changing the classroom environment (n = 13 studies). Environmental changes included placement of height-adjustable or stand-biased standing desks/workstations with stools, chairs, exercise balls, bean bags or mats in the classroom. These 13 published studies suggest that irrespective of the approach, youth sitting time was reduced by between ~44 and 60 min/day and standing time was increased by between 18 and 55 min/day during classroom time at school. Other benefits include increased energy expenditure and the potential for improved management of students' behaviour in the classroom. However, few large trials have been conducted, and there remains little evidence regarding the impact on children's learning and academic achievement. Nevertheless, with an increasing demand placed on schools and teachers regarding students' learning outcomes, strategies that integrate moving throughout the school day and that potentially enhance the learning experience and future health outcomes for young people warrant further exploration.

Creating Stimulating Learning and Thinking Using New Models of Activity-Based Learning and Metacognitive-Based Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pang, Katherine

2010-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present a novel way to stimulate learning, creativity, and thinking based on a new understanding of activity-based learning (ABL) and two methods for developing metacognitive-based activities for the classroom. ABL, in this model, is based on the premise that teachers are distillers and facilitators of information…

From Commons to Classroom: The Evolution of Learning Spaces in Academic Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karasic, Victoria

2016-01-01

Over the past two decades, academic library spaces have evolved to meet the changing teaching and learning needs of diverse campus communities. The Information Commons combines the physical and virtual in an informal library space, whereas the recent Active Learning Classroom creates a more formal setting for collaboration. As scholarship has…

Literacy learning in secondary school science classrooms: A cross-case analysis of three qualitative studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dillon, Deborah R.; O'Brien, David G.; Moje, Elizabeth B.; Stewart, Roger A.

The purpose of this cross-case analysis is to illustrate how and why literacy was incorporated into science teaching and learning in three secondary classrooms. Research questions guiding the analysis include: (a) How were literacy events shaped by the teachers' philosophies about teaching science content and teaching students? and (b) How was literacy (reading, writing, and oral language) structured by the teachers and manifested in science lessons? The methodology of ethnography and the theoretical framework of symbolic interactionism were employed in the three studies on which the cross-case analysis was based. The researchers assumed the role of participant observers, collecting data over the period of 1 year in each of the three classrooms. Data, in the form of fieldnotes, interviews, and artifacts, were collected. In each study, data were analyzed using the constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) to determine patterns in the teachers' beliefs about learning and how these influenced their choice of literacy activities. The cross-case analysis was conducted to determine patterns across the three teachers and their classrooms. The findings from this analysis are used to compare how the teachers' philosophies of teaching science and their beliefs about how students learn influenced their use of literacy practices during lessons. Specifically, each teacher's use of literacy activities varied based on his or her beliefs about teaching science concepts. Furthermore, reading, writing, and oral language were important vehicles to learning science concepts within daily classroom activities in the three classrooms.Received: 1 April 1993; Revised: 30 August 1993;

Active Learning Is Not Enough

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casem, Merri Lynn

2006-01-01

I have examined how frequency of assessment impacts learning in an undergraduate biology course employing a student-centered, active-learning pedagogy. Frequent assessment was associated with better student performance and greater retention of course concepts. Improvement of higher-order thinking skills may require more classroom practice.…

Motivating the Study of International Trade: A Classroom Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Sherry

2016-01-01

In this article, the author describes a classroom activity for use in introductory economics courses to motivate the study of international trade. The learning activity highlights the importance of international trade in students' everyday lives by having students inventory their on-hand belongings and identify where the items were manufactured.…

Flipped classroom or an active lecture?

PubMed

Pickering, James D; Roberts, David J H

2018-01-01

Recent changes in anatomy education have seen the introduction of flipped classrooms as a replacement to the traditional didactic lecture. This approach utilizes the increasing availability of digital technology to create learning resources that can be accessed prior to attending class, with face-to-face sessions then becoming more student-centered via discussion, collaborative learning, and problem-solving activities. Although this approach may appear intuitive, this viewpoint commentary presents a counter opinion and highlights a simple alternative that utilizes evidence-based active learning approaches as part of the traditional lecture. The active lecture takes the traditional lecture, and (1) ensures the lecture content is relevant and has clear objectives, (2) contains lecture material that is designed according to the latest evidence-base, (3) complements it with additional supplementary material, (4) creates space to check prior understanding and knowledge levels, and (5) utilizes suitable technology to facilitate continual engagement and interaction. Clin. Anat. 31:118-121, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Learning in Tomorrow's Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowman, Richard F.

2015-01-01

Teaching today remains the most individualistic of all the professions, with educators characteristically operating in a highly fragmented world of "their" courses, "their" skills, and "their" students. Learning will occur in the classrooms of the future through a sustainable set of complementary capabilities:…

The Teaching Voice on the Learning Platform: Seeking Classroom Climates within a Virtual Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crook, Charles; Cluley, Robert

2009-01-01

University staff are now encouraged to supplement their classroom activity with computer-based tools and resources accessible through virtual learning environments (VLEs). Meanwhile, university students increasingly make recreational use of computer networks in the form of various social software applications. This paper explores tensions of…

Introducing "The Matrix Classroom" University Course Design That Facilitates Active and Situated Learning though Creating Two Temporary Communities of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Emma; Sayer, Karen

2017-01-01

This paper illustrates a radical course design structured to create active and situated learning in which students participate in communities of practice within the classroom, replicating real-life work situations. This paper illustrates the approach through a People Management module, but the approach is also used across a range of disciplines…

Learning to Teach in the Early Years Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blaise, Mindy; Nuttal, Joce

2011-01-01

"Learning to Teach in the Early Years Classroom" helps teacher education students understand the complexities of teaching in early years' classrooms. It integrates research and theory with practice through vignettes, based on authentic classroom case studies, in order to show students how educators make decisions and achieve expected outcomes.…

"Periscope": Looking into Learning in Best-Practices Physics Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scherr, Rachel E.; Goertzen, Renee Michelle

2018-01-01

"Periscope" is a set of lessons to support learning assistants, teaching assistants, and faculty in learning to notice and interpret classroom events the way an accomplished teacher does. "Periscope" lessons are centered on video episodes from a variety of best-practices university physics classrooms. By observing, discussing,…

A New Approach to Teaching Petrology: Active Learning in a Studio Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perkins, D.

2003-12-01

During the past 15 years it has become clear that the traditional lecture and lab approach to college science teaching leaves much to be desired. The traditional approach is instructor oriented and based on passive learning. In contrast, current studies show that most students learn best when actively engaged in the learning process. Inquiry based learning and open ended projects have been shown to especially enhance learning by promoting higher order thinking. Recognizing the need for change, however, does not mean the changes are simple. The task of overhauling a course, replacing traditional approaches with more student oriented activities, requires a great deal of time and effort. It also involves much uncertainty and risk. At UND we have been experimenting with alternative pedagogies for a number of years. Change has been incremental, but this year we made wholesale changes in our petrology class. We converted it from the standard three lecture and one lab format to two 3-hour studio sessions per week. The distinction between lab and lecture is gone. In fact, there really are no lectures. The instructor talks for no more than 15 or 20 minutes at a time. Students spend most of their time doing, not listening. We emphasize collaborative active learning projects, some quite short and others lengthy and involved, and use a wide variety of activities. To assess the class, we have an outside consultant and we carry out weekly assessments to measure (1) how students are reacting to the various pedagogical approaches, and (2) how much student learning is actually occurring. This allows us to make adjustments and fine tune as necessary. We could not have made such changes a few years ago, simply because of the amount of work involved to create and test the necessary classroom materials. Today, however, there are many resources available to the reform minded teacher, and the resource base continues to grow. We borrowed heavily from other instructors at other

The Use of Student Consulting Projects as an Active Learning Pedagogy: A Case Study in a Production/Operations Management Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heriot, Kirk C.; Cook, Ron; Jones, Rita C.; Simpson, Leo

2008-01-01

Active learning has attracted considerable attention in higher education in response to concerns about how and what students are learning. There are many different forms of active learning, yet most of them are classroom based. We propose an alternative to active learning in the classroom through active learning outside of the classroom in the…

Using assistive technology adaptations to include students with learning disabilities in cooperative learning activities.

PubMed

Bryant, D P; Bryant, B R

1998-01-01

Cooperative learning (CL) is a common instructional arrangement that is used by classroom teachers to foster academic achievement and social acceptance of students with and without learning disabilities. Cooperative learning is appealing to classroom teachers because it can provide an opportunity for more instruction and feedback by peers than can be provided by teachers to individual students who require extra assistance. Recent studies suggest that students with LD may need adaptations during cooperative learning activities. The use of assistive technology adaptations may be necessary to help some students with LD compensate for their specific learning difficulties so that they can engage more readily in cooperative learning activities. A process for integrating technology adaptations into cooperative learning activities is discussed in terms of three components: selecting adaptations, monitoring the use of the adaptations during cooperative learning activities, and evaluating the adaptations' effectiveness. The article concludes with comments regarding barriers to and support systems for technology integration, technology and effective instructional practices, and the need to consider technology adaptations for students who have learning disabilities.

Professional Vision of Classroom Management and Learning Support in Science Classrooms--Does Professional Vision Differ across General and Content-Specific Classroom Interactions?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steffensky, Mirjam; Gold, Bernadette; Holdynski, Manfred; Möller, Kornelia

2015-01-01

The present study investigates the internal structure of professional vision of in-service teachers and student teachers with respect to classroom management and learning support in primary science lessons. Classroom management (including monitoring, managing momentum, and rules and routines) and learning support (including cognitive activation…

Teacher-child relationships and classroom-learning behaviours of children with developmental language disorders.

PubMed

Rhoad-Drogalis, Anna; Justice, Laura M; Sawyer, Brook E; O'Connell, Ann A

2018-03-01

Children with developmental language disorders (DLDs) often struggle with classroom behaviour. No study has examined whether positive teacher-child relationships may act as a protective factor for children with DLDs in that these serve to enhance children's important classroom-learning behaviours. To examine the association between the quality of teacher-child relationships and teacher-rated classroom-learning behaviours of children with DLDs in both preschool and kindergarten. Longitudinal data were collected on 191 preschoolers (mean = 42.4 months of age, SD = 11.6 months) with DLDs in special education classrooms during preschool and in kindergarten. Teacher-child relationship quality was assessed in preschool, and children's classroom-learning behaviours were measured in preschool and kindergarten. Regression models were used to examine the relationship between teacher-child relationship quality and children's concurrent and future classroom-learning behaviours. Positive teacher-child relationship quality in preschool was associated with better classroom-learning behaviours in preschool and kindergarten for children with DLDs. Preschool teacher-child relationship quality characterized by low levels of conflict and high levels of closeness was associated with positive classroom-learning behaviours during preschool. Teacher-child conflict but not closeness was predictive of children's classroom-learning behaviours in kindergarten. These results suggest that the quality of the teacher-child relationship for children with DLDs during preschool is associated within their learning-related behaviours in the classroom both concurrently and in the subsequent year. Findings suggest that teacher-child relationships should be explored as a mechanism for improving the learning-related behaviours of children with DLDs. © 2017 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

GeoMapApp Learning Activities: Grab-and-go inquiry-based geoscience activities that bring cutting-edge technology to the classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodwillie, A. M.; Kluge, S.

2011-12-01

NSF-funded GeoMapApp Learning Activities (http://serc.carleton.edu/geomapapp) provide self-contained learning opportunities that are centred around the principles of guided inquiry. The activities allow students to interact with and analyse research-quality geoscience data to explore and enhance student understanding of underlying geoscience content and concepts. Each activity offers ready-to-use step-by-step student instructions and answer sheets that can be downloaded from the web page. Also provided are annotated teacher versions of the worksheets that include teaching tips, additional content and suggestions for further work. Downloadable pre- and post- quizzes tied to each activity help educators gauge the learning progression of their students. Short multimedia tutorials and details on content alignment with state and national teaching standards round out the package of material that comprises each "grab-and-go" activity. GeoMapApp Learning Activities expose students to content and concepts typically found at the community college, high school and introductory undergraduate levels. The activities are based upon GeoMapApp (http://www.geomapapp.org), a free, easy-to-use map-based data exploration and visualisation tool that allows students to access a wide range of geoscience data sets in a virtual lab-like environment. Activities that have so far been created under this project include student exploration of seafloor spreading rates, a study of mass wasting as revealed through geomorphological evidence, and an analysis of plate motion and hotspot traces. The step-by-step instructions and guided inquiry approach lead students through each activity, thus reducing the need for teacher intervention whilst also boosting the time that students can spend on productive exploration and learning. The activities can be used, for example, in a classroom lab with the educator present and as self-paced assignments in an out-of-class setting. GeoMapApp Learning Activities

Discovering Learning Preferences and Learning Differences in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bargar, June R.; And Others

Understanding learning differences and how they function in the classroom is important to both students and teachers. The learning preferences described in this handbook are based on the concepts of psychological type developed by Carl Jung. Jung identified three sets of psychological processes, the areas of attitude (orientation), perception, and…

Curriculum Design of a Flipped Classroom to Enhance Haematology Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porcaro, Pauline A.; Jackson, Denise E.; McLaughlin, Patricia M.; O'Malley, Cindy J.

2016-01-01

A common trend in higher education is the "flipped" classroom, which facilitates active learning during class. The flipped approach to teaching was instituted in a haematology "major" class and the students' attitudes and preferences for the teaching materials were surveyed. The curriculum design was explicit and involved four…

Integrating Language and Content Learning in the Social Studies Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Hee-Won; LeSourd, Sandra J.

This paper focuses on helping social studies teachers discover ways to help second language students comprehend, use, and learn language as well as content in the classroom. Activities conducive to this purpose include: providing contextual support such as pictures, globes, videotapes, diagrams, body and facial gestures, pantomime and role…

Supporting Authentic Learning Contexts Beyond Classroom Walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrington, Jan; Specht, Marcus; Brickell, Gwyn; Harper, Barry

At the classroom level, contexts for learning are often limited in the experiential component. Teachers and trainers feel overwhelmed by the difficulty of inventing authentic learning contexts, and creating tasks that truly reflect the way knowledge would be used in the real world (Herrington et al. 2004). However, there are growing numbers of examples of how such authentic learning environments are being used in schools, higher education, and professional development in a variety of contexts and discipline areas, such as in literacy education (Ferry et al. 2006), in physical activity fitness and health (Rice et al. 1999), in Indigenous education (Marshall et al. 2001), in evaluation (Agostinho 2006), in multimedia and ICT (Bennett et al. 2001), in literature (Fitzsimmons 2006), and in business writing (Pennell et al. 1997). Teachers and trainers who subscribe to this approach to learning can be very inventive in developing learner perceptions of authentic contexts, but often financial, situational and time constraints limit the experiential elements of authentic learning settings.

Handbook of Classroom and Workshop Metric Activity Stations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Illinois State Office of Education, Springfield.

The objectives of this handbook are to assist K-8 classroom teachers in launching an activity-oriented metric program that provides learning experiences in the measurement strands of linear, mass, and temperature, and to assist metric coordinators in planning metric awareness workshops for teachers, parents, and various community organizations.…

From interaction to interaction: Exploring shared resources constructed through and mediating classroom science learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Xiaowei

Recent reform documents and science education literature emphasize the importance of scientific argumentation as a discourse and practice of science that should be supported in school science learning. Much of this literature focuses on the structure of argument, whether for assessing the quality of argument or designing instructional scaffolds. This study challenges the narrowness of this research paradigm and argues for the necessity of examining students' argumentative practices as rooted in the complex, evolving system of the classroom. Employing a sociocultural-historical lens of activity theory (Engestrom, 1987, 1999), discourse analysis is employed to explore how a high school biology class continuously builds affordances and constraints for argumentation practices through interactions. The ways in which argumentation occurs, including the nature of teacher and student participation, are influenced by learning goals, classroom norms, teacher-student relationships and epistemological stances constructed through a class' interactive history. Based on such findings, science education should consider promoting classroom scientific argumentation as a long-term process, requiring supportive resources that develop through continuous classroom interactions. Moreover, in order to understand affordances that support disciplinary learning in classroom, we need to look beyond just disciplinary interactions. This work has implications for classroom research on argumentation and teacher education, specifically, the preparation of teachers for secondary science teaching.

Learntime and Learning Place-Focused Forward-Oriented Design for Learning in Technology-Enhanced Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Susan Y. H.

2016-01-01

This study reports on a teacher's ongoing design activities in a fully online language course when the class was in progress. The aims were, firstly, to provide first-hand experience and insight into a teacher's design work in a real-life, technology-enhanced learning (TEL) classroom; and secondly, to facilitate reflective analysis of the emerging…

Business Students' Learning with Online Discussion Forums: The Case of a Virtual Classroom Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhu, Jake

2010-01-01

This study examined what learning is and how learning was facilitated in a virtual classroom community using online discussion forums. Results demonstrated that learning in such a community was the active participation by the members of the community in the process of meaning construction. The construction of meaning in such a community was…

Create a good learning environment and motivate active learning enthusiasm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bi, Weihong; Fu, Guangwei; Fu, Xinghu; Zhang, Baojun; Liu, Qiang; Jin, Wa

2017-08-01

In view of the current poor learning initiative of undergraduates, the idea of creating a good learning environment and motivating active learning enthusiasm is proposed. In practice, the professional tutor is allocated and professional introduction course is opened for college freshman. It can promote communication between the professional teachers and students as early as possible, and guide students to know and devote the professional knowledge by the preconceived form. Practice results show that these solutions can improve the students interest in learning initiative, so that the active learning and self-learning has become a habit in the classroom.

MLS student active learning within a "cloud" technology program.

PubMed

Tille, Patricia M; Hall, Heather

2011-01-01

In November 2009, the MLS program in a large public university serving a geographically large, sparsely populated state instituted an initiative for the integration of technology enhanced teaching and learning within the curriculum. This paper is intended to provide an introduction to the system requirements and sample instructional exercises used to create an active learning technology-based classroom. Discussion includes the following: 1.) define active learning and the essential components, 2.) summarize teaching methods, technology and exercises utilized within a "cloud" technology program, 3.) describe a "cloud" enhanced classroom and programming 4.) identify active learning tools and exercises that can be implemented into laboratory science programs, and 5.) describe the evaluation and assessment of curriculum changes and student outcomes. The integration of technology in the MLS program is a continual process and is intended to provide student-driven active learning experiences.

Revisiting the merits of a mandatory large group classroom learning format: an MD-MBA perspective.

PubMed

Li, Shawn X; Pinto-Powell, Roshini

2017-01-01

The role of classroom learning in medical education is rapidly changing. To promote active learning and reduce student stress, medical schools have adopted policies such as pass/fail curriculums and recorded lectures. These policies along with the rising importance of the USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) exams have made asynchronous learning popular to the detriment of classroom learning. In contrast to this model, modern day business schools employ mandatory large group classes with assigned seating and cold-calling. Despite similar student demographics, medical and business schools have adopted vastly different approaches to the classroom. When examining the classroom dynamic at business schools with mandatory classes, it is evident that there's an abundance of engaging discourse and peer learning objectives that medical schools share. Mandatory classes leverage the network effect just like social media forums such as Facebook and Twitter. That is, the value of a classroom discussion increases when more students are present to participate. At a time when students are savvy consumers of knowledge, the classroom is competing against an explosion of study aids dedicated to USMLE preparation. Certainly, the purpose of medical school is not solely about the efficient transfer of knowledge - but to train authentic, competent, and complete physicians. To accomplish this, we must promote the inimitable and deeply personal interactions amongst faculty and students. When viewed through this lens, mandatory classes might just be a way for medical schools to leverage their competitive advantage in educating the complete physician.

Toward a critical approach to the study of learning environments in science classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorsbach, Anthony; Tobin, Kenneth

1995-03-01

Traditional learning environment research in science classrooms has been built on survey methods meant to measure students' and teachers' perceptions of variables used to define the learning environment. This research has led mainly to descriptions of learning environments. We argue that learning environment research should play a transformative role in science classrooms; that learning environment research should take into account contemporary post-positivist ways of thinking about learning and teaching to assist students and teachers to construct a more emancipatory learning environment. In particular, we argue that a critical perspective could lead to research playing a larger role in the transformation of science classroom learning environments. This argument is supplemented with an example from a middle school science classroom.

A Joyful Classroom Learning System with Robot Learning Companion for Children to Learn Mathematics Multiplication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wei, Chun-Wang; Hung, I-Chun; Lee, Ling; Chen, Nian-Shing

2011-01-01

This research demonstrates the design of a Joyful Classroom Learning System (JCLS) with flexible, mobile and joyful features. The theoretical foundations of this research include the experiential learning theory, constructivist learning theory and joyful learning. The developed JCLS consists of the robot learning companion (RLC), sensing input…

Collaborative Concept Mapping Activities in a Classroom Scenario

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elorriaga, J. A.; Arruarte, A.; Calvo, I.; Larrañaga, M.; Rueda, U.; Herrán, E.

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to test collaborative concept mapping activities using computers in a classroom scenario and to evaluate the possibilities that Elkar-CM offers for collaboratively learning non-technical topics. Elkar-CM is a multi-lingual and multi-media software program designed for drawing concept maps (CMs) collaboratively. Concept…

Faculty Perceptions about Barriers to Active Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michael, Joel

2007-01-01

Faculty may perceive many barriers to active learning in their classrooms. Four groups of participants in a faculty development workshop were asked to list their perceived barriers to active learning. Many of the problems identified were present on more than one list. The barriers fall into three categories: student characteristics, issues…

Children's Learning Strategies in Language Immersion Classrooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chamot, Anna Uhl; El-Dinary, Pamela Beard

This paper reports on an investigation of learning strategy applications in elementary foreign language immersion classrooms. The focus of the paper is on identifying strategies more and less effective learners use for classroom reading and writing tasks in the target language. Think-aloud data from third grade and fourth grade students were…

Liana's Learning in a Democratized Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malsbary, Christine Brigid; Espinoza, Samantha; Bales, Lisa

2016-01-01

In usual understandings of learning, youths' development in classrooms is portrayed as a move from being a novice to an expert. However, findings of the present anthropologically framed study support us to argue that learning, rather, can be characterized as youths' simultaneous occupation of novice and expert roles. We refer to this simultaneous…

Interactive and collaborative learning in the classroom at the medical school Automated response systems and team-based learning.

PubMed

Nasr, Rihab; Antoun, Jumana; Sabra, Ramzi; Zgheib, Nathalie K

2016-01-01

There has been a pedagogic shift in higher education from the traditional teacher centered to the student centered approach in teaching, necessitating a change in the role of the teacher from a supplier of information to passive receptive students into a more facilitative role. Active learning activities are based on various learning theories such as self-directed learning, cooperative learning and adult learning. There exist many instructional activities that enhance active and collaborative learning. The aim of this manuscript is to describe two methods of interactive and collaborative learning in the classroom, automated response systems (ARS) and team-based learning (TBL), and to list some of their applications and advantages. The success of these innovative teaching and learning methods at a large scale depends on few elements, probably the most important of which is the support of the higher administration and leadership in addition to the availability of “champions” who are committed to lead the change.

Bridging the gap between what is praised and what is practiced: Supporting the work of change as anatomy and physiology instructors introduce active learning into their undergraduate classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorn, Patti Marie

When college Anatomy & Physiology instructors begin using active learning in their classrooms, what do they experience? How do their beliefs about teaching and learning change? What obstacles do they encounter and how do they respond? How do their responses influence future decisions regarding the use of active learning? This study documented the experiences of seven instructors from diverse types of institutions as they began using active learning in their classrooms. Conceptual change and social cognitive motivation theory provided guidance for the 15-month project. A classroom-situated professional development framework that included goal setting, planning and doing active learning and formative assessment, and reflecting on experiences was used. Multiple data sources (verbatim transcripts from emergent and semi-structured interviews, observation notes, surveys, written correspondence, instructional materials, and student surveys) and research methods allowed rigorous exploration of the research questions. A number of important findings emerged from the study. Data indicated that instructors struggled with a lack of instructional, pedagogical and clinical content knowledge, student resistance, personal and professional risk-taking issues, and widely shifting attitudes toward active learning. Data also suggested a developmental progression in beliefs about teaching and learning as instructors implemented active learning, and the progression shared similarities with reports of preservice teacher development documented in the learning-to-teach literature. Initially, instructors' beliefs shifted from knowledge transmission and intuitive theories to constructivist theories; however there was marked variation in the intelligibility, status, and endurance of the new beliefs. Data also allowed identification of two distinct conceptual change experiences. Analysis of instructor beliefs within and between the change groups strongly suggested that causal attribution

Classroom Questioning with Immediate Electronic Response: Do Clickers Improve Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yourstone, Steven A.; Kraye, Howard S.; Albaum, Gerald

2008-01-01

A number of studies have focused on how students and instructors feel about digital learning technologies. This research is focused on the substantive difference in learning outcomes between traditional classrooms and classrooms using clickers. A randomized block experimental design involving four sections of undergraduate Operations Management…

Developing a Learning Classroom: Moving beyond Management through Relationships, Relevance, and Rigor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Nic; Garner, Betty K.

2012-01-01

All too often, managing a classroom means gaining control, dictating guidelines, and implementing rules. Designed for any teacher struggling with student behavior, motivation, and engagement, "Developing a Learning Classroom" explores how to create a thriving, learning-centered classroom through three critical concepts: relationships, relevance,…

[Supporting an Academic Society with the Active Learning Tool Clica].

PubMed

Arai, Kensuke; Mitsubori, Masahiro

2018-01-01

　Within school classrooms, Active Learning has been receiving unprecedented attention. Indeed, Active Learning's popularity does not stop in the classroom. As more and more people argue that the Japanese government needs to renew guidelines for education, Active Learning has surfaced as a method capable of providing the necessary knowledge and training for people in all areas of society, helping them reach their full potential. It has become accepted that Active Learning is more effective over the passive listening of lectures, where there is little to no interaction. Active Learning emphasizes that learners explain their thoughts, ask questions, and express their opinions, resulting in a better retention rate of the subject at hand. In this review, I introduce an Active Learning support tool developed at Digital Knowledge, "Clica". This tool is currently being used at many educational institutions. I will also introduce an online questionnaire that Digital Knowledge provided at the 10th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Pharmaceutical Palliative Care and Sciences.

Differentiated Learning: From Policy to Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Martin; Monk, Sue; Keddie, Amanda; Renshaw, Peter; Christie, Pam; Geelan, David; Gowlett, Christina

2014-01-01

This paper explores the impact of a Teaching and Learning Audit of all government schools in Queensland, Australia. This audit has a concern with the extent to which schools "differentiate classroom learning". We note that in England, since September 2012, one of the standards that teachers have been expected to demonstrate is an ability…

Roles of Teachers in Orchestrating Learning in Elementary Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhai, Junqing; Tan, Aik-Ling

2015-01-01

This study delves into the different roles that elementary science teachers play in the classroom to orchestrate science learning opportunities for students. Examining the classroom practices of three elementary science teachers in Singapore, we found that teachers shuttle between four key roles in enabling student learning in science. Teachers…

Contemporary Issues in Group Learning in Undergraduate Science Classrooms: A Perspective from Student Engagement.

PubMed

Hodges, Linda C

2018-06-01

As the use of collaborative-learning methods such as group work in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics classes has grown, so has the research into factors impacting effectiveness, the kinds of learning engendered, and demographic differences in student response. Generalizing across the range of this research is complicated by the diversity of group-learning approaches used. In this overview, I discuss theories of how group-work formats support or hinder learning based on the ICAP (interactive, constructive, active, passive) framework of student engagement. I then use this model to analyze current issues in group learning, such as the nature of student discourse during group work, the role of group learning in making our classrooms inclusive, and how classroom spaces factor into group learning. I identify key gaps for further research and propose implications from this research for teaching practice. This analysis helps identify essential, effective, and efficient features of group learning, thus providing faculty with constructive guidelines to support their work and affirm their efforts.

Science on a Sphere and Data in the Classroom: A Marriage Between Limitless Learning Experiences.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zepecki, S., III; Dean, A. F.; Pisut, D.

2017-12-01

NOAA and other agencies have contributed significantly to the creation and distribution of educational materials to enhance the public understanding of the interconnectedness of the Earth processes and human activities. Intended for two different learning audiences, Science on a Sphere and Data in the Classroom are both educational tools used to enhance understanding of our world and how human activity influences change. Recently, NOAA has undertaken the task of marrying Data in the Classroom's NGSS aligned curriculum, which includes topics such as El Niño, sea level rise, and coral bleaching, with Science on a Sphere's Earth and space data visualization exhibits. This partnership allows for the fluidity of NOAA's data-driven learning materials, and fosters the homogeneity of formal and informal learning experiences for varied audiences.

Re-Conceptualizing Emotion and Motivation to Learn in Classroom Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Debra K.; Turner, Julianne C.

2006-01-01

To better inform and improve classroom teaching and learning, now more than ever before, educational researchers need to effectively and efficiently describe essential components of positive learning environments. In this article, we discuss how our research findings about motivation in classrooms have led to a closer examination of emotions. We…

Designing the Electronic Classroom: Applying Learning Theory and Ergonomic Design Principles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emmons, Mark; Wilkinson, Frances C.

2001-01-01

Applies learning theory and ergonomic principles to the design of effective learning environments for library instruction. Discusses features of electronic classroom ergonomics, including the ergonomics of physical space, environmental factors, and workstations; and includes classroom layouts. (Author/LRW)

The Impact of Mobile Learning on Students' Learning Behaviours and Performance: Report from a Large Blended Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Minjuan; Shen, Ruimin; Novak, Daniel; Pan, Xiaoyan

2009-01-01

Chinese classrooms, whether on school grounds or online, have long suffered from a lack of interactivity. Many online classes simply provide recorded instructor lectures, which only reinforces the negative effects of passive nonparticipatory learning. At Shanghai Jiaotong University, researchers and developers actively seek technologic…

Using Geospatial Information Technologies and Field Research to Enhance Classroom Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schacht, Walter H.; Guru, Ashu; Reece, Patrick E.; Volesky, Jerry D.; Cotton, Dan

2005-01-01

A focus of grazing management courses is the cause-effect relationships between grazing livestock distribution and environmental and management variables. A learning module for the classroom was developed to enable students to actively study livestock distribution by analyzing recently collected data from an on-ranch situation. Data were collected…

Classroom Management. TESOL Classroom Practice Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrell, Thomas S. C., Ed.

2008-01-01

This series captures the dynamics of the contemporary ESOL classroom. It showcases state-of-the-art curricula, materials, tasks, and activities reflecting emerging trends in language education and seeks to build localized language teaching and learning theories based on teachers' and students' unique experiences in and beyond the classroom. Each…

Outside the Classroom and beyond Psychology: A Citation Analysis of the Scientific Influence of Teaching Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomcho, Thomas J.; Foels, Rob; Walter, Mark I.; Yerkes, Kyle; Brady, Brittany; Erdman, Molly; Dantoni, Lindsay; Venables, Megan; Manry, Allison

2015-01-01

A primary objective for researchers who publish teaching activities and methods in the "Teaching of Psychology" (ToP) is to inform best practices in classroom teaching. Beyond the learning effect in the classroom, these ToP teaching activity and method articles may also have a "scientific" effect that heretofore researchers…

Differentiated Learning Environment--A Classroom for Quadratic Equation, Function and Graphs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dinç, Emre

2017-01-01

This paper will cover the design of a learning environment as a classroom regarding the Quadratic Equations, Functions and Graphs. The goal of the learning environment offered in the paper is to design a classroom where students will enjoy the process, use their skills they already have during the learning process, control and plan their learning…

The "flipped classroom" approach: Stimulating positive learning attitudes and improving mastery of histology among medical students.

PubMed

Cheng, Xin; Ka Ho Lee, Kenneth; Chang, Eric Y; Yang, Xuesong

2017-07-01

Traditional medical education methodologies have been dramatically impacted by the introduction of new teaching approaches over the past few decades. In particular, the "flipped classroom" format has drawn a great deal of attention. However, evidence regarding the effectiveness of the flipped model remains limited due to a lack of outcome-based studies. In the present study, a pilot histology curriculum of the organ systems was implemented among 24 Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) students in a flipped classroom format at Jinan University. As a control, another 87 TCM students followed a conventional histology curriculum. The academic performance of the two groups was compared. In addition, a questionnaire was administered to the flipped classroom group. The test scores for the flipped classroom participants were found to be significantly higher compared to non-participants in the control group. These results suggest that students may benefit from using the flipped classroom format. Follow-up questionnaires also revealed that most of the flipped classroom participants undertook relatively more earnest preparations before class and were actively involved in classroom learning activities. The teachers were also found to have more class time for leading discussions and delivering quizzes rather than repeating rote didactics. Consequently, the increased teaching and learning activities contributed to a better performance among the flipped classroom group. This pilot study suggests that a flipped classroom approach can be used to improve histology education among medical students. However, future studies employing randomization, larger numbers of students, and more precise tracking methods are needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn. Anat Sci Educ 10: 317-327. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.

Associations of teacher credibility and teacher affinity with learning outcomes in health classrooms

PubMed Central

Anderman, Eric M.; O’Connell, Ann A.

2011-01-01

In the present study (N = 633), we examine the role of teacher credibility and teacher affinity in classrooms. We explore the relations among these two characteristics and student gains in knowledge and valuing of learning about HIV and pregnancy prevention across high school classrooms. Results marshaled support for the notion that teacher characteristics are associated with classroom-level gains in learning outcomes. Above and beyond student-level predictors, teacher credibility (aggregated to the classroom level) was positively related to increases in knowledge across classrooms, whereas aggregated teacher affinity was positively related to an increased valuing of learning about HIV and pregnancy prevention across classrooms. Future directions and implications for practice are discussed. PMID:24876800

Active Learning in Secondary Schools: Educational Media and Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Page, Marilyn

The incorporation of media and technology into the classroom does not ensure the enhancement of student learning. Research has shown that students learn more through active participation in their own learning process. From 1984 to 1987, a teacher's secondary social studies students were actively involved in the National History Day Program (NHDP),…

Using Low-Tech Interactions in the Chemistry Classroom to Engage Students in Active Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaver, Michael P.

2010-01-01

Two complementary techniques to gauge student understanding and inspire interactive learning in the chemistry classroom are presented. Specifically, this article explores the use of student responses with their thumbs as an alternative to electronic-response systems and complementing these experiences with longer, task-based questions in an…

Active Learning and Flipped Classroom, Hand in Hand Approach to Improve Students Learning in Human Anatomy and Physiology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Entezari, Maria; Javdan, Mohammad

2016-01-01

Because Human Anatomy and Physiology (A&P), a gateway course for allied health majors, has high dropout rates nationally, it is challenging to find a successful pedagogical intervention. Reports on the effect of integration of flipped classrooms and whether it improves learning are contradictory for different disciplines. Thus many educators…

Chaos in the Classroom: Center Learning in a 1st Grade Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lanaux, Courtney F.; Vice, Kristen E.; Fashing-Varner, Kenneth J.

2014-01-01

How can centers be utilized in a classroom so students have full control of what they are learning and when? Can centers be used effectively post-kindergarten? During student teaching in a first grade classroom in southeast Louisiana, two student teachers, their classroom mentor teacher, and the 1st grade students experienced center learning that…

Learning in a Physics Classroom Community: Physics Learning Identity Construct Development, Measurement and Validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Sissi L.

At the university level, introductory science courses usually have high student to teacher ratios which increases the challenge to meaningfully connect with students. Various curricula have been developed in physics education to actively engage students in learning through social interactions with peers and instructors in class. This learning environment demands not only conceptual understanding but also learning to be a scientist. However, the success of student learning is typically measured in test performance and course grades while assessment of student development as science learners is largely ignored. This dissertation addresses this issue with the development of an instrument towards a measure of physics learning identity (PLI) which is used to guide and complement case studies through student interviews and in class observations. Using the conceptual framework based on Etienne Wenger's communities of practice (1998), I examine the relationship between science learning and learning identity from a situated perspective in the context of a large enrollment science class as a community of practice. This conceptual framework emphasizes the central role of identity in the practices negotiated in the classroom community and in the way students figure out their trajectory as members. Using this framework, I seek to understand how the changes in student learning identity are supported by active engagement based instruction. In turn, this understanding can better facilitate the building of a productive learning community and provide a measure for achievement of the curricular learning goals in active engagement strategies. Based on the conceptual framework, I developed and validated an instrument for measuring physics learning identity in terms of student learning preferences, self-efficacy for learning physics, and self-image as a physics learner. The instrument was pilot tested with a population of Oregon State University students taking calculus based

A Classroom Activity: Tracking El Niño

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ribbe, Joachim

2016-01-01

This paper aims to introduce an activity for teachers to assist in meeting learning outcomes as defined in the earth and environmental science units of the Australian Curriculum. The focus of the classroom tasks is on a global ocean feature referred to as El Niño. This phenomenon is part of the El Niño Southern Oscillation, which is largely…

Implementation of Multiple Intelligences Supported Project-Based Learning in EFL/ESL Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bas, Gokhan

2008-01-01

This article deals with the implementation of Multiple Intelligences supported Project-Based learning in EFL/ESL Classrooms. In this study, after Multiple Intelligences supported Project-based learning was presented shortly, the implementation of this learning method into English classrooms. Implementation process of MI supported Project-based…

Healthcare students' experiences when integrating e-learning and flipped classroom instructional approaches.

PubMed

Telford, Mark; Senior, Emma

2017-06-08

This article describes the experiences of undergraduate healthcare students taking a module adopting a 'flipped classroom' approach. Evidence suggests that flipped classroom as a pedagogical tool has the potential to enhance student learning and to improve healthcare practice. This innovative approach was implemented within a healthcare curriculum and in a module looking at public health delivered at the beginning of year two of a 3-year programme. The focus of the evaluation study was on the e-learning resources used in the module and the student experiences of these; with a specific aim to evaluate this element of the flipped classroom approach. A mixed-methods approach was adopted and data collected using questionnaires, which were distributed across a whole cohort, and a focus group involving ten participants. Statistical analysis of the data showed the positive student experience of engaging with e-learning. The thematic analysis identified two key themes; factors influencing a positive learning experience and the challenges when developing e-learning within a flipped classroom approach. The study provides guidance for further developments and improvements when developing e-learning as part of the flipped classroom approach.

Opportunities to Create Active Learning Techniques in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camacho, Danielle J.; Legare, Jill M.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article is to contribute to the growing body of research that focuses on active learning techniques. Active learning techniques require students to consider a given set of information, analyze, process, and prepare to restate what has been learned--all strategies are confirmed to improve higher order thinking skills. Active…

Smart Classroom: Bringing Pervasive Computing into Distance Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Yuanchun; Qin, Weijun; Suo, Yue; Xiao, Xin

In recent years, distance learning has increasingly become one of themost important applications on the internet and is being discussed and studied by various universities, institutes and companies. The Web/Internet provides relatively easy ways to publish hyper-linked multimedia content for more audiences. Yet, we find that most of the courseware are simply shifted from textbook to HTML files. However, in ost cases the teacher's live instruction is very important for catching the attention and interest of the students. That's why Real-Time Interactive Virtual Classroom (RTIVC) always plays an indispensable role in distance learning, where teachers nd students located in different places can take part in the class synchronously through certain multimedia communication systems and obtain real-time and mediarich interactions using Pervasive Computing technologies [1]. The Classroom 2000 project [2] at GIT has been devoted to the automated capturing of the classroom experience. Likewise, the Smart Classroom project [3] at our institute is focused on Tele-education. Most currently deployed real-time Tele-education systems are desktop-based, in which the teacher's experience is totally different from teaching in a real classroom.

Classroom Noise and Children Learning through a Second Language: Double Jeopardy?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Peggy; Kohnert, Kathryn; Sabur, Sabina; Shaw, Daniel

2005-01-01

Purpose: Two studies were conducted to investigate the effects of classroom noise on attention and speech perception in native Spanish-speaking second graders learning English as their second language (L2) as compared to English-only-speaking (EO) peers. Method: Study 1 measured children's on-task behavior during instructional activities with and…

What if Teachers Learn in the Classroom?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soini, Tiina; Pietarinen, Janne; Pyhältö, Kirsi

2016-01-01

This study focuses on exploring teacher learning in terms of teachers' professional agency embedded in the classroom. Teachers' sense of professional agency is related to perceiving instruction as a bidirectional process, use of students as a resource for professional learning and continuous reflection on teaching practices. Accordingly, the…

Exploring teachers' learning: A teacher's experiences integrating scientific modeling in the science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez Maza, Mirta Elizabeth

This study, a narrative inquiry into the teaching of models and modeling in an elementary science classroom, explores a teacher's growth in pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) as she implemented a novel curriculum adapted from the MoDeLS (Modeling Designs for the Learning of Science) project. The purpose of the study was to explore, from the teacher's point of view, the pedagogical and conceptual changes she underwent while implementing a model-based approach in her classroom. The study summarizes the teacher's experiences, her decisions about teaching, her understanding of how her choices and practices influenced her content knowledge (CK), her PCK, and her motivations for changing her teaching. During the three years of the project I collected data from four science units (Astronomy, Animal Science, Electricity, and Light). Each of the units were observed and videotaped and Ms. Delaney (pseudonym), the classroom teacher, audio-recorded her practices every day. I observed and analyzed classroom videotapes in order to explore how Ms. Delaney's modeling practices unfolded and changed in her classroom and how her PCK on modeling developed. I analyzed professional development activities and informal interviews conducted during and after the units. Subsequently I interviewed Ms. Delaney about these issues using open-ended questions and video clips of her classroom practices. Three aspects of models and modeling expressed in the MoDeLS project were taken into account as I developed categories of analysis: a) models have purpose; b) models have limitations; and c) models change. These categories and the codes proposed were revised and refined while analyzing the data. The findings from the interview analyses and the classroom practices showed that Ms. Delaney developed new CK around models and modeling throughout the three years she was involved in the project. She adapted some of the proposed strategies from the MoDeLS project and adopted them in her curriculum in ways

Acoustical Barriers To Learning: Children at Risk in Every Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Peggy B.; Soli, Sig

2000-01-01

This article reviews relevant literature on acoustical barriers to successful learning and provides guidance for school personnel making decisions regarding classroom facilities. Effects of noisy classrooms on young listeners, second language learners, and those with hearing loss are discussed. A rationale for the classroom acoustics standards is…

Outdoor Classrooms--Planning Makes Perfect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haines, Sarah

2006-01-01

Schoolyard wildlife habitats aren't just for beauty and fun--they are outdoor classrooms where real science learning takes place. Schoolyard habitat projects involve conservation and restoration of wildlife habitat; however, the learning doesn't have to stop there--outdoor classrooms can foster many kinds of active learning across the curriculum…

Effects of Sharing Clickers in an Active Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniel, Todd; Tivener, Kristin

2016-01-01

Scientific research into learning enhancement gained by the use of clickers in active classrooms has largely focused on the use of individual clickers. In this study, we compared the learning experiences of participants in active learning groups in which an entire small group shared a single clicker to groups in which each member of the group had…

Moving toward heutagogical learning: Illuminating undergraduate nursing students' experiences in a flipped classroom.

PubMed

Green, Rebecca D; Schlairet, Maura C

2017-02-01

Nurse educators rely on the tenets of educational theory and evidence-based education to promote the most effective curriculum and facilitate the best outcomes. The flipped classroom model, in which students assume personal responsibility for knowledge acquisition in a highly engaging and interactive environment, supports self-directed learning and the unique needs of clinical education. To understand how students perceived their experiences in the flipped classroom and how students' learning dispositions were affected by the flipped classroom experience. A phenomenological approach was used to gain deeper understanding about students' perspectives, perceptions and subjective experiences of the flipped classroom model. The focus of the study was on characteristics of student learning. Fourteen Bachelors of Science of Nursing (BSN) students at a regional university in the southeastern United States. Using data transcribed from face-to-face, semi-structured interviews, experiential themes were extracted from the qualitative data (student-reported experiences, attributes, thoughts, values, and beliefs regarding teaching and learning in the context of their experience of the flipped classroom) using Graneheim's and Lundman's (2004) guidelines; and were coded and analyzed within theoretical categories based on pedagogical, andragogical or heutagogical learning dispositions. Experiential themes that emerged from students' descriptions of their experiences in the flipped classroom included discernment, challenge, relevance, responsibility, and expertise. The flipped classroom model offers promising possibilities for facilitating students' movement from learning that is characteristic of pedagogy and andragogy toward heutagogical learning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prioritizing Active Learning: An Exploration of Gateway Courses in Political Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archer, Candace C.; Miller, Melissa K.

2011-01-01

Prior research in political science and other disciplines demonstrates the pedagogical and practical benefits of active learning. Less is known, however, about the extent to which active learning is used in political science classrooms. This study assesses the prioritization of active learning in "gateway" political science courses, paying…

Learning at Workstations in Two Different Environments: A Museum and a Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sturm, Heike; Bogner, Franz X.

2010-01-01

Our study compared the learning and motivational outcome of one educational approach in two different learning environments, a natural science museum and a classroom, drawing on studies about the effects of field trips on students' learning and motivation. The educational intervention consisted of an introduction phase in the classroom and…

Learning Environments in Information and Communications Technology Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zandvliet, David B.; Fraser, Barry J.

2004-01-01

The study of learning environments provides a useful research framework for investigating the effects of educational innovations such as those which are associated with the use of the Internet in classroom settings. This study reports an investigation into the use of Internet technologies in high-school classrooms in Australia and Canada.…

A Unified Model of Student Engagement in Classroom Learning and Classroom Learning Environment: One Measure and One Underlying Construct

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavanagh, Robert F.

2015-01-01

This study employed the capabilities-expectations model of engagement in classroom learning based on bio-ecological frameworks of intellectual development and flow theory. According to the capabilities-expectations model, engagement requires a balance between the capabilities of a student for learning in a particular situation and what is expected…

Humorous Materials to Enhance Active Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, J. L.; Wilson, K.; Miller, J.; Enomoto, K.

2017-01-01

The use of humour in teaching and learning can be contentious, with some authors suggesting that the efficacy of humorous materials is mediated by the culture of the student. Nevertheless, humour represents a potential vehicle for the introduction of active learning in a classroom setting, as judicious use of humour may lead to a more relaxed…

The Impact of the Flipped Classroom on Mathematics Concept Learning in High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhagat, Kaushal Kumar; Chang, Cheng-Nan; Chang, Chun-Yen

2016-01-01

The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the flipped classroom learning environment on learner's learning achievement and motivation, as well as to investigate the effects of flipped classrooms on learners with different achievement levels in learning mathematics concepts. The learning achievement and motivation were measured by the…

An active-learning strategies primer for achieving ability-based educational outcomes.

PubMed

Gleason, Brenda L; Peeters, Michael J; Resman-Targoff, Beth H; Karr, Samantha; McBane, Sarah; Kelley, Kristi; Thomas, Tyan; Denetclaw, Tina H

2011-11-10

Active learning is an important component of pharmacy education. By engaging students in the learning process, they are better able to apply the knowledge they gain. This paper describes evidence supporting the use of active-learning strategies in pharmacy education and also offers strategies for implementing active learning in pharmacy curricula in the classroom and during pharmacy practice experiences.

Social aspects of classroom learning: Results of a discourse analysis in an inquiry-oriented physical chemistry class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, Nicole M.

Engaging students in classroom discourse offers opportunities for students to participate in the construction of joint understandings, to negotiate relationships between different types of evidence, and to practice making evidence-based claims about science content. However, close attention to social aspects of learning is critical to creating inquiry-oriented classroom environments in which students learn with understanding. This study examined the social influences that contribute to classroom learning in an inquiry-oriented undergraduate physical chemistry class using the Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) approach. A qualitative approach to analyzing classroom discourse derived from Toulmin's (1968) model of argumentation was used to document patterns in classroom reasoning that reflect normative aspects of social interaction. Adapting the constructs of social and sociomathematical norms from the work of Yackel and Cobb (1996), I describe social aspects of the classroom environment by discussing normative aspects of social interaction (social norms) and discipline-specific criteria related to reasoning and justification in chemistry contexts, referred to here as sociochemical norms. This work discusses four social norms and two sociochemical norms that were documented over a five-week period of observation in Dr. Black's POGIL physical chemistry class. In small group activities, the socially established expectations that students explain reasoning, negotiate understandings of terminology and symbolic representations, and arrive at a consensus on critical thinking questions shaped small group interactions and reasoning. In whole class discussion, there was an expectation that students share reasoning with the class, and that the instructor provide feedback on student reasoning in ways that extended student contributions and elaborated relationships between macroscopic, particulate, and symbolic-level ideas. The ways in which the class constructed

Framing and Assessing Classroom Opportunity to Learn: The Case of Mexico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Bryant; Pérez Martínez, María Guadalupe; Aguilar Escobar, Angélica

2016-01-01

Educational policy in Mexico and throughout Latin America is shifting focus from school access to school quality. Improving "quality" is often interpreted as enhancing student learning opportunities, but three issues remain unresolved: (a) what constitutes opportunity to learn (OTL) in classrooms; (b) how to assess classroom OTL (COTL);…

Teaching Intercultural English Learning/Teaching in World Englishes: Some Classroom Activities in South Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Kang-Young

2012-01-01

This paper discusses what intercultural English learning/teaching (IELT) is in English as a world Englishes (WEes) and how IELT can contribute to the development of proficiency/competence among WEes and can be fitted into actual WEes classrooms. This is to claim that IELT be a pivotal contextual factor facilitating success in…

Just-in-Time Teaching in Statistics Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGee, Monnie; Stokes, Lynne; Nadolsky, Pavel

2016-01-01

Much has been made of the flipped classroom as an approach to teaching, and its effect on student learning. The volume of material showing that the flipped classroom technique helps students better learn and better retain material is increasing at a rapid pace. Coupled with this technique is active learning in the classroom. There are many ways of…

Field-Study Science Classrooms as Positive and Enjoyable Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaragoza, Julien M.; Fraser, Barry J.

2017-01-01

We investigated differences between field-study classrooms and traditional science classrooms in terms of the learning environment and students' attitudes to science, as well as the differential effectiveness of field-study classrooms for students differing in sex and English proficiency. A modified version of selected scales from the What Is…

Optimizing Classroom Instruction through Self-Paced Learning Prototype

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bautista, Romiro G.

2015-01-01

This study investigated the learning impact of self-paced learning prototype in optimizing classroom instruction towards students' learning in Chemistry. Two sections of 64 Laboratory High School students in Chemistry were used as subjects of the study. The Quasi-Experimental and Correlation Research Design was used in the study: a pre-test was…

Using Representational Tools to Learn about Complex Systems: A Tale of Two Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hmelo-Silver, Cindy E.; Liu, Lei; Gray, Steven; Jordan, Rebecca

2015-01-01

Orchestrating inquiry-based science learning in the classroom is a complex undertaking. It requires fitting the culture of the classroom with the teacher's teaching and inquiry practices. To understand the interactions between these variables in relation to student learning, we conducted an investigation in two different classroom settings to…

The Effectiveness of Three Experiential Teaching Approaches on Student Science Learning in Fifth-Grade Public School Classrooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Kristin; Wells, Marcella

2002-01-01

Compares the effects of three experiential science lessons in meeting the objectives of the Colorado model content science standards. Uses Kolb's (1984) experiential learning model as a framework for understanding the process by which students engage in learning when participating in experiential learning activities. Uses classroom exams and…

Graduate Faculty Perceptions of Experiential Learning Activities in Multicultural Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Su, Yu-Han

2012-01-01

Current graduate programs employ many effective teaching methods. One of these methods, using experiential learning activities (Lee & Caffarella, 1994) in class, includes the subcomponents of cooperative learning, self-directed learning, and active learning. While these methods are commonly used, not much scholarly literature has examined the…

Associations between the Classroom Learning Environment and Student Engagement in Learning 1: A Rasch Model Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavanagh, Rob

2012-01-01

This report is about one of two phases in an investigation into associations between student engagement in classroom learning and the classroom learning environment. Both phases applied the same instrumentation to the same sample. The difference between the phases was in the measurement approach applied. This report is about application of the…

Classroom Activity Connections: Lessons from Fluorescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacCormac, Aoife; O'Brien, Emma; O'Kennedy, Richard

2010-01-01

This Classroom Activity Connections paper describes an extension to the "JCE" Classroom Activity #68 "Turning on the Light". A number of additional common items that display fluorescence under UV light are described, including fruits, vegetables, and seashells. Two classroom extensions on fluorescence are also described. From these activities,…

PUPIL-TEACHER ADJUSTEMENT AND MUTUAL ADAPTATION IN CREATING CLASSROOM LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

FOX, ROBERT S.; AND OTHERS

AN ANALYSIS OF THE DYNAMICS OF THE LEARNING SITUATIONS IN A VARIETY OF PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOMS WAS UNDERTAKEN. THE PROJECT MADE A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PATTERNS OF COOPERATION OR ALIENATION AMONG PARENTS, TEACHERS, PEERS, AND INDIVIDUAL PUPILS. THE PATTERNS CREATE LEARNING CULTURES OF DIFFERENT PRODUCTIVITY IN VARIOUS CLASSROOMS. THE DATA…

Experiential Learning through Classroom Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowes, David; Johnson, Jay

2008-01-01

This paper describes classroom experiments in cooperative behavior as examples of experiential learning in economics classes. Several games are briefly discussed and a new game in cartel behavior is presented. In this game, Students make production decisions as a cartel and earn revenues based on their own output decision and the output decision…

Focusing on Active, Meaningful Learning. IDEA Paper No. 34.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stalheim-Smith, Ann

This paper discusses active and meaningful learning and the application of this instructional approach to the college classroom, focusing on techniques used in the author's biology classes. Active and meaningful learning places emphasis on students actually doing things and thinking about what they are doing, relating new information to…

Bubble Festival: Presenting Bubble Activities in a Learning Station Format. Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barber, Jacqueline; Willard, Carolyn

This learning station guide adapts the Bubble Festival, an all-school event, for individual classrooms. It presents students with a variety of different challenges at learning stations set up around the classroom. The activities are student-centered and involve open-ended investigations. Also included are ways to extend students' experiences at…

A Biological Brain in a Cultural Classroom: Applying Biological Research to Classroom Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sylwester, Robert

This book applies the latest in brain research and learning theory to classroom management. The concepts of psychoneurophysiology are made readily accessible. The book offers creative data gathering activities to help students manage their own behavior and to help teachers learn how their own behavior impacts the classroom environment. The seven…

Professional Learning outside the Classroom: Expedition Iceland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordan, Julie; Bull, Sue

2012-01-01

A bunch of intrepid teachers spent a week in Iceland in a quest to learn more about the country's challenging landscape, by engaging in a unique and inspiring professional development opportunity to learn about innovative ways to teach science and mathematics outside of a classroom setting. A 2008 Ofsted report highlighted the benefits of learning…

An Active-Learning Strategies Primer for Achieving Ability-Based Educational Outcomes

PubMed Central

Gleason, Brenda L.; Peeters, Michael J.; Resman-Targoff, Beth H.; Karr, Samantha; McBane, Sarah; Kelley, Kristi; Thomas, Tyan

2011-01-01

Active learning is an important component of pharmacy education. By engaging students in the learning process, they are better able to apply the knowledge they gain. This paper describes evidence supporting the use of active-learning strategies in pharmacy education and also offers strategies for implementing active learning in pharmacy curricula in the classroom and during pharmacy practice experiences. PMID:22171114

Toward Epistemologically Authentic Engineering Design Activities in the Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leonard, Mary J.

2004-01-01

In recent years educators and educational researchers in the U.S. have begun to introduce engineering design activities in secondary science classrooms for the purpose of scaffolding science learning as well as supporting such general problem-solving skills as decision making and working in teams. However, such curricula risk perpetuating a…

Learning by Doing: Twenty Successful Active Learning Exercises for Information Systems Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Alanah; Petter, Stacie; Harris, Albert L.

2017-01-01

Aim/Purpose: This paper provides a review of previously published work related to active learning in information systems (IS) courses. Background: There are a rising number of strategies in higher education that offer promise in regards to getting students' attention and helping them learn, such as flipped classrooms and offering courses online.…

Turning from the Shadows: Meno, the Cave, and the Service-Learning Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blosser, Joe

2014-01-01

Reading Plato's "Meno" and the "Republic's" allegory of the cave in the context of a service-learning classroom involves students in a drama urging them to become self-conscious participants in the active pedagogy of the class. The "Meno" illustrates two competing philosophies of education as it invites students and…

Increasing Student Metacognition and Learning through Classroom-Based Learning Communities and Self-Assessment †

PubMed Central

Siegesmund, Amy

2016-01-01

Student overconfidence challenges success in introductory biology. This study examined the impact of classroom learning communities and self-assessment on student metacognition and subsequent impact on student epistemological beliefs, behaviors, and learning. Students wrote weekly self-assessments reflecting on the process of learning and received individual feedback. Students completed a learning strategies inventory focused on metacognition and study behaviors at the beginning and end of the semester and a Student Assessment of their Learning Gains (SALG) at the end of the semester. Results indicated significant changes in both metacognition and study behaviors over the course of the semester, with a positive impact on learning as determined by broad and singular measures. Self-assessments and SALG data demonstrated a change in student beliefs and behaviors. Taken together, these findings argue that classroom learning communities and self-assessment can increase student metacognition and change student epistemological beliefs and behaviors. PMID:27158301

Residents' views of the role of classroom-based learning in graduate medical education through the lens of academic half days.

PubMed

Chen, Luke Y C; McDonald, Julie A; Pratt, Daniel D; Wisener, Katherine M; Jarvis-Selinger, Sandra

2015-04-01

To examine the role of classroom-based learning in graduate medical education through the lens of academic half days (AHDs) by exploring residents' perceptions of AHDs' purpose and relevance and the effectiveness of teaching and learning in AHDs. The authors invited a total of 186 residents in three programs (internal medicine, orthopedic surgery, and hematology) at the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine to participate in semistructured focus groups from October 2010 to February 2011. Verbatim transcripts of the interviews underwent inductive analysis. Twenty-seven residents across the three programs volunteered to participate. Two major findings emerged. Purpose and relevance of AHDs: Residents believed that AHDs are primarily for knowledge acquisition and should complement clinical learning. Classroom learning facilitated consolidation of clinical experiences with expert clinical reasoning. Social aspects of AHDs were highly valued as an important secondary purpose. Perceived effectiveness of teaching and learning: Case-based teaching engaged residents in critical thinking; active learning was valued. Knowledge retention was considered suboptimal. Perspectives on the concept of AHDs as "protected time" varied in the three programs. Findings suggest that (1) engagement in classroom learning occurs through participation in clinically oriented discussions that highlight expert reasoning processes; (2) formal classroom teaching, which focuses on knowledge acquisition, can enhance informal learning occurring during clinical activity; and (3) social aspects of AHDs, including their role in creating communities of practice in residency programs and in professional identity formation, are an important, underappreciated asset for residency programs.

Developing learning environments which support early algebraic reasoning: a case from a New Zealand primary classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunter, Jodie

2014-12-01

Current reforms in mathematics education advocate the development of mathematical learning communities in which students have opportunities to engage in mathematical discourse and classroom practices which underlie algebraic reasoning. This article specifically addresses the pedagogical actions teachers take which structure student engagement in dialogical discourse and activity which facilitates early algebraic reasoning. Using videotaped recordings of classroom observations, the teacher and researcher collaboratively examined the classroom practices and modified the participatory practices to develop a learning environment which supported early algebraic reasoning. Facilitating change in the classroom environment was a lengthy process which required consistent and ongoing attention initially to the social norms and then to the socio-mathematical norms. Specific pedagogical actions such as the use of specifically designed tasks, materials and representations and a constant press for justification and generalisation were required to support students to link their numerical understandings to algebraic reasoning.

Learning Design and Inquiry in Australian History Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, Kay

2012-01-01

Global and digital connectivity transform Australian classrooms by creating rich environments for inquiry learning. Developing inquiry learning in this Information Communication Technology (ICT) context is an Australian educational goal. Recently the Australian Curriculum reform and the Digital Education Revolution has become a catalyst for…

Connecting Classroom and Museum Learning with Mobile Devices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maher, Damian

2015-01-01

Many schools in industrialized and developing countries are now using mobiles devices. This has the potential to connect learning that occurs in classrooms and museums. This article focuses on the use of iPads by a year 6 class (12 years old) in Sydney Australia, which were used both in the classroom and on a museum excursion. The study uses a…

Perceptions of Active Learning between Faculty and Undergraduates: Differing Views among Departments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patrick, Lorelei E.; Howell, Leigh Anne; Wischusen, William

2016-01-01

There have been numerous calls recently to increase the use of active learning in university science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) classrooms to more actively engage students and enhance student learning. However, few studies have investigated faculty and student perceptions regarding the effectiveness of active learning or the…

Examining Alignment between State Performance Assessment and Mathematics Classroom Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parke, Carol S.; Lane, Suzanne

2008-01-01

The authors describe research on the extent to which mathematics classroom activities in Maryland were aligned with Maryland learning outcomes and the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP; Maryland State Department of Education, 1995, 2000). The study was part of a larger research project (S. Lane, C. S. Parke, & C. A. Stone,…

CALLing All Foreign Language Teachers: Computer-Assisted Language Learning in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erben, Tony, Ed.; Sarieva, Iona, Ed.

2008-01-01

This book is a comprehensive guide to help foreign language teachers use technology in their classrooms. It offers the best ways to integrate technology into teaching for student-centered learning. CALL Activities include: Email; Building a Web site; Using search engines; Powerpoint; Desktop publishing; Creating sound files; iMovie; Internet chat;…

WebIntera-Classroom: An Interaction-Aware Virtual Learning Environment for Augmenting Learning Interactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Jingjing; Xu, Jianliang; Tang, Tao; Chen, Rongchao

2017-01-01

Interaction is critical for successful teaching and learning in a virtual learning environment (VLE). This paper presents a web-based interaction-aware VLE--WebIntera-classroom--which aims to augment learning interactions by increasing the learner-to-content and learner-to-instructor interactions. We design a ubiquitous interactive interface that…

Classroom Journal Club: Collaborative Study of Contemporary Primary Literature in the Biomechanics Classroom.

PubMed

Kuxhaus, Laurel; Corbiere, Nicole C

2016-07-01

Current engineering pedagogy primarily focuses on developing technical proficiency and problem solving skills; the peer-review process for sharing new research results is often overlooked. The use of a collaborative classroom journal club can engage students with the excitement of scientific discovery and the process of dissemination of research results, which are also important lifelong learning skills. In this work, a classroom journal club was implemented and a survey of student perceptions spanning three student cohorts was collected. In this collaborative learning activity, students regularly chose and discussed a recent biomechanics journal article, and were assessed based on specific, individual preparation tasks. Most student-chosen journal articles were relevant to topics discussed in the regular class lecture. Surveys assessed student perceptions of the activity. The survey responses show that, across all cohorts, students both enjoyed the classroom journal club and recognized it as an important learning experience. Many reported discussing their journal articles with others outside of the classroom, indicating good engagement. The results demonstrate that student engagement with primary literature can foster both technical knowledge and lifelong learning skills.

Associations between the Classroom Learning Environment and Student Engagement in Learning 2: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harbaugh, Allen G.; Cavanagh, Robert F.

2012-01-01

This report is about the second of two phases in an investigation into associations between student engagement in classroom learning and the classroom-learning environment. Whereas the first phase utilized Rasch modelling (Cavanagh, 2012), this report uses latent variable modelling to explore the data. The investigations in both phases of this…

Incorporation of Socio-scientific Content into Active Learning Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, D. B.; Lewis, J. E.; Anderson, K.; Latch, D.; Sutheimer, S.; Webster, G.; Moog, R.

2014-12-01

Active learning has gained increasing support as an effective pedagogical technique to improve student learning. One way to promote active learning in the classroom is the use of in-class activities in place of lecturing. As part of an NSF-funded project, a set of in-class activities have been created that use climate change topics to teach chemistry content. These activities use the Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) methodology. In this pedagogical approach a set of models and a series of critical thinking questions are used to guide students through the introduction to or application of course content. Students complete the activities in their groups, with the faculty member as a facilitator of learning. Through assigned group roles and intentionally designed activity structure, process skills, such as teamwork, communication, and information processing, are developed during completion of the activity. Each of these climate change activities contains a socio-scientific component, e.g., social, ethical and economic data. In one activity, greenhouse gases are used to explain the concept of dipole moment. Data about natural and anthropogenic production rates, global warming potential and atmospheric lifetimes for a list of greenhouse gases are presented. The students are asked to identify which greenhouse gas they would regulate, with a corresponding explanation for their choice. They are also asked to identify the disadvantages of regulating the gas they chose in the previous question. In another activity, where carbon sequestration is used to demonstrate the utility of a phase diagram, students use economic and environmental data to choose the best location for sequestration. Too often discussions about climate change (both in and outside the classroom) consist of purely emotional responses. These activities force students to use data to support their arguments and hypothesize about what other data could be used in the corresponding discussion to

Beyond the Didactic Classroom: Educational Models to Encourage Active Student Involvement in Learning

PubMed Central

Shreeve, Michael W.

2008-01-01

In a chiropractic college that utilizes a hybrid curriculum model composed of adult-based learning strategies along with traditional lecture-based course delivery, a literature search for educational delivery methods that would integrate the affective domain and the cognitive domain of learning provided some insights into the use of problem-based learning (PBL), experiential learning theory (ELT), and the emerging use of appreciative inquiry (AI) to enhance the learning experience. The purpose of this literature review is to provide a brief overview of key components of PBL, ELT, and AI in educational methodology and to discuss how these might be used within the chiropractic curriculum to supplement traditional didactic lecture courses. A growing body of literature describes the use of PBL and ELT in educational settings across many disciplines, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The use of appreciative inquiry as an instructional methodology presents a new area for exploration and study in the academic environment. Educational research in the chiropractic classroom incorporating ELT and appreciative inquiry might provide some valuable insights for future curriculum development. PMID:18483586

Beyond the didactic classroom: educational models to encourage active student involvement in learning.

PubMed

Shreeve, Michael W

2008-01-01

In a chiropractic college that utilizes a hybrid curriculum model composed of adult-based learning strategies along with traditional lecture-based course delivery, a literature search for educational delivery methods that would integrate the affective domain and the cognitive domain of learning provided some insights into the use of problem-based learning (PBL), experiential learning theory (ELT), and the emerging use of appreciative inquiry (AI) to enhance the learning experience. The purpose of this literature review is to provide a brief overview of key components of PBL, ELT, and AI in educational methodology and to discuss how these might be used within the chiropractic curriculum to supplement traditional didactic lecture courses. A growing body of literature describes the use of PBL and ELT in educational settings across many disciplines, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The use of appreciative inquiry as an instructional methodology presents a new area for exploration and study in the academic environment. Educational research in the chiropractic classroom incorporating ELT and appreciative inquiry might provide some valuable insights for future curriculum development.

Supporting the "Collaborative" Part of Wiki-Mediated Collaborative Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larusson, Johann Ari

2010-01-01

Prior research has highlighted the educational benefit of enabling students to participate in collaborative learning activities. Developing technology that extends the physical boundaries of the classroom and enables students to engage in meaningful collaborative learning activities outside class time can be of significant value. For any…

Simulating Variation in Order to Learn Classroom Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ragnemalm, Eva L.; Samuelsson, Marcus

2016-01-01

Classroom management is an important part of learning to be a teacher. The variation theory of learning provides the insight that it is important to vary the critical aspects of any task or subject that is to be learned. Simulation technology is useful in order to provide a controlled environment for that variation, and text as a medium gives the…

The Effect of Classroom Web Applications on Teaching, Learning and Academic Performance among College of Education Female Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aljraiwi, Seham Salman

2017-01-01

The current study proposes web applications-based learning environment to promote teaching and learning activities in the classrooms. It also helps teachers facilitate learners' contributions in the process of learning and improving their motivation and performance. The case study illustrated that female students were more interested in learning…

Periscope: Looking into Learning in Best-Practices Physics Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scherr, Rachel E.; Goertzen, Renee Michelle

2018-02-01

Periscope is a set of lessons to support learning assistants, teaching assistants, and faculty in learning to notice and interpret classroom events the way an accomplished teacher does. Periscope lessons are centered on video episodes from a variety of best-practices university physics classrooms. By observing, discussing, and reflecting on teaching situations similar to their own, instructors practice applying lessons learned about teaching to actual teaching situations and develop their pedagogical content knowledge. Instructors also get a view of other institutions' transformed courses, which can support and expand the vision of their own instructional improvement and support the transfer of course developments among faculty. Periscope is available for free to educators at http://physport.org/periscope.

Research-based active-learning instruction in physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meltzer, David E.; Thornton, Ronald K.

2013-04-01

The development of research-based active-learning instructional methods in physics has significantly altered the landscape of U.S. physics education during the past 20 years. Based on a recent review [D.E. Meltzer and R.K. Thornton, Am. J. Phys. 80, 478 (2012)], we define these methods as those (1) explicitly based on research in the learning and teaching of physics, (2) that incorporate classroom and/or laboratory activities that require students to express their thinking through speaking, writing, or other actions that go beyond listening and the copying of notes, or execution of prescribed procedures, and (3) that have been tested repeatedly in actual classroom settings and have yielded objective evidence of improved student learning. We describe some key features common to methods in current use. These features focus on (a) recognizing and addressing students' physics ideas, and (b) guiding students to solve problems in realistic physical settings, in novel and diverse contexts, and to justify or explain the reasoning they have used.

Mobile Learning vs. Traditional Classroom Lessons: A Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furió, D.; Juan, M.-C.; Seguí, I.; Vivó, R.

2015-01-01

Different methods can be used for learning, and they can be compared in several aspects, especially those related to learning outcomes. In this paper, we present a study in order to compare the learning effectiveness and satisfaction of children using an iPhone game for learning the water cycle vs. the traditional classroom lesson. The iPhone game…

Assessment of Learning Gains in a Flipped Biochemistry Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ojennus, Deanna Dahlke

2016-01-01

The flipped classroom has become an increasingly popular pedagogical approach to teaching and learning. In this study, learning gains were assessed in a flipped biochemistry course and compared to gains in a traditional lecture. Although measured learning gains were not significantly different between the two courses, student perception of…

The Effect of Flipped Classroom Strategy Using Blackboard Mash-Up Tools in Enhancing Achievement and Self-Regulated Learning Skills of University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-Senousy, Hala; Alquda, Jumana

2017-01-01

The flipped classroom strategy (FCRS) is an innovative instructional approach that flips the traditional teacher-centered classroom into student-centered learning, by switching the classroom and home activities using the available educational technology. This paper examined the effect of (FCRS) on students' achievement and self-regulated learning…

On-Line Learning Materials for the Science Classroom: Design Methodology and Implementation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Joseph L.; And Others

The recent introduction of the Internet into classrooms provides an opportunity for learners to access a wide range of digital resources on the World Wide Web. The development of on-line learning materials can support inquiry-based activities for students as they pursue questions of interest, plan searches, and analyze their findings. This paper…

The Impact of Peer Review on Creative Self-Efficacy and Learning Performance in Web 2.0 Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Chen-Chung; Lu, Kuan-Hsien; Wu, Leon Yufeng; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2016-01-01

Many studies have pointed out the significant contrast between the creative nature of Web 2.0 learning activities and the structured learning in school. This study proposes an approach to leveraging Web 2.0 learning activities and classroom teaching to help students develop both specific knowledge and creativity based on Csikzentmihalyi's system…

Earth-Shaking Seismology Activities for Middle School Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braile, S. J.; Braile, L. W.

2004-12-01

A sequence of related earthquake and seismology activities provides an effective curriculum unit for inquiry-based science for the middle school level. The activities allow hands-on and in-depth study, progress from relatively simple "low-tech" approaches to more advanced activities emphasizing problem-solving and use of technology, and involve significant practice with science process skills. The unit begins with an earthquake plotting activity in which student teams find recent earthquake information from the Internet and plot epicenters on a classroom map. The activity continues throughout the year and provides opportunities for discovery, connections to other seismology activities, developing map skills, and cooperative learning. Subsequent activities include investigations of plate tectonics, plate boundaries, Earth's interior structure, seismic wave propagation, plotting earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on the computer using Alan Jones' Seismic/Eruption software, earthquake hazards, magnitude and intensity scales, and use of an educational seismograph in the classroom. The near real time monitoring of earthquakes provided by the mapping exercises and the educational seismograph, and the relevance of earthquake studies, generate student excitement and long term impact. We have shared this approach and the activities with K-12 teachers in many professional development settings. Many of the activities are available online at: www.eas.purdue.edu/~braile.

[Relationships between motivational regulation strategies, motivational factors, and learning behaviors outside the classroom].

PubMed

Umemoto, Takatoyo; Tanaka, Kenshiro

2017-04-01

This study examined the relationships among motivational regulation strategies, motivational factors, and learning behaviors outside the classroom. There are three subtypes of motivational regulation strategies: autonomous regulation strategies, cooperative strategies, and performance-focused strategies. Motivational factors included in the investigation were self-efficacy and task value, while behavioral and emotional engagement and study time were selected as learning behaviors outside the classroom. A self-report questionnaire was administered to 322 undergraduates from two universities. Multiple regression analysis revealed the use of autonomous regulation strategies, and that task value was positively correlated with engagement and study time. Moreover, self-efficacy positively predicted study time. In contrast, the use of performance strategies negatively predicted engagement. The use of cooperative strategies did not predict learning behaviors. These results indicate that motivation, as well as the regulation of motivation, were important for learning outside the classroom. The effects of regulation of motivation and motivation on learning outside the classroom are discussed in light of the current findings.

Inverting an Introductory Statistics Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kraut, Gertrud L.

2015-01-01

The inverted classroom allows more in-class time for inquiry-based learning and for working through more advanced problem-solving activities than does the traditional lecture class. The skills acquired in this learning environment offer benefits far beyond the statistics classroom. This paper discusses four ways that can make the inverted…

Use of the Flipped Classroom Instructional Model in Higher Education: Instructors' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Long, Taotao; Cummins, John; Waugh, Michael

2017-01-01

The flipped classroom model is an instructional model in which students learn basic subject matter knowledge prior to in-class meetings, then come to the classroom for active learning experiences. Previous research has shown that the flipped classroom model can motivate students towards active learning, can improve their higher-order thinking…

Using stand/sit workstations in classrooms: lessons learned from a pilot study in Texas.

PubMed

Blake, Jamilia J; Benden, Mark E; Wendel, Monica L

2012-01-01

Childhood obesity has grown into a national epidemic since the 1980s. Many school-based intervention efforts that target childhood obesity involve curriculum and programming that demands instructional time, which disincentivizes school participation. Stand-biased classrooms are an environmental intervention that promotes standing rather than sitting by utilizing standing height desks that allow students to stand during normal classroom activities. The quasi-experimental pilot study was conducted in 5 first-grade classrooms in a Texas elementary school, with 2 control classrooms, 2 treatment classrooms, and 1 classroom that was a control in the fall and treatment in the spring (to allow for within-group comparisons). This intervention has been shown effective in significantly increasing caloric expenditure. In addition, the present study reveals potential behavioral effects from standing. This article presents lessons learned from the pilot study that may prove useful for others implementing similar interventions and calls for additional research on the academic benefits of standing for students.

Effects of a Universal Positive Classroom Behavior Program on Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diperna, James Clyde; Lei, Puiwa; Bellinger, Jillian; Cheng, Weiyi

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a universal program to promote positive classroom behavior on students' approaches to learning and early academic skills. Second grade classrooms (N = 39) were randomly assigned to treatment and business-as-usual control conditions. Teachers in intervention classrooms implemented the Social…

Leading the Transition from Classrooms to Learning Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oblinger, Diana

2005-01-01

A number of factors are prompting higher education's interest in learning spaces: the need to renovate existing space or accommodate additional students, pedagogical advances, a better understanding of learners, and, in some cases, curricular reform. Moving from classrooms to learning spaces involves a conceptual shift as well as a commitment to…

"Heart Shots": a classroom activity to instigate active learning.

PubMed

Abraham, Reem Rachel; Vashe, Asha; Torke, Sharmila

2015-09-01

The present study aimed to provide undergraduate medical students at Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal Campus), Manipal University, in Karnataka, India, an opportunity to apply their knowledge in cardiovascular concepts to real-life situations. A group activity named "Heart Shots" was implemented for a batch of first-year undergraduate students (n = 105) at the end of a block (teaching unit). Students were divided into 10 groups each having 10-11 students. They were requested to make a video/PowerPoint presentation about the application of cardiovascular principles to real-life situations. The presentation was required to be of only pictures/photos and no text material, with a maximum duration of 7 min. More than 95% of students considered that the activity helped them to apply their knowledge in cardiovascular concepts to real-life situations and understand the relevance of physiology in medicine and to revise the topic. More than 90% of students agreed that the activity helped them to apply their creativity in improving their knowledge and to establish a link between concepts rather than learning them as isolated facts. Based on the feedback, we conclude that the activity was student centered and that it facilitated learning. Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society.

Cooperative Learning in the College Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barratt, Leslie B.

1992-01-01

A college teacher used cooperative learning in English as a Second Language and linguistics classrooms. She discovered international students enjoyed working and writing in small groups and getting to know other students. Linguistics students enjoyed whole-class cooperative projects and papers. All students gained experience in being colleagues.…

A Classroom Activity for Teaching Electric Polarization of Insulators and Conductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deligkaris, Christos

2018-04-01

The phenomenon of electric polarization is crucial to student understanding of forces exerted between charged objects and insulators or conductors, the process of charging by induction, and the behavior of electroscopes near charged objects. In addition, polarization allows for microscopic-level models of everyday-life macroscopic-level phenomena. Textbooks may adequately discuss polarization, but there is little material in active learning labs and tutorials on this topic. Since polarization of materials is a microscopic phenomenon, instructors often use diagrams and figures on the classroom board to explain the process in a lecture setting. In this paper I will describe a classroom activity where the students play the role of electrons as an alternative option.

Preliminary Lessons about Supporting Participation and Learning in Inclusive Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morningstar, Mary E.; Shogren, Karrie A.; Lee, Hyunjoo; Born, Kiara

2015-01-01

This descriptive study examined observational data collected in inclusive classrooms from six schools that were operating schoolwide inclusive policies and practices. Illustrative evidence of classroom practices supporting learning and participation of all students, including students with significant disabilities, adds to an understanding of…

Efficacy of problem based learning in a high school science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rissi, James Ryan

At the high school level, the maturity of the students, as well as constraints of the traditional high school (both in terms of class time, and number of students), impedes the use of the Problem-based instruction. But with more coaching, guidance, and planning, Problem-based Learning may be an effective teaching technique with secondary students. In recent years, the State of Michigan High School Content Expectations have emphasized the importance of inquiry and problem solving in the high school science classroom. In order to help students gain inquiry and problem solving skills, a move towards a problem-based curriculum and away from the didactic approach may lead to favorable results. In this study, the problem-based-learning framework was implemented in a high school Anatomy and Physiology classroom. Using pre-tests and post-tests over the material presented using the Problem-based technique, student comprehension and long-term retention of the material was monitored. It was found that Problem-based Learning produced comparable test performance when compared to traditional lecture, note-taking, and enrichment activities. In addition, students showed evidence of gaining research and team-working skills.

An Exploratory Multiple Case Study about Using Game-Based Learning in STEM Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vu, Phu; Feinstein, Sheryl

2017-01-01

This exploratory multiple case study attempted to examine whether game-based learning activities had any impacts on students' academic performances and behaviors, and what perceptions the teachers had toward implementing games into their classrooms. Data used in this study included 101 students' pre and post-test scores, and four structured…

Evaluating Active Learning: A New Initiative for a General Chemistry Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Sullivan, Daniel W.; Copper, Christine L.

2003-01-01

Explains the results of an effort to introduce active learning strategies into the general chemistry curriculum at the United States Naval Academy. Reports that students in an active learning classroom showed significant improvement in performance compared to students in a lecture-based course. (Author/YDS)

The application of language-game theory to the analysis of science learning: Developing an interpretive classroom-level learning framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmadibasir, Mohammad

In this study an interpretive learning framework that aims to measure learning on the classroom level is introduced. In order to develop and evaluate the value of the framework, a theoretical/empirical study is designed. The researcher attempted to illustrate how the proposed framework provides insights on the problem of classroom-level learning. The framework is developed by construction of connections between the current literature on science learning and Wittgenstein's language-game theory. In this framework learning is defined as change of classroom language-game or discourse. In the proposed framework, learning is measured by analysis of classroom discourse. The empirical explanation power of the framework is evaluated by applying the framework in the analysis of learning in a fifth-grade science classroom. The researcher attempted to analyze how students' colloquial discourse changed to a discourse that bears more resemblance to science discourse. The results of the empirical part of the investigation are presented in three parts: first, the gap between what students did and what they were supposed to do was reported. The gap showed that students during the classroom inquiry wanted to do simple comparisons by direct observation, while they were supposed to do tool-assisted observation and procedural manipulation for a complete comparison. Second, it was illustrated that the first attempt to connect the colloquial to science discourse was done by what was immediately intelligible for students and then the teacher negotiated with students in order to help them to connect the old to the new language-game more purposefully. The researcher suggested that these two events in the science classroom are critical in discourse change. Third, it was illustrated that through the academic year, the way that students did the act of comparison was improved and by the end of the year more accurate causal inferences were observable in classroom communication. At the end of the

Validation of the "Chinese Language Classroom Learning Environment Inventory" for Investigating the Nature of Chinese Language Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lian, Chua Siew; Wong, Angela F. L.; Der-Thanq, Victor Chen

2006-01-01

The Chinese Language Classroom Environment Inventory (CLCEI) is a bilingual instrument developed for use in measuring students' and teachers' perceptions toward their Chinese Language classroom learning environments in Singapore secondary schools. The English version of the CLCEI was customised from the English version of the "What is…

Systemize Classroom Management to Enhance Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delman, Douglas J.

2011-01-01

Good classroom management is one of the most important goals teachers strive to establish from the first day of class. The rules, procedures, activities, and behaviors set the classroom tone throughout the school year. By revising, updating, and systemizing classroom management activities, teachers can eliminate many problems created by students…

Karyotype Analysis Activity: A Constructivist Learning Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmed, Noveera T.

2015-01-01

This classroom activity is based on a constructivist learning design and engages students in physically constructing a karyotype of three mock patients. Students then diagnose the chromosomal aneuploidy based on the karyotype, list the symptoms associated with the disorder, and discuss the implications of the diagnosis. This activity is targeted…

Classroom quality and academic skills: Approaches to learning as a moderator.

PubMed

Meng, Christine

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine whether approaches to learning moderated the association between child care classroom environment and Head Start children's academic skills. The data came from the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES-2003 Cohort). The dataset is a nationally representative longitudinal study of Head Start children. The sample was selected using the stratified 4-stage sampling procedure. Data was collected in fall 2003, spring 2004, spring 2005, and spring 2006 in the first year of kindergarten. Participants included 3- and 4-year-old Head Start children (n = 786; 387 boys, 399 girls; 119 Hispanic children, 280 African American children, 312 Caucasian children). Head Start children's academic skills in letter-word identification, dictation/spelling, and mathematics at the 4 time points were measured by the Woodcock-Johnson Achievement Battery tests. Approaches to learning in fall 2003 was measured by the teacher report of the Preschool Learning Behaviors Scale. Child care classroom quality in fall 2003 was measured by the revised Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale. Results of the linear mixed effects models demonstrated that approaches to learning significantly moderated the effect of child care classroom quality on Head Start children's writing and spelling. Specifically, positive approaches to learning mitigated the negative effect of lower levels of classroom quality on dictation/spelling. Results underscore the important role of approaches to learning as a protective factor. Implications for early childhood educators with an emphasis on learning goals for disengaged children are discussed. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Assessing Classroom Learning: How Students Use Their Knowledge and Experience to Answer Classroom Achievement Test Questions in Science and Social Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuthall, Graham; Alton-Lee, Adrienne

1995-01-01

Observational studies of student learning from classroom experience in science and social studies in elementary and middle school classrooms were carried out with 14 students. A model is described that explains how students use multilayered episodic and semantic memory for learning experience and related knowledge to answer achievement test items.…

Performance in Physiology Evaluation: Possible Improvement by Active Learning Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montrezor, Luís H.

2016-01-01

The evaluation process is complex and extremely important in the teaching/learning process. Evaluations are constantly employed in the classroom to assist students in the learning process and to help teachers improve the teaching process. The use of active methodologies encourages students to participate in the learning process, encourages…

Learning Styles and the Online Classroom: Implications for Business Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nastanski, Michael; Slick, Thomas

2008-01-01

This paper discusses the importance of student learning styles within a Distance Learning (DL) classroom. The study examines the learning style preferences of online business students as measured by the Kolb Learning Style Inventory and determines if a significant difference in course grades and course completion rates exist between students when…

Open Classroom: Distance Learning In and Out of Schools. Open and Distance Learning Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, Jo, Ed.

This collection of essays, which is separated into 4 sections, concerns open and distance learning at school level, or grades K-12. The first section, "The Knowledge Society," includes the following chapters: "Classroom Open Learning: A Case of Old Wine in New Bottles?" (Jenkins); "Living and Learning in the Information…

Smile: Student Modification in Learning Environments. Establishing Congruence between Actual and Preferred Classroom Learning Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yarrow, Allan; Millwater, Jan

1995-01-01

This study investigated whether classroom psychosocial environment, as perceived by student teachers, could be improved to their preferred level. Students completed the College and University Classroom Environment Inventory, discussed interventions, then completed it again. Significant deficiencies surfaced in the learning environment early in the…

Energy Transformation Topic: Correlation between Pre-Classroom Reading Activity and Students’ Curiosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muttaqiin, A.; Sopandi, W.

2017-09-01

This research aimed to analyze the correlation between pre-classroom reading activity and students’ curiosity to science. 31 participants were selected randomly from one of the junior high schools in Cimahi. Spearman’s correlation was chosen since the data from two variables were not normally distributed. The result shows that there was a weak correlation between reading before learning and students’ curiosity in the classroom and it was not significant. Several factors influence this result, one of them was students’ reluctant in daily reading to science content.

Science Classroom Inquiry (SCI) Simulations: A Novel Method to Scaffold Science Learning

PubMed Central

Peffer, Melanie E.; Beckler, Matthew L.; Schunn, Christian; Renken, Maggie; Revak, Amanda

2015-01-01

Science education is progressively more focused on employing inquiry-based learning methods in the classroom and increasing scientific literacy among students. However, due to time and resource constraints, many classroom science activities and laboratory experiments focus on simple inquiry, with a step-by-step approach to reach predetermined outcomes. The science classroom inquiry (SCI) simulations were designed to give students real life, authentic science experiences within the confines of a typical classroom. The SCI simulations allow students to engage with a science problem in a meaningful, inquiry-based manner. Three discrete SCI simulations were created as website applications for use with middle school and high school students. For each simulation, students were tasked with solving a scientific problem through investigation and hypothesis testing. After completion of the simulation, 67% of students reported a change in how they perceived authentic science practices, specifically related to the complex and dynamic nature of scientific research and how scientists approach problems. Moreover, 80% of the students who did not report a change in how they viewed the practice of science indicated that the simulation confirmed or strengthened their prior understanding. Additionally, we found a statistically significant positive correlation between students’ self-reported changes in understanding of authentic science practices and the degree to which each simulation benefitted learning. Since SCI simulations were effective in promoting both student learning and student understanding of authentic science practices with both middle and high school students, we propose that SCI simulations are a valuable and versatile technology that can be used to educate and inspire a wide range of science students on the real-world complexities inherent in scientific study. PMID:25786245

Science classroom inquiry (SCI) simulations: a novel method to scaffold science learning.

PubMed

Peffer, Melanie E; Beckler, Matthew L; Schunn, Christian; Renken, Maggie; Revak, Amanda

2015-01-01

Science education is progressively more focused on employing inquiry-based learning methods in the classroom and increasing scientific literacy among students. However, due to time and resource constraints, many classroom science activities and laboratory experiments focus on simple inquiry, with a step-by-step approach to reach predetermined outcomes. The science classroom inquiry (SCI) simulations were designed to give students real life, authentic science experiences within the confines of a typical classroom. The SCI simulations allow students to engage with a science problem in a meaningful, inquiry-based manner. Three discrete SCI simulations were created as website applications for use with middle school and high school students. For each simulation, students were tasked with solving a scientific problem through investigation and hypothesis testing. After completion of the simulation, 67% of students reported a change in how they perceived authentic science practices, specifically related to the complex and dynamic nature of scientific research and how scientists approach problems. Moreover, 80% of the students who did not report a change in how they viewed the practice of science indicated that the simulation confirmed or strengthened their prior understanding. Additionally, we found a statistically significant positive correlation between students' self-reported changes in understanding of authentic science practices and the degree to which each simulation benefitted learning. Since SCI simulations were effective in promoting both student learning and student understanding of authentic science practices with both middle and high school students, we propose that SCI simulations are a valuable and versatile technology that can be used to educate and inspire a wide range of science students on the real-world complexities inherent in scientific study.

Modeling a student-classroom interaction in a tutorial-like system using learning automata.

PubMed

Oommen, B John; Hashem, M Khaled

2010-02-01

Almost all of the learning paradigms used in machine learning, learning automata (LA), and learning theory, in general, use the philosophy of a Student (learning mechanism) attempting to learn from a teacher. This paradigm has been generalized in a myriad of ways, including the scenario when there are multiple teachers or a hierarchy of mechanisms that collectively achieve the learning. In this paper, we consider a departure from this paradigm by allowing the Student to be a member of a classroom of Students, where, for the most part, we permit each member of the classroom not only to learn from the teacher(s) but also to "extract" information from any of his fellow Students. This paper deals with issues concerning the modeling, decision-making process, and testing of such a scenario within the LA context. The main result that we show is that a weak learner can actually benefit from this capability of utilizing the information that he gets from a superior colleague-if this information transfer is done appropriately. As far as we know, the whole concept of Students learning from both a teacher and from a classroom of Students is novel and unreported in the literature. The proposed Student-classroom interaction has been tested for numerous strategies and for different environments, including the established benchmarks, and the results show that Students can improve their learning by interacting with each other. For example, for some interaction strategies, a weak Student can improve his learning by up to 73% when interacting with a classroom of Students, which includes Students of various capabilities. In these interactions, the Student does not have a priori knowledge of the identity or characteristics of the Students who offer their assistance.

Three Francophone Teachers' Use of Language-Based Activities in Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivard, Leonard P.; Levesque, Annabel

2011-01-01

Research suggests that language-based activities should be an integral part of science teaching and learning and that these are even more important in minority-language contexts. The present cross-case study investigates how literacy is enacted in francophone science classrooms. Three francophone teachers were observed while they taught Grade 9…

E-Learning in Chemistry Education: Self-Regulated Learning in a Virtual Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eidelman, Rachel Rosanne; Shwartz, Yael

2016-01-01

The virtual Chemistry classroom is a learning environment for students that are willing to study Chemistry, but have no opportunity to do so at school. The program launched in 2015, and currently, there are 22 students in the 11th grade and 80 students in the 10th grade. This study investigates and characterizes the virtual learning environment,…

Learning with Interactive Computer Graphics in the Undergraduate Neuroscience Classroom

PubMed Central

Pani, John R.; Chariker, Julia H.; Naaz, Farah; Mattingly, William; Roberts, Joshua; Sephton, Sandra E.

2014-01-01

Instruction of neuroanatomy depends on graphical representation and extended self-study. As a consequence, computer-based learning environments that incorporate interactive graphics should facilitate instruction in this area. The present study evaluated such a system in the undergraduate neuroscience classroom. The system used the method of adaptive exploration, in which exploration in a high fidelity graphical environment is integrated with immediate testing and feedback in repeated cycles of learning. The results of this study were that students considered the graphical learning environment to be superior to typical classroom materials used for learning neuroanatomy. Students managed the frequency and duration of study, test, and feedback in an efficient and adaptive manner. For example, the number of tests taken before reaching a minimum test performance of 90% correct closely approximated the values seen in more regimented experimental studies. There was a wide range of student opinion regarding the choice between a simpler and a more graphically compelling program for learning sectional anatomy. Course outcomes were predicted by individual differences in the use of the software that reflected general work habits of the students, such as the amount of time committed to testing. The results of this introduction into the classroom are highly encouraging for development of computer-based instruction in biomedical disciplines. PMID:24449123

Flipped Classroom Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozdamli, Fezile; Asiksoy, Gulsum

2016-01-01

Flipped classroom is an active, student-centered approach that was formed to increase the quality of period within class. Generally this approach whose applications are done mostly in Physical Sciences, also attracts the attention of educators and researchers in different disciplines recently. Flipped classroom learning which wide-spreads rapidly…

The social essentials of learning: an experimental investigation of collaborative problem solving and knowledge construction in mathematics classrooms in Australia and China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Man Ching Esther; Clarke, David; Cao, Yiming

2018-03-01

Interactive problem solving and learning are priorities in contemporary education, but these complex processes have proved difficult to research. This project addresses the question "How do we optimise social interaction for the promotion of learning in a mathematics classroom?" Employing the logic of multi-theoretic research design, this project uses the newly built Science of Learning Research Classroom (ARC-SR120300015) at The University of Melbourne and equivalent facilities in China to investigate classroom learning and social interactions, focusing on collaborative small group problem solving as a way to make the social aspects of learning visible. In Australia and China, intact classes of local year 7 students with their usual teacher will be brought into the research classroom facilities with built-in video cameras and audio recording equipment to participate in purposefully designed activities in mathematics. The students will undertake a sequence of tasks in the social units of individual, pair, small group (typically four students) and whole class. The conditions for student collaborative problem solving and learning will be manipulated so that student and teacher contributions to that learning process can be distinguished. Parallel and comparative analyses will identify culture-specific interactive patterns and provide the basis for hypotheses about the learning characteristics underlying collaborative problem solving performance documented in the research classrooms in each country. The ultimate goals of the project are to generate, develop and test more sophisticated hypotheses for the optimisation of social interaction in the mathematics classroom in the interest of improving learning and, particularly, student collaborative problem solving.

Active Learning through Service-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg, Lynette R.; Richburg, Cynthia McCormick; Wood, Lisa A.

2006-01-01

Service-learning (SL) is a relatively new pedagogical approach to facilitate student learning at the university level. In SL, students enrolled in an academic course provide a needed service to a community partner. Through guided reflection, students link classroom-based, theoretical knowledge with clinical applications. Students' active…

Figure Analysis: A Teaching Technique to Promote Visual Literacy and Active Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiles, Amy M.

2016-01-01

Learning often improves when active learning techniques are used in place of traditional lectures. For many of these techniques, however, students are expected to apply concepts that they have already grasped. A challenge, therefore, is how to incorporate active learning into the classroom of courses with heavy content, such as molecular-based…

Learning technologies and the cyber-science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houlihan, Gerard

Access to computer and communication technology has long been regarded `part-and-parcel' of a good education. No educator can afford to ignore the profound impact of learning technologies on the way we teach science, nor fail to acknowledge that information literacy and computing skills will be fundamental to the practice of science in the next millennium. Nevertheless, there is still confusion concerning what technologies educators should employ in teaching science. Furthermore, a lack of knowledge combined with the pressures to be `seen' utilizing technology has lead some schools to waste scarce resources in a `grab-bag' attitude towards computers and technology. Such popularized `wish lists' can only drive schools to accumulate expensive equipment for no real learning purpose. In the future educators will have to reconsider their curriculum and pedagogy with a focus on the learning environment before determining what appropriate computing resources to acquire. This will be fundamental to the capabilities of science classrooms to engage with cutting-edge issues in science. This session will demonstrate the power of a broad range of learning technologies to enhance science education. The aim is to explore classroom possibilities as well as to provide a basic introduction to technical aspects of various software and hardware applications, including robotics and dataloggers and simulation software.

University Student and Teacher Perceptions of Teacher Roles in Promoting Autonomous Language Learning with Technology outside the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Chun; Yeung, Yuk; Hu, Jingjing

2016-01-01

Helping students to become autonomous learners, who actively utilize technologies for learning outside the classroom, is important for successful language learning. Teachers, as significant social agents who shape students' intellectual and social experiences, have a critical role to play. This study examined students' and teachers' perceptions of…

Three Dimensions of Learning: Experiential Activity for Engineering Innovation Education and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Killen, Catherine P.

2015-01-01

This paper outlines a novel approach to engineering education research that provides three dimensions of learning through an experiential class activity. A simulated decision activity brought current research into the classroom, explored the effect of experiential activity on learning outcomes and contributed to the research on innovation decision…

Interactive Multimedia Learning: Innovating Classroom Education in a Malaysian University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leow, Fui-Theng; Neo, Mai

2014-01-01

This research study was conducted at INTI International University, and aimed at enhancing the quality of classroom learning for University students with three important emphases: Gagne's instructional model, multimedia, and student-centred learning. An Interactive Learning Module (ILM) was developed as the core component in forming the…

Active Learning Strategies for the Mathematics Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerrigan, John

2018-01-01

Active learning involves students engaging with course content beyond lecture: through writing, applets, simulations, games, and more (Prince, 2004). As mathematics is often viewed as a subject area that is taught using more traditional methods (Goldsmith & Mark, 1999), there are actually many simple ways to make undergraduate mathematics…

Cultivating Classroom Spaces as Homes for Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flynn, Laura; Colby, Sherri R.

2017-01-01

Our action research ethnography explores sixth grade students' perceptions of their classroom space as conducive or distracting to their learning experiences. Issues of physical environment, students' self-governance, and disciplinary management are explored. We conclude by offering recommendations for other educators to consider.

Three Studies of Service-Learning as an Approach to Movement Integration in Elementary Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michael, Robert D., Jr.

2017-01-01

This dissertation consists of three studies that examine service-learning (SL) as an approach to incorporating movement integration (MI) in elementary classrooms as part of a comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP). All three studies attempt to advance the knowledge base about using partnership approaches to supporting school based…

Could a Mobile-Assisted Learning System Support Flipped Classrooms for Classical Chinese Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Y.-H.

2016-01-01

In this study, the researcher aimed to develop a mobile-assisted learning system and to investigate whether it could promote teenage learners' classical Chinese learning through the flipped classroom approach. The researcher first proposed the structure of the Cross-device Mobile-Assisted Classical Chinese (CMACC) system according to the pilot…

Effective, Active Learning Strategies for the Oceanography Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dmochowski, J. E.; Marinov, I.

2014-12-01

A decline in enrollment in STEM fields at the university level has prompted extensive research on alternative ways of teaching and learning science. Inquiry-based learning as well as the related "flipped" or "active" lectures, and similar teaching methods and philosophies have been proposed as more effective ways to disseminate knowledge in science classes than the traditional lecture. We will provide a synopsis of our experiences in implementing some of these practices into our Introductory Oceanography, Global Climate Change, and Ocean Atmosphere Dynamics undergraduate courses at the University of Pennsylvania, with both smaller and larger enrollments. By implementing tools such as at-home modules; computer labs; incorporation of current research; pre- and post-lecture quizzes; reflective, qualitative writing assignments; peer review; and a variety of in-class learning strategies, we aim to increase the science literacy of the student population and help students gain a more comprehensive knowledge of the topic, enhance their critical thinking skills, and correct misconceptions. While implementing these teaching techniques with college students is not without complications, we argue that a blended class that flexibly and creatively accounts for class size and science level improves the learning experience and the acquired knowledge. We will present examples of student assignments and activities as well as describe the lessons we have learned, and propose ideas for moving forward to best utilize innovative teaching tools in order to increase science literacy in oceanography and other climate-related courses.

Active Learning and Cooperative Learning in the Organic Chemistry Lecture Class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paulson, Donald R.

1999-08-01

Faculty in the physical sciences are one of the academic groups least receptive to the use of active learning strategies and cooperative learning in their classrooms. This is particularly so in traditional lecture classes. It is the objective of this paper to show how effective these techniques can be in improving student performance in classes. The use of active learning strategies and cooperative learning groups in my organic chemistry lecture classes has increased the overall pass rate in my classes by an astounding 20-30% over the traditional lecture mode. This has been accomplished without any reduction in "standards". The actual methods employed are presented as well as a discussion of how I came to radically change the way I teach my classes.

Fostering Cooperative Learning in Middle and Secondary Level Classrooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Karen D.

1987-01-01

Provides a brief overview of the research on cooperative learning, and describes several classroom grouping techniques useful for all grade levels and subject areas. Discusses group retellings, associational dialogue, dyadic learning, needs grouping, the buddy system, cybernetic sessions, and research, interest, ability, tutorial, random social,…

Active Learning in a Large General Physics Classroom.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trousil, Rebecca

2008-04-01

In 2004, we launched a new calculus-based, introductory physics sequence at Washington University. Designed as an alternative to our traditional lecture-based sequence, the primary objectives for this new course were to actively engage students in the learning process, to significantly strengthen students' conceptual reasoning skills, to help students develop higher level quantitative problem solving skills necessary for analyzing ``real world'' problems, and to integrate modern physics into the curriculum. This talk will describe our approach, using The Six Ideas That Shaped Physics text by Thomas Moore, to creating an active learning environment in large classes as well as share our perspective on key elements for success and challenges that we face in the large class environment.

CLASSROOM EPISODES FOR TEACHING PSYCHOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES AND CONCEPTS OF LEARNING.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

SULLIVAN, HOWARD J.; AND OTHERS

THE 16 CLASSROOM EPISODES PRESENTED IN THIS REPORT WERE SELECTED BECAUSE (1) THEY RELATE CLOSELY TO IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES AND CONCEPTS OF LEARNING AND (2) THEY HAVE HIGH INSTRUCTIONAL VALUE FOR PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS. IN DEVELOPING THE EPISODE MATERIALS, THE INVESTIGATORS PHOTOGRAPHED AND TAPE RECORDED WIDE VARIETIES OF CLASSROOM EVENTS FROM ONGOING…

Teachers' Experiences Using Service-Learning in the High School Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maguire, Lisa

2016-01-01

Teachers are looking for meaningful ways to connect with students and instill in them an understanding and appreciation for academic content that will extend beyond the classroom. Service-learning is a teaching pedagogy that connects classroom content with real-world problems that allow students to practice applying knowledge and skills while…

Active Learning: Qualitative Inquiries into Vocabulary Instruction in Chinese L2 Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, Helen H.; Xu, Wenjing

2015-01-01

Active learning emerged as a new approach to learning in the 1980s. The core concept of active learning involves engaging students not only in actively exploring knowledge but also in reflecting on their own learning process in order to become more effective learners. Because the nonalphabetic nature of the Chinese writing system makes learning to…

Facilitate Active Learning: The Role of Perceived Benefits of Using Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhuang, Weiling; Xiao, Qian

2018-01-01

The authors examine factors influencing student active learning and the ensuing class learning experience in the context of applying technologies in the classroom. The results suggest that the psychological benefit directly and indirectly influences class learning experience. In addition, the functional benefit only indirectly influences class…

Physical Activity Opportunities during the School Day: Classroom Teachers' Perceptions of Using Activity Breaks in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMullen, Jaimie; Kulinna, Pamela; Cothran, Donetta

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore classroom teachers' perceptions of incorporating physical activity breaks into their classroom and to determine specific features of preferred activity breaks. These perceptions are considered within the conceptual framework of Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP). Twelve elementary and…

Using Active Learning to Teach Concepts and Methods in Quantitative Biology.

PubMed

Waldrop, Lindsay D; Adolph, Stephen C; Diniz Behn, Cecilia G; Braley, Emily; Drew, Joshua A; Full, Robert J; Gross, Louis J; Jungck, John A; Kohler, Brynja; Prairie, Jennifer C; Shtylla, Blerta; Miller, Laura A

2015-11-01

This article provides a summary of the ideas discussed at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology society-wide symposium on Leading Students and Faculty to Quantitative Biology through Active Learning. It also includes a brief review of the recent advancements in incorporating active learning approaches into quantitative biology classrooms. We begin with an overview of recent literature that shows that active learning can improve students' outcomes in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education disciplines. We then discuss how this approach can be particularly useful when teaching topics in quantitative biology. Next, we describe some of the recent initiatives to develop hands-on activities in quantitative biology at both the graduate and the undergraduate levels. Throughout the article we provide resources for educators who wish to integrate active learning and technology into their classrooms. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Exploring Teachers' Perceptions of Wikis for Learning Classroom Cases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quek, Choon Lang; Wang, Qiyun

2014-01-01

This paper explores three potential affordances (social, technical and pedagogical) of wikis in the context of designing 32 teachers' learning of classroom management cases. Two learning environments were designed and two groups of the teacher-participants posted their own written and audio cases, identified problems, discussed and proposed…

Flipping the Classroom: An Empirical Study Examining Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparks, Roland J.

2013-01-01

Flipping the classroom is the latest reported teaching technique to improve student learning at all levels. Prior studies showed significant increases in learning by employing this technique. However, an examination of the previous studies indicates significant flaws in the testing procedure controls. Moreover, most studies were based on anecdotal…

The Passion-Driven Classroom: A Framework for Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maiers, Angela; Sandvold, Amy

2011-01-01

Discover ways to cultivate a thriving and passionate community of learners--in your classroom! In this book, educators and consultants Angela Maiers and Amy Sandvold show you how to spark and sustain your students' energy, excitement, and love of learning. This book presents ideas for planning and implementing a Clubhouse Classroom, where passion…

Assessment of learning gains in a flipped biochemistry classroom.

PubMed

Ojennus, Deanna Dahlke

2016-01-01

The flipped classroom has become an increasingly popular pedagogical approach to teaching and learning. In this study, learning gains were assessed in a flipped biochemistry course and compared to gains in a traditional lecture. Although measured learning gains were not significantly different between the two courses, student perception of learning gains did differ and indicates a higher level of satisfaction with the flipped lecture format. © 2015 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Mathematical Micro-Identities: Moment-to-Moment Positioning and Learning in a Fourth-Grade Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Marcy B.

2013-01-01

Identity is an important tool for understanding students' participation in mathematics lessons. Researchers usually examine identity at a macro-scale: across typical classroom activity and in students' self-reports. However, learning occurs on a micro-scale: in moments during a lesson. To capture identity in these moments, I used positioning…

The Brain-Compatible Classroom: Using What We Know about Learning To Improve Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erlauer, Laura

This book summarizes current brain research and shows how teachers can use this knowledge in the classroom every day. It explores how the brain works, how students' emotions and stress affect their ability to learn, how the physical classroom environment influences learning, and what forms of assessment work best. An introduction discusses the…

An Exploration of Blended Learning in Fifth Grade Literacy Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramadan, Kimberly Heintschel

2017-01-01

The development of the Internet allows for hybrid models of instruction that marry face-to-face and online learning (Osguthorpe & Graham, 2003). The purpose of this study was to explore blended learning and traditional instruction in three fifth grade literacy classrooms, examining the teaching and learning students engaged in during the…

In pursuit of a holistic learning environment: the impact of music in the medical physiology classroom.

PubMed

Modell, Harold I; DeMiero, Frank G; Rose, Louise

2009-03-01

A holistic learning environment is one that nurtures all aspects of students' learning. The environment is safe, supportive, and provides opportunities to help students deal with nonacademic as well as academic factors that impact their learning. Creation of such an environment requires the establishment of a supportive learning community. For a variety of reasons, establishing such a learning community of first-year medical students can be challenging. This communication presents one approach to meeting this challenge in a medical school Human Physiology course. Steps were taken at the beginning of the course to create the community, and activities designed to reinforce these efforts were incorporated into the course as it progressed. Two pilot studies were conducted to test the hypothesis that providing students with a participatory music experience may help to promote a holistic learning environment by helping them restore a sense of balance to their emotional well-being as well as reinforce a sense of community in the classroom. Student response to these activities indicated that these efforts provided emotional support during stressful periods during the quarter, helped promote a feeling of safety within the environment, and re-energized the class during long class sessions. This project illustrates that each instructor, within the confines of his/her own classroom, can make a significant contribution to achieving a holistic learning environment for his/her students.

Shifting more than the goal posts: developing classroom norms of inquiry-based learning in mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makar, Katie; Fielding-Wells, Jill

2018-03-01

The 3-year study described in this paper aims to create new knowledge about inquiry norms in primary mathematics classrooms. Mathematical inquiry addresses complex problems that contain ambiguities, yet classroom environments often do not adopt norms that promote curiosity, risk-taking and negotiation needed to productively engage with complex problems. Little is known about how teachers and students initiate, develop and maintain norms of mathematical inquiry in primary classrooms. The research question guiding this study is, "How do classroom norms develop that facilitate student learning in primary classrooms which practice mathematical inquiry?" The project will (1) analyse a video archive of inquiry lessons to identify signature practices that enhance productive classroom norms of mathematical inquiry and facilitate learning, (2) engage expert inquiry teachers to collaborate to identify and design strategies for assisting teachers to develop and sustain norms over time that are conducive to mathematical inquiry and (3) support and study teachers new to mathematical inquiry adopting these practices in their classrooms. Anticipated outcomes include identification and illustration of classroom norms of mathematical inquiry, signature practices linked to these norms and case studies of primary teachers' progressive development of classroom norms of mathematical inquiry and how they facilitate learning.

The Effects of Learning Activities Based on Argumentation on Conceptual Understanding of 7th Graders about "Force and Motion" Unit and Establishing Thinking Friendly Classroom Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buber, Ayse; Coban, Gul Unal

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of learning activities based on argumentation about "Force and Motion" unit on conceptual understanding and views about establishing thinking friendly classroom environment of 7th graders. The study was conducted with total 39 students (20 students in experimental group and 19…

Kindergarten to 1st Grade: Classroom Characteristics and the Stability and Change of Children's Classroom Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

La Paro, Karen M.; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E.; Pianta, Robert C.

2006-01-01

This study examines the classroom experiences of 192 children followed longitudinally from kindergarten to 1st grade. Time-sampled observations of children were conducted to compare learning formats, teaching activities, and children's engagement in activities between kindergarten and 1st grade. Classroom observations also were conducted to…

Incorporating Active Learning and Student Inquiry into an Introductory Merchandising Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Hyun-Hwa; Hines, Jean D.

2012-01-01

Many educators believe that student learning is enhanced when they are actively involved in classroom activities that require student inquiry. The purpose of this paper is to report on three student inquiry projects that were incorporated into a merchandising class with the focus on making students responsible for their learning, rather than the…

The Flipped Classroom: Implementing Technology to Aid in College Mathematics Student's Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buch, George R.; Warren, Carryn B.

2017-01-01

August 2016 there was a call (Braun, Bremser, Duval, Lockwood & White, 2017) for post-secondary instructors to use active learning in their classrooms. Once such example of active learning is what is called the "flipped" classroom. This paper presents the need for, and the methodology of the flipped classroom, results of…

Promoting Collaborative Classrooms: The Impacts of Interdependent Cooperative Learning on Undergraduate Interactions and Achievement.

PubMed

Premo, Joshua; Cavagnetto, Andy; Davis, William B; Brickman, Peggy

2018-06-01

Collaboration is an important career skill and vital to student understanding of the social aspects of science, but less is known about relationships among collaborative-learning strategies, classroom climate, and student learning. We sought to increase the collaborative character of introductory undergraduate laboratory classrooms by analyzing a 9-week intervention in 10 classrooms ( n = 251) that participated in cooperative-learning modules (promoting interdependence via a modified jigsaw technique). Students in an additional 10 classrooms ( n = 232) completed the same material in an unstructured format representative of common educational practice. Results showed that, when between-class variance was controlled for, intervention students did not score higher on weekly quizzes, but science interest and prior science experience had a reduced relationship to quiz performance in intervention classrooms. Also, intervention classrooms showed increased collaborative engagement at both whole-class and individual levels (24 students at three time points), but the intervention was only one of several factors found to account for late-intervention classroom collaborative engagement (prosocial behavior and discussion practices). Taken together, findings suggest that integrating interdependence-based tasks may foster collaborative engagement at both small-group and whole-classroom levels, but by itself may not be enough to promote increased student achievement.

Transfer of Online Professional Learning to Teachers' Classroom Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrington, Anthony; Herrington, Jan; Hoban, Garry; Reid, Doug

2009-01-01

Professional learning is an important process in enabling teachers to update their pedagogical knowledge and practices. The use of online technologies to support professional learning has a number of benefits in terms of flexibility and scalability. However, it is not clear how well the approach impacts on teachers' classroom practices. This…

Flexible Classroom Furniture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim Hassell,

2011-01-01

Classroom design for the 21st-century learning environment should accommodate a variety of learning skills and needs. The space should be large enough so it can be configured to accommodate a number of learning activities. This also includes furniture that provides flexibility and accommodates collaboration and interactive work among students and…

[Flipped classroom as a strategy to enhance active learning].

PubMed

Wakabayashi, Noriyuki

2015-03-01

This paper reviews the introduction of a flipped class for fourth grade dentistry students, and analyzes the characteristics of the learning method. In fiscal 2013 and 2014, a series of ten three-hour units for removable partial prosthodontics were completed with the flipped class method; a lecture video of approximately 60 minutes was made by the teacher (author) and uploaded to the university's e-learning website one week before each class. Students were instructed to prepare for the class by watching the streaming video on their PC, tablet, or smartphone. In the flipped class, students were not given a lecture, but were asked to solve short questions displayed on screen, to make a short presentation about a part of the video lecture, and to discuss a critical question related to the main subject of the day. An additional team-based learning (TBL) session with individual and group answers was implemented. The average individual scores were considerably higher in the last two years, when the flipped method was implemented, than in the three previous years when conventional lectures were used. The following learning concepts were discussed: the role of the flipped method as an active learning strategy, the efficacy of lecture videos and short questions, students' participation in the class discussion, present-day value of the method, cooperation with TBL, the significance of active learning in relation with the students' learning ability, and the potential increase in the preparation time and workload for students.

Powerful Learning Environments: The Critical Link between School and Classroom Cultures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finnan, Christine; Schnepel, Katherine C.; Anderson, Lorin W.

2003-01-01

Evaluated classrooms within four Accelerated Schools Project (ASP) schools, operationalizing the ASP principles, values, and concepts of a "powerful learning environment" (PLE), examining how similarly PLE was implemented in different classrooms and schools, and analyzing the relation between degree of implementation and differences in…

Decoding Deeper Learning in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Writers Association, 2017

2017-01-01

Just because a classroom is noisy or the teacher isn't always lecturing doesn't mean the kids aren't learning. Quite the opposite. The idea is to push students to think differently, to apply what they know, and to create new ideas, instead of just receiving information. That's difficult to see, but easy to elicit with a few key questions. This…

Putting Making into High School Computer Science Classrooms: Promoting Equity in Teaching and Learning with Electronic Textiles in "Exploring Computer Science"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fields, Deborah Ann; Kafai, Yasmin; Nakajima, Tomoko; Goode, Joanna; Margolis, Jane

2018-01-01

Recent discussions of making have focused on developing out-of-school makerspaces and activities to provide more equitable and enriching learning opportunities for youth. Yet school classrooms present a unique opportunity to help broaden access, diversify representation, and deepen participation in making. In turning to classrooms, we want to…

Combination of a Flipped Classroom Format and a Virtual Patient Case to Enhance Active Learning in a Required Therapeutics Course.

PubMed

Lichvar, Alicia Beth; Hedges, Ashley; Benedict, Neal J; Donihi, Amy C

2016-12-25

Objective. To design and evaluate the integration of a virtual patient activity in a required therapeutics course already using a flipped-classroom teaching format. Design. A narrative-branched, dynamic virtual-patient case was designed to replace the static written cases that students worked through during the class, which was dedicated to teaching the complications of liver disease. Students completed pre- and posttests before and after completing the virtual patient case. Examination scores were compared to those in the previous year. Assessment. Students' posttest scores were higher compared to pretest scores (33% vs 50%). Overall median examination scores were higher compared to the historical control group (70% vs 80%), as well as scores on questions assessing higher-level learning (67% vs 83%). A majority of students (68%) felt the virtual patient helped them apply knowledge gained in the pre-class video lecture. Students preferred this strategy to usual in-class activities (33%) or indicated it was of equal value (37%). Conclusion. The combination of a pre-class video lecture with an in-class virtual patient case is an effective active-learning strategy.

Combination of a Flipped Classroom Format and a Virtual Patient Case to Enhance Active Learning in a Required Therapeutics Course

PubMed Central

Lichvar, Alicia Beth; Hedges, Ashley; Benedict, Neal J.

2016-01-01

Objective. To design and evaluate the integration of a virtual patient activity in a required therapeutics course already using a flipped-classroom teaching format. Design. A narrative-branched, dynamic virtual-patient case was designed to replace the static written cases that students worked through during the class, which was dedicated to teaching the complications of liver disease. Students completed pre- and posttests before and after completing the virtual patient case. Examination scores were compared to those in the previous year. Assessment. Students’ posttest scores were higher compared to pretest scores (33% vs 50%). Overall median examination scores were higher compared to the historical control group (70% vs 80%), as well as scores on questions assessing higher-level learning (67% vs 83%). A majority of students (68%) felt the virtual patient helped them apply knowledge gained in the pre-class video lecture. Students preferred this strategy to usual in-class activities (33%) or indicated it was of equal value (37%). Conclusion. The combination of a pre-class video lecture with an in-class virtual patient case is an effective active-learning strategy. PMID:28179724

Investigating Factors That Contribute to Effective Teaching-Learning Practices: EFL/ESL Classroom Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Islam, Rukaia

2017-01-01

This paper seeks to address some key issues, which can influence as well as determine the nature of teaching and learning practices in an ELT classroom directly or indirectly. This paper views an EFL or ESL classroom as a dynamic and multi-dimensional platform open to different interpretations of teaching and learning. Factors like teachers'…

A Quantitative Review of Physical Activity, Health, and Learning Outcomes Associated with Classroom-Based Physical Activity Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erwin, Heather; Fedewa, Alicia; Beighle, Aaron; Ahn, Soyeon

2012-01-01

Research suggests that physical activity may foster improved academic performance, yet schools are receiving more pressure to achieve high academic standards. It is important for classroom teachers, administrators and school psychologists to understand the benefits of incorporating physical activity into the school day. This article serves as a…

Cooperative Learning: Exploring Its Effectiveness in the Physics Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Fui Fong; Boo, Hong Kwen

2007-01-01

This paper reports on the results of an action research to explore the effectiveness of using cooperative learning strategies on students' academic achievement, their understanding of physics concepts and their motivation to learn in the physics classroom. The study involved a secondary four express physics class of 41 students in a neighbourhood…

Smartphones Usage in the Classrooms: Learning Aid or Interference?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anshari, Muhammad; Almunawar, Mohammad Nabil; Shahrill, Masitah; Wicaksono, Danang Kuncoro; Huda, Miftachul

2017-01-01

Many educational institutions, especially higher education institutions, are considering to embrace smartphones as part of learning aids in classes as most students (in many cases all students) not only own them but also are also attached to them. The main question is whether embracing smartphones in classroom teaching enhances the learning or…

Exploring Transmedia: The Rip-Mix-Learn Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benedict, Lucille A.; Champlin, David T.; Pence, Harry E.

2013-01-01

Google Docs was used to create the rip-mix-learn (RML) classroom in two, first-year undergraduate introductory chemistry and biology courses, a second-semester introductory chemistry course, and an upper-level developmental biology course. This "transmedia" approach assigned students to create sets of collaborative lecture notes into…

Motivational Classroom Climate for Learning Mathematics: A Reversal Theory Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Gareth

2015-01-01

In this article, a case is made that affect is central in determining students' experience of learning or not learning mathematics. I show how reversal theory (Apter, 2001), and particularly its taxonomy of motivations and emotions, provides a basis for a thick description of students' experiences of learning in a mathematics classroom. Using data…

A comparison of professional-level faculty and student perceptions of active learning: its current use, effectiveness, and barriers

PubMed Central

Metz, Michael J.

2014-01-01

Active learning is an instructional method in which students become engaged participants in the classroom through the use of in-class written exercises, games, problem sets, audience-response systems, debates, class discussions, etc. Despite evidence supporting the effectiveness of active learning strategies, minimal adoption of the technique has occurred in many professional programs. The goal of this study was to compare the perceptions of active learning between students who were exposed to active learning in the classroom (n = 116) and professional-level physiology faculty members (n = 9). Faculty members reported a heavy reliance on lectures and minimal use of educational games and activities, whereas students indicated that they learned best via the activities. A majority of faculty members (89%) had observed active learning in the classroom and predicted favorable effects of the method on student performance and motivation. The main reported barriers by faculty members to the adoption of active learning were a lack of necessary class time, a high comfort level with traditional lectures, and insufficient time to develop materials. Students hypothesized similar obstacles for faculty members but also associated many negative qualities with the traditional lecturers. Despite these barriers, a majority of faculty members (78%) were interested in learning more about the alternative teaching strategy. Both faculty members and students indicated that active learning should occupy portions (29% vs. 40%) of face-to-face class time. PMID:25179615

Actively Teaching Research Methods with a Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullins, Mary H.

2017-01-01

Active learning approaches have shown to improve student learning outcomes and improve the experience of students in the classroom. This article compares a Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning style approach to a more traditional teaching method in an undergraduate research methods course. Moving from a more traditional learning environment to…

[Perceptions of classroom goal structures, personal achievement goal orientations, and learning strategies].

PubMed

Miki, Kaori; Yamauchi, Hirotsugu

2005-08-01

We examined the relations among students' perceptions of classroom goal structures (mastery and performance goal structures), students' achievement goal orientations (mastery, performance, and work-avoidance goals), and learning strategies (deep processing, surface processing and self-handicapping strategies). Participants were 323 5th and 6th grade students in elementary schools. The results from structural equation modeling indicated that perceptions of classroom mastery goal structures were associated with students' mastery goal orientations, which were in turn related positively to the deep processing strategies and academic achievement. Perceptions of classroom performance goal stractures proved associated with work avoidance-goal orientations, which were positively related to the surface processing and self-handicapping strategies. Two types of goal structures had a positive relation with students' performance goal orientations, which had significant positive effects on academic achievement. The results of this study suggest that elementary school students' perceptions of mastery goal structures are related to adaptive patterns of learning more than perceptions of performance goal structures are. The role of perceptions of classroom goal structure in promoting students' goal orientations and learning strategies is discussed.

Examining the Flipped Classroom through Action Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lo, Chung Kwan

2017-01-01

There is a growing interest in using a flipped classroom format in day-to-day teaching. Direct computer-based individual instruction outside the classroom and interactive group learning activities inside the classroom are the two essential components of the flipped classroom model. By watching instructional videos, students can work through some…

Classroom Profiling Training: Increasing Preservice Teachers' Confidence and Knowledge of Classroom Management Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Cliff; Simoncini, Kym; Davidson, Mark

2013-01-01

Classroom management is a serious concern for beginning teachers including preservice teachers. The Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment (DETE) has developed the Essential Skills for Classroom Management (ESCM), a system of positive and pro-active strategies for maintaining supportive learning environments. In addition, the…

Learning and Classroom Preferences of Gifted Eighth Graders: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samardzija, Nadine; Peterson, Jean Sunde

2015-01-01

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore how academically gifted eighth graders experience learning, with special attention to learning and classroom preferences. Twenty-three students were interviewed individually. The central phenomenon was that their learning preferences were complex, nuanced, and idiosyncratic, and…

Bringing authentic service learning to the classroom: benefits and lessons learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chamberlain, Leslie C.

2016-06-01

Project-based learning, which has gained significant attention within K-12 education, provides rich hands-on experiences for students. Bringing an element of service to the projects allow students to engage in a local or global community, providing an abundance of benefits to the students’ learning. For example, service projects build confidence, increase motivation, and exercise problem-solving and communication skills in addition to developing a deep understanding of content. I will present lessons I have learned through four years of providing service learning opportunities in my classroom. I share ideas for astronomy projects, tips for connecting and listening to a community, and helpful guidelines to hold students accountable in order to ensure a productive and educational project.

Using Student Group Leaders to Motivate Students in Cooperative Learning Methods in Crowded Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Efe, Rifat; Efe, Hulya Aslan

2011-01-01

This study examines the effects of employing student group leaders on the motivation of group members during co-operative learning activities in a secondary school classroom in Turkey. The study was carried out in a period of eight weeks in biology classes during which "living things" and "ecology" topics were taught to a class…

Active Learning Works! Until It Doesn't: Measuring the Effectiveness of Activity-Based Learning Exercises on Information Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halpern, Rebecca

2016-01-01

This study served to investigate how information literacy instruction can alleviate information anxiety in online learners. While there has been much research to demonstrate that hands-on or activity-based learning is beneficial in reducing library anxiety, those studies have not been conducted for the online classroom. Using a required,…

Approaches of Inquiry Learning With Multimedia Resources in Primary Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

So, Wing-Mui Winnie; Kong, Siu-Cheung

2007-01-01

This study aims to examine the design of approaches for inquiry learning with multimedia resources in primary classrooms. The study describes the development of a multimedia learning unit that helps learners understand the natural phenomenon of the movement of the Earth. An analysis of the use of the multimedia learning unit by a teacher in two…

An Examination of Undergraduates' Metacognitive Strategies in Pre-Class Asynchronous Activity in a Flipped Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yilmaz, Rabia M.; Baydas, Ozlem

2017-01-01

The aim of the study is to examine undergraduate students' awareness of metacognition, the metacognitive strategies they use in their learning and their learning performance in pre-class asynchronous activity in a flipped classroom. The sample consisted of 47 undergraduate students. Eleven students were not included in this study since they did…

Classroom Walkthroughs to Improve Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kachur, Donald S.; Stout, Judy; Edwards, Claudia

2010-01-01

This book demonstrates the many ways classroom walkthroughs can be used for continuous, systemic, long-range school improvement. Woven throughout the book are 18 different models of walkthroughs that have been successfully implemented in schools across the country. An effective tool for improving teaching and learning, this book demonstrates that…

Making Mistakes: Emotional Adaptation and Classroom Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCaslin, Mary; Vriesema, Christine C.; Burggraf, Susan

2016-01-01

Background: We studied how students in Grades 4-6 participate in and emotionally adapt to the give-and-take of learning in classrooms, particularly when making mistakes. Our approach is consistent with researchers who (a) include cognitive appraisals in the study of emotional experiences, (b) consider how personal concerns might mediate…

Does Structured Quizzing with Process Specific Feedback Lead to Learning Gains in an Active Learning Geoscience Classroom?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palsole, S.; Serpa, L. F.

2013-12-01

There is a great realization that efficient teaching in the geosciences has the potential to have far reaching effects in outreach to decision and policy makers (Herbert, 2006; Manduca & Mogk, 2006). This research in turn informs educators that the geosciences by the virtue of their highly integrative nature play an important role in serving as an entry point into STEM disciplines and helping developing a new cadre of geoscientists, scientists and a general population with an understanding of science. Keeping these goals in mind we set to design introductory geoscience courses for non-majors and majors that move away from the traditional lecture models which don't necessarily contribute well to knowledge building and retention ((Handelsman et al., 2007; Hake, 1997) to a blended active learning classroom where basic concepts and didactic information is acquired online via webquests, lecturettes and virtual field trips and the face to face portions of the class are focused on problem solving exercises. The traditional way to ensure that students are prepared for the in-class activity is to have the students take a quiz online to demonstrate basic competency. In the process of redesign, we decided to leverage the technology to build quizzes that are highly structured and map to a process (formation of divergent boundaries for example) or sets of earth processes that we needed the students to know before in-class activities. The quizzes can be taken multiple times and provide process specific feedback, thus serving as a heuristic to the students to ensure they have acquired the necessary competency. The heuristic quizzes were developed and deployed over a year with the student data driving the redesign process to ensure synchronicity. Preliminary data analysis indicates a positive correlation between higher student scores on in-class application exercises and time spent on the process quizzes. An assessment of learning gains also indicate a higher degree of self

Classroom acoustics and intervention strategies to enhance the learning environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savage, Christal

The classroom environment can be an acoustically difficult atmosphere for students to learn effectively, sometimes due in part to poor acoustical properties. Noise and reverberation have a substantial influence on room acoustics and subsequently intelligibility of speech. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA, 1995) developed minimal standards for noise and reverberation in a classroom for the purpose of providing an adequate listening environment. A lack of adherence to these standards may have undesirable consequences, which may lead to poor academic performance. The purpose of this capstone project is to develop a protocol to measure the acoustical properties of reverberation time and noise levels in elementary classrooms and present the educators with strategies to improve the learning environment. Noise level and reverberation will be measured and recorded in seven, unoccupied third grade classrooms in Lincoln Parish in North Louisiana. The recordings will occur at six specific distances in the classroom to simulate teacher and student positions. The recordings will be compared to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association standards for noise and reverberation. If discrepancies are observed, the primary investigator will serve as an auditory consultant for the school and educators to recommend remediation and intervention strategies to improve these acoustical properties. The hypothesis of the study is that the classroom acoustical properties of noise and reverberation will exceed the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association standards; therefore, the auditory consultant will provide strategies to improve those acoustical properties.

Opportunities for Inquiry Science in Montessori Classrooms: Learning from a Culture of Interest, Communication, and Explanation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rinke, Carol R.; Gimbel, Steven J.; Haskell, Sophie

2013-08-01

Although classroom inquiry is the primary pedagogy of science education, it has often been difficult to implement within conventional classroom cultures. This study turned to the alternatively structured Montessori learning environment to better understand the ways in which it fosters the essential elements of classroom inquiry, as defined by prominent policy documents. Specifically, we examined the opportunities present in Montessori classrooms for students to develop an interest in the natural world, generate explanations in science, and communicate about science. Using ethnographic research methods in four Montessori classrooms at the primary and elementary levels, this research captured a range of scientific learning opportunities. The study found that the Montessori learning environment provided opportunities for students to develop enduring interests in scientific topics and communicate about science in various ways. The data also indicated that explanation was largely teacher-driven in the Montessori classroom culture. This study offers lessons for both conventional and Montessori classrooms and suggests further research that bridges educational contexts.

Using traditional or flipped classrooms to teach "Geriatrics and Gerontology"? Investigating the impact of active learning on medical students' competences.

PubMed

Granero Lucchetti, Alessandra Lamas; Ezequiel, Oscarina da Silva; Oliveira, Isabella Noceli de; Moreira-Almeida, Alexander; Lucchetti, Giancarlo

2018-01-21

The present study aims to investigate the effect of two educational strategies to teach geriatrics (flipped classroom-FL and traditional lectures-TR) in relation to a control group (no intervention) on students' competences. An intervention study was conducted during the third year of medicine. Two different educational strategies (flipped classroom and traditional lectures) were incorporated into a theoretical-practical discipline of geriatrics. Students were evaluated about their attitudes towards older persons (Maxwell-Sullivan, UCLA geriatric attitudes), empathy (Maxwell-Sullivan), knowledge (Palmore and cognitive knowledge), skills (standardized patient assessment), and satisfaction with the activities. A total of 243 students were assessed. The FL group demonstrated greater gains in knowledge among students and improved attitude compared to the TR. We found no differences in the skills using a standardized patient. In addition, students exposed to FL felt more prepared to treat older people, believed they had more knowledge, were more satisfied, and evaluated the discipline's format better in relation to the traditional group. Strategies in teaching geriatrics can impact students' knowledge, attitudes, and satisfaction with the course. We found that the way this teaching is delivered can influence students' learning, since there were differences between active and traditional strategies.

Active Learning in a Math for Liberal Arts Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenz, Laurie

2015-01-01

Inquiry-based learning is a topic of growing interest in the mathematical community. Much of the focus has been on using these methods in calculus and higher-level classes. This article describes the design and implementation of a set of inquiry-based learning activities in a Math for Liberal Arts course at a small, private, Catholic college.…

Learning to Estimate Slide Comprehension in Classrooms with Support Vector Machines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pattanasri, N.; Mukunoki, M.; Minoh, M.

2012-01-01

Comprehension assessment is an essential tool in classroom learning. However, the judgment often relies on experience of an instructor who makes observation of students' behavior during the lessons. We argue that students should report their own comprehension explicitly in a classroom. With students' comprehension made available at the slide…

Classroom-Based Integration of Text-Messaging in Mathematics Teaching-Learning Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aunzo, Rodulfo T., Jr.

2017-01-01

A lot of teachers are complaining that students are "texting" inside the classroom even during class hours. With this, this research study "on students' perception before the integration and the students' attitude after the integration of text messaging inside the classroom during the mathematics teaching-learning process was…

Comparison of Standardized Test Scores from Traditional Classrooms and Those Using Problem-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Needham, Martha Elaine

2010-01-01

This research compares differences between standardized test scores in problem-based learning (PBL) classrooms and a traditional classroom for 6th grade students using a mixed-method, quasi-experimental and qualitative design. The research shows that problem-based learning is as effective as traditional teaching methods on standardized tests. The…

Supporting Classroom Activities with the BSUL System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ogata, Hiroaki; Saito, Nobuji A.; Paredes J., Rosa G.; San Martin, Gerardo Ayala; Yano, Yoneo

2008-01-01

This paper presents the integration of ubiquitous computing systems into classroom settings, in order to provide basic support for classrooms and field activities. We have developed web application components using Java technology and configured a classroom with wireless network access and a web camera for our purposes. In this classroom, the…

Promoting 21st-Century Skills in the Science Classroom by Adapting Cookbook Lab Activities: The Case of DNA Extraction of Wheat Germ

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alozie, Nonye M.; Grueber, David J.; Dereski, Mary O.

2012-01-01

How can science instruction engage students in 21st-century skills and inquiry-based learning, even when doing simple labs in the classroom? We collaborated with teachers in professional development workshops to transform "cookbook" activities into engaging laboratory experiences. We show how to change the common classroom activity of DNA…

Designing Cooperative Learning in the Science Classroom: Integrating the Peer Tutoring Small Investigation Group (PTSIG) within the Model of the Six Mirrors of the Classroom Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazarowitz, Reuven; Hertz-Lazarowitz, Rachel; Khalil, Mahmood; Ron, Salit

2013-01-01

The model of the six mirrors of the classroom and its use in teaching biology in a cooperative learning mode were implemented in high school classrooms. In this study we present: a) The model of the six mirrors of the classroom (MSMC). b) Cooperative learning settings: 1. The Group Investigation; 2. The Jigsaw Method; and 3. Peer Tutoring in Small…

Acceptability of the flipped classroom approach for in-house teaching in emergency medicine.

PubMed

Tan, Eunicia; Brainard, Andrew; Larkin, Gregory L

2015-10-01

To evaluate the relative acceptability of the flipped classroom approach compared with traditional didactics for in-house teaching in emergency medicine. Our department changed its learning model from a 'standard' lecture-based model to a 'flipped classroom' model. The 'flipped classroom' included provided pre-session learning objectives and resources before each 2 h weekly session. In-session activities emphasised active learning strategies and knowledge application. Feedback was sought from all medical staff regarding the acceptability of the new approach using an online anonymous cross-sectional qualitative survey. Feedback was received from 49/57 (86%) medical staff. Ninety-eight per cent (48/49) of respondents preferred the flipped classroom over the traditional approach. Aspects of the flipped classroom learners liked most included case-based discussion, interaction with peers, application of knowledge, self-directed learning and small-group learning. Barriers to pre-session learning include work commitments, 'life', perceived lack of time, family commitments, exam preparation and high volume of learning materials. Reported motivational factors promoting pre-session learning include formal assessment, participation requirements, more time, less material, more clinical relevance and/or more interesting material. Case studies and 'hands-on' activities were perceived to be the most useful in-session activities. The flipped classroom shows promise as an acceptable approach to in-house emergency medicine teaching. © 2015 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

Social Issues and Problem-Based Learning in Sociology: Opportunities and Challenges in the Undergraduate Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eglitis, Daina S.; Buntman, Fran L.; Alexander, Dameon V.

2016-01-01

This article discusses the use of problem-based learning (PBL) in the undergraduate sociology classroom. PBL shifts students from the role of passive listeners and learners to active knowledge builders and communicators through the use of concise and engaging social problem cases. PBL creates opportunities for building substantive area knowledge,…

Stimulating Deep Learning Using Active Learning Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yew, Tee Meng; Dawood, Fauziah K. P.; a/p S. Narayansany, Kannaki; a/p Palaniappa Manickam, M. Kamala; Jen, Leong Siok; Hoay, Kuan Chin

2016-01-01

When students and teachers behave in ways that reinforce learning as a spectator sport, the result can often be a classroom and overall learning environment that is mostly limited to transmission of information and rote learning rather than deep approaches towards meaningful construction and application of knowledge. A group of college instructors…

Mission Impossible: Learning How a Classroom Works before It's Too Late!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tattershall, Sandra

1987-01-01

The article looks at the implicit rules of classroom functioning and the importance of students learning these rules, either through osmosis or direct rule instruction, during the first few weeks of school. Speech language pathologists can help at risk students identify critical components of teacher behavior and classroom rules. (DB)

Teaching and learning science in linguistically diverse classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Emilee; Evnitskaya, Natalia; Ramos-de Robles, S. Lizette

2017-01-01

In this paper we reflect on the article, Science education in a bilingual class: problematising a translational practice, by Zeynep Ünsal, Britt Jakobson, Bengt-Olav Molander and Per-Olaf Wickman (Cult Stud Sci Educ, 10.1007/s11422-016-9747-3). In their article, the authors present the results of a classroom research project by responding to one main question: How is continuity between everyday language and the language of science construed in a bilingual science classroom where the teacher and the students do not speak the same minority language? Specifically, Ünsal et al. examine how bilingual students construe relations between everyday language and the language of science in a class taught in Swedish, in which all students also spoke Turkish, whereas the teacher also spoke Bosnian, both being minority languages in the context of Swedish schools. In this forum, we briefly discuss why close attention to bilingual dynamics emerging in classrooms such as those highlighted by Ünsal et al. matters for science education. We continue by discussing changing ontologies in relation to linguistic diversity and education more generally. Recent research in bilingual immersion classroom settings in so-called "content" subjects such as Content and Language Integrated Learning, is then introduced, as we believe this research offers some significant insights in terms of how bilingualism contributes to knowledge building in subjects such as science. Finally, we offer some reflections in relation to the classroom interactional competence needed by teachers in linguistically diverse classrooms. In this way, we aim to further the discussion initiated by Ünsal et al. and to offer possible frameworks for future research on bilingualism in science education. In their article, Ünsal et al. conclude the analysis of the classroom data by arguing in favor of a translanguaging pedagogy, an approach to teaching and learning in which students' whole language repertoires are used as

Research Participation versus Classroom Lecture: A Comparison of Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, Lisa Jo; Rice, Stephen; Trafimow, David; Madson, Laura; Hipshur, Malisa F.

2010-01-01

Previous literature has focused on students' perceptions of participation in experiments, but has not measured the effect of participation on learning. In Study 1, students rated their perceptions of learning about psychology; they compared the classroom experience to experiment participation, reading about psychology, or summarizing a journal…

Beyond Right or Wrong: Challenges of Including Creative Design Activities in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brennan, Karen

2015-01-01

In this article, we explore challenges encountered by K-12 educators in establishing classroom cultures that support creative learning activities with the Scratch programming language. Providing opportunities for students to understand and to build capacities for creative work was described by many of the teachers that we interviewed as a central…

Bridging the gap: strategies to integrate classroom and clinical learning.

PubMed

Flood, Lisa Sue; Robinia, Kristi

2014-08-01

Nursing students often feel their classroom (didactic) learning and clinical (practice) experiences are disconnected which can lead to a rejection of academe and dissatisfaction with the profession. This classroom/clinical divide may be exacerbated because of the increased use of part-time clinical faculty, who are often isolated from their didactic peers. If clinical faculty, either novice or experienced, are disconnected from didactic faculty, is it any wonder students feel their learning is fragmented? The purpose of this paper is to discuss strategies to help bridge the gap between didactic and clinical learning. Specific integration strategies for faculty are presented using examples from a baccalaureate adult nursing didactic course and its related clinical course. The role of a clinical coordinator in facilitating course integration and support for part-time clinical faculty is described. Ideas for using technology to enhance learning and suggestions to promote socialization to decrease faculty isolation are also discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Motivation, Classroom Environment, and Learning in Introductory Geology: A Hierarchical Linear Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilbert, L. A.; Hilpert, J. C.; Van Der Hoeven Kraft, K.; Budd, D.; Jones, M. H.; Matheney, R.; Mcconnell, D. A.; Perkins, D.; Stempien, J. A.; Wirth, K. R.

2013-12-01

Prior research has indicated that highly motivated students perform better and that learning increases in innovative, reformed classrooms, but untangling the student effects from the instructor effects is essential to understanding how to best support student learning. Using a hierarchical linear model, we examine these effects separately and jointly. We use data from nearly 2,000 undergraduate students surveyed by the NSF-funded GARNET (Geoscience Affective Research NETwork) project in 65 different introductory geology classes at research universities, public masters-granting universities, liberal arts colleges and community colleges across the US. Student level effects were measured as increases in expectancy and self-regulation using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ; Pintrich et al., 1991). Instructor level effects were measured using the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol, (RTOP; Sawada et al., 2000), with higher RTOP scores indicating a more reformed, student-centered classroom environment. Learning was measured by learning gains on a Geology Concept Inventory (GCI; Libarkin and Anderson, 2005) and normalized final course grade. The hierarchical linear model yielded significant results at several levels. At the student level, increases in expectancy and self-regulation are significantly and positively related to higher grades regardless of instructor; the higher the increase, the higher the grade. At the instructor level, RTOP scores are positively related to normalized average GCI learning gains. The higher the RTOP score, the higher the average class GCI learning gains. Across both levels, average class GCI learning gains are significantly and positively related to student grades; the higher the GCI learning gain, the higher the grade. Further, the RTOP scores are significantly and negatively related to the relationship between expectancy and course grade. The lower the RTOP score, the higher the correlation between change in

Improving classroom quality with the RULER Approach to Social and Emotional Learning: proximal and distal outcomes.

PubMed

Hagelskamp, Carolin; Brackett, Marc A; Rivers, Susan E; Salovey, Peter

2013-06-01

The RULER Approach to Social and Emotional Learning ("RULER") is designed to improve the quality of classroom interactions through professional development and classroom curricula that infuse emotional literacy instruction into teaching-learning interactions. Its theory of change specifies that RULER first shifts the emotional qualities of classrooms, which are then followed, over time, by improvements in classroom organization and instructional support. A 2-year, cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted to test hypotheses derived from this theory. Sixty-two urban schools either integrated RULER into fifth- and sixth-grade English language arts (ELA) classrooms or served as comparison schools, using their standard ELA curriculum only. Results from multilevel modeling with baseline adjustments and structural equation modeling support RULER's theory of change. Compared to classrooms in comparison schools, classrooms in RULER schools exhibited greater emotional support, better classroom organization, and more instructional support at the end of the second year of program delivery. Improvements in classroom organization and instructional support at the end of Year 2 were partially explained by RULER's impacts on classroom emotional support at the end of Year 1. These findings highlight the important contribution of emotional literacy training and development in creating engaging, empowering, and productive learning environments.

A Reconsideration of the Instructional Affordances of Classroom Monitoring in English Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Towndrow, Phillip A.

2016-01-01

This article explores teachers' classroom monitoring in English language learning and asks if it has a role to play beyond what we know and recognize as mainstream classroom management. As part of a larger study of pedagogical practices in classrooms in Singapore, researchers collected and analyzed videographic data on the types and…

A comparison of professional-level faculty and student perceptions of active learning: its current use, effectiveness, and barriers.

PubMed

Miller, Cynthia J; Metz, Michael J

2014-09-01

Active learning is an instructional method in which students become engaged participants in the classroom through the use of in-class written exercises, games, problem sets, audience-response systems, debates, class discussions, etc. Despite evidence supporting the effectiveness of active learning strategies, minimal adoption of the technique has occurred in many professional programs. The goal of this study was to compare the perceptions of active learning between students who were exposed to active learning in the classroom (n = 116) and professional-level physiology faculty members (n = 9). Faculty members reported a heavy reliance on lectures and minimal use of educational games and activities, whereas students indicated that they learned best via the activities. A majority of faculty members (89%) had observed active learning in the classroom and predicted favorable effects of the method on student performance and motivation. The main reported barriers by faculty members to the adoption of active learning were a lack of necessary class time, a high comfort level with traditional lectures, and insufficient time to develop materials. Students hypothesized similar obstacles for faculty members but also associated many negative qualities with the traditional lecturers. Despite these barriers, a majority of faculty members (78%) were interested in learning more about the alternative teaching strategy. Both faculty members and students indicated that active learning should occupy portions (29% vs. 40%) of face-to-face class time. Copyright © 2014 The American Physiological Society.

Satellite Technologies in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Portz, Stephen M.

1999-01-01

Focuses on ways of using satellite imagery obtained from the Internet, to enhance classroom learning. Discusses satellite deployment; classroom applications, including infrared imagery, high-resolution photography, and global positioning satellites; and use of satellite data for hands-on activities, including cartography, city and community…

Hegemonic Speech Genres of Classrooms and Their Importance for RE Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osbeck, C.; Lied, S.

2012-01-01

The "purpose" of this article is to illustrate how potential learning is related to hegemonic speech genres. This we do through examples from two religious education (RE) classrooms, one Norwegian and one Swedish. By presenting important dimensions of speech genres used in RE classrooms, the article also contributes to developing theory.…

Mobile Response System: A Novel Approach to Interactive and Hands-On Activity in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center