In response to the need for a scalable, institutionally supported model of educational change, the Science Education Initiative (SEI) was created as an experiment in transforming course materials and faculty practices at two institutions--University of Colorado Boulder (CU) and University of British Columbia. We find that this departmentally…

Background: STEM educational reform encourages a transition from instructor-centered passive learning environments to student-centered, active learning environments. Instructors adopting these changes incorporate research-validated teaching practices that improve student learning. Professional development that trains faculty to implement…

There are limited studies with conflicting results examining textbook use and student performance at the university level. To learn more, we surveyed instructors and over one thousand students in 12 undergraduate introductory science courses. The majority (77%) of the students reported reading the textbook either "often" (>75% of the…

Faculty often wish to devote time and resources to improve a course to be more in line with principles of how people learn but are not sure of the best path to follow. We present our tested approach to research-based course transformation, including development of learning goals, instructional materials based on student difficulties, and…

The University of Sydney is a large, research-intensive, campus-based Australian University. Since 2004 a strategic initiative of project-based eLearning support has been creating teams of non-academic and academic staff, who have worked together to develop online resources to meet identified needs. The University's aims in continuing to provide…

Digital publishing is a field lurching along many paths and alleyways of experimentation. For their potential influence, however, recent approaches bear watching. In this article, the author shares the story of Jason on his personal decision-making struggles on using digital versions against conventional textbooks. The author also discusses…

Presents a list of selected articles on astronomy instruction at high school, college, and graduate levels, especially those for college nonscience majors. Besides teaching materials and aids, related societies, organizations, planetariums, and periodicals are incorporated as entries of primary sources. (CC)

This publication is a study guide prepared for use in a National Science Foundation (NSF) Chautaugua-Type Short Course for College Teachers. The purpose of the guide is to provide college teachers with a variety of modeling methods that can be used with problem solving. Mathematical applications and illustrations are included, along with listings…

Presents the author's personal observation as a visiting professor at the Open University (OU) in Great Britain. This includes the OU goals, requirements, instructional materials, media, and student evaluation. How the OU carries out its undergraduate science teaching program is also presented. (HM)

Presented are the results of a survey of several classes in a college of agriculture to determine whether students had different attitudes about being taught by professors vs. teaching assistants. Data indicated that professionalism and course content are the most important variables to students. (CW)

This three-part report examines chemistry education at the two-year college as revealed by a nationwide study of two-year science education which involved a review of the literature, an analysis of the catalogs and class schedules of 175 representative two-year institutions, and a survey of 82 chemistry instructors. Part I, in an examination of…

One in a series of 12 publications on two-year science education, this four-part monograph examines biological education as revealed by a literature review, a study of the catalogs and class schedules of 175 representative two-year institutions, and survey responses of 160 biology instructors. Part I first presents the findings of a review of the…

The Office of Education has undertaken the preparation of a series of basic studies on education in a number of Central and South American countries under the sponsorship of the Interdepartmental Committee on Cultural and Scientific Cooperation. This series of studies is part of a program to promote understanding of educational conditions in the…