Surveys of student and instructors' opinions is collected for all the courses, and a routine recording of the number of "hits" (times that the lecture Web site is accused by students), and the total number of hits being a general indication of lecture use in as much as grades and notices are also assessed. This methodology serves as a useful and…

In a recent study we showed that physics students' problem-solving performance can depend strongly on problem representation, and that giving students a choice of problem representation can have a significant impact on their performance [ P. B. Kohl and N. D. Finklestein, Phys. Rev. ST. Phys. Educ. Res. 1, 010104 (2005) ] In this paper, we…

Presents lecture outline comparing uniformitarianism with other philosophic approaches to earth study. Comparison is valuable since: (1) it provides insight into the character of geology and the meaning of the scientific method; and (2) it reveals the necessarily biased nature of all information. (Author/JN)

Tests O. R. Anderson's theory of kinetic structure of verbal communications by administering lectures on swine flu to high school biology students and then reteaching the lectures with increased commonality. Results weakly support Anderson's theory. Implications are made for training teachers to increase the commonality of their lectures. (CS)

Points out that second-language learners, females, low-income students, and students of color sometimes experience difficulties and struggle with science instruction. Describes the interactive lecture in which students use critical thinking skills and suggests possible techniques that teachers can use when conducting an interactive lecture. (YDS)

Conducted an economic and pedagogical analysis of the use of online lecture and laboratory material in an online science course taught by several instructors and approximately 50 teaching assistants. Data from a variety of sources show increased student use of curricular resources, increased convenience, and a potential for cost savings from this…

Presents three lesson scenarios using inquiry/discovery and lecture/discussion methods and discusses the specific instructional strategies that each employs. The first two scenarios demonstrate how these strategies and their supporting tools and activities are applied in a single content area while the third one shows how inquiry/discovery…

Uses videotaped lectures and interviews to understand lectures in a physics course for prospective elementary teachers. Reports that the professor staged Aristotle, natural philosophy, and students' observations and intuitive knowledge in opposition to Galileo, controlled experiments, and mathematical inscriptions. Concludes that this form of…

An empirical study of the speech act of definition in science lectures found that definitions signposted the logical/discourse structure of the lecture, helped to maintain comprehension as discourse progressed, and were often clustered together in discourse. (14 references) (Author/CB)

Two distinct courses, "Molecular Biology" taught by the Biology Department and "Advanced Biochemistry" taught by the Chemistry Department, complement each other and, when taught in a coordinated and integrated way, can enhance student learning and understanding of complex material. "Molecular Biology" is a comprehensive lecture-based course with a…

This study aimed to identify the types of arguments promoted in various contexts common to a high school chemistry classroom, including lecture-discussion and laboratory activities. The study was guided by the following research question: What types of argument structures and schemes, if any, are promoted and engaged by students within various…

TO DETERMINE WHICH TEACHING METHOD WAS MORE EFFECTIVE, STUDENT ATTITUDE AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT WERE COMPARED BETWEEN TELEVISION (TV) LECTURES AND DIRECT CLASS LECTURES GIVEN BY THE SAME INSTRUCTOR AND COVERING THE SAME MATERIAL. THE LECTURE GROUP (126 STUDENTS) HAD SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER NUMBERS OF UPPERCLASSMEN, AND MORE OF THE STUDENTS PLANNED…

A comparison between achievement test scores in a life science course for students in audiotutorial sections and those in conventional lecture-laboratory sections was made during the fall of 1973. The comparison indicated that student achievement, as measured by percentage scores on unit tests plus a final examination, was almost identical between…

Recognizing that success in general chemistry is dependent on the development of disciplined study habits, the author motivates his students to develop these skills through prelecture assignments that introduce them to various studying strategies. The format and use of the prelecture assignments are described. (JN)

A method of teaching is described that requires students to choose an area of course content relating to their own interests and study, expand on it, and present the results to the class. The results of its application in two courses, one in the humanities and one in the sciences, are discussed. (MSE)