This action research study evaluated problem-based learning (PBL), traditional lecture, and a combination of PBL and lecture in an elective biochemistry course at a secondary school for gifted students. Lecture tended to wide content coverage, whereas understanding and retention was promoted by PBL. (Author/DB)

Describes reform efforts in science education at Northern Arizona University that emphasize active, inquiry-based learning in introductory biology classes. Recommends the use of a number of strategies to involve large classes in thinking about and doing science. Contains 20 references. (DDR)

Encourages teachers to convert current lecture materials into Web-ready formats and use these for in-classroom lecture presentations. Presents practical suggestions for developing multimedia classrooms and explores issues involved. (Author/JRH)

Effects of knowledge maps, outlines, or lists of key terms on recall by 74 undergraduates (29 males and 45 females) of 2 biology lectures were compared. The hypothesized advantage of maps over outlines or lists was not found generally, but it was found for students low in prior knowledge. (SLD)

Authors describe how to use videodisks and computer software in biology instruction. HyperCard Videodisc Toolkit for the Macintosh computer and the BioSci videodisc are used to explain basic principles in the preparation of multimedia presentations. Authors assert that the use of this technology enhances student learning by inserting excellent…

Discusses modifications of the usual lecture approach for a environmental geology course by including class discussion, class projects, and group projects which are designed to help students see the relevance of geology to their lives. Author claims that in this interactive approach both instructor and students become more actively involved in the…

Reports on a two-year project in a biology course for nonmajors in which lectures were replaced with guided learning activities and weekly exams designed to help students gain the confidence to be independent learners, especially in science, assume responsibility for their own learning, improve study skills, and make more effective use of class…

Describes and evaluates a technique used in two science lecture courses (biochemistry and introductory meteorology), in which lectures were interspersed with frequent, brief discussions within spontaneously formed small groups. Some differences were found in the ways the two professors managed the technique, but both felt in-class participation…

Reports on the effects of constructivist versus traditional teaching approaches on university students' learning about osmosis and diffusion. Students understood diffusion and osmosis more deeply in the constructivist-informed classroom, which used small discussion groups rather than traditional large lecture groups. Suggests ways to improve…

Describes efforts to include cooperative learning and multimedia in a general chemistry lecture course at the State University of New York College at Oneonta. Highlights include the need for a new course design due to declining student performance, the use of presentation software, costs, student reactions, and differences in teaching styles. (LRW)

We conduct research workshops twice each semester in our cell biology lecture course. Instead of solely analyzing data obtained by others, students form groups to design research questions and experimental protocols on a given topic. The main focus is the process of scientific thinking, not simply obtaining a correct product. (Contains 3 tables…

A two-quarter Human Anatomy and Physiology course for health-science students has been developed which incorporates the principles of individualization while maintaining the lecture hall setting. The lecture method contributes the following components to the course: (1) no special equipment or supplies; (2) personal interaction between instructor…

Results of three studies comparing lecture/discussion to a Personalized System of Instruction (PSI) suggest that students perform better using PSI. (SK)

Presented are studies which confirm the idea that factors related to the format, the order of items presented, and the presentation style can affect the impact of information and student recall. Discussed are dynamic presentations, enumerated items, impact and timing, pairing of items, data summaries, and information load. (CW)

Student success in solving physics problems is related to the representational format of the problem. We study student representational competence in two large-lecture algebra-based introductory university physics courses with approximately 600 participants total. We examined student performance on homework problems given in four different…