The author examined the literature regarding college students' use of smartphones during class time. Findings included the following: Students believe they are capable of multitasking with smartphones, but they are not and earn lower grades as a result; students misperceive that their peers use smartphones during class time more than they do…

While online programs continue to grow at an astounding rate in higher education, many faculty remain skeptical of the efficacy of online models. This article provides an overview of some significant benefits of online education while recognizing some common concerns. An examination of the current literature and the authors' own online…

The rise in academic integrity violations and the connection between dishonest behavior in college and civic behavior after graduation signal a call to educators that more should be done to prepare students to be ethical, responsible citizens. Through collaboration, particularly on written projects for their peers, students can feel more a part of…

The combination of theater and community-based service-learning can be a powerful tool to allow university students to meet their educational goals while connecting them with the world. The performance of children's theater in elementary schools with English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs, for example, has important…

College students will face a workplace transformed even from the one that existed five years ago. Public and private organizations presently require employees to possess highly developed core competencies. This shift in expectations, exacerbated by high unemployment among recent college graduates, has made accountability a hot issue for higher…

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is strongly emphasized in many professions and should be taught as part of pre-professional training or to promote the development of enlightened citizens who utilize professional services. Service-learning (SL) classes provide an excellent opportunity to provide meaningful training in how EBP relates to education,…

The authors address three questions: (1) What are the foundational practices of team-based learning (TBL)? (2) What are the fundamental principles underlying TBL's foundational practices? and (3) In what ways are TBL's foundational practices similar to and/or different from the practices employed by problem-based learning (PBL) and…

Over the past 30 years, problem-based learning (PBL) has become a major force in health professions education and even in the broader educational world. This article focuses on the outcomes that have been found from using PBL in the health professions based on at least 20 reviews done since 1990. The outcomes identified in these reviews are…

Frequent student processing of lecture content (1) clears working memory, (2) increases long-term memory storage, (3) produces retrograde memory enhancement, (4) creates episodic memories, (5) increases alertness, and (6) activates many brain structures. These outcomes increase comprehension of and memory for content. Many professors now…

Since the 1960s, there has been growing and sustained interest in small-group learning approaches at the school level and in higher education. A voluminous body of literature in this area addresses theory, research, classroom practice, and faculty development. The approaches most highly represented in the literature are cooperative learning,…

Team-based learning, or TBL, is an application-oriented teaching method that combines small- and large-group learning by incorporating multiple small groups into a large group setting. It has been increasingly used in postsecondary and professional education over the past two decades. Given this increasing usage, many faculty wonder about the…

Cooperative learning is an example of how theory validated by research may be applied to instructional practice. The major theoretical base for cooperative learning is social interdependence theory. It provides clear definitions of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic learning. Hundreds of research studies have validated its basic…

Classroom experiences influence a diverse array of student outcomes, such as academic and cognitive development, interpersonal skills, and the amount of time students engage in academic activities. Collaborative learning is an important pedagogy that is particularly meaningful for graduate students, who are often adults returning to college. This…

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional method where student learning occurs in the context of solving an authentic problem. PBL was initially developed out of an instructional need to help medical school students learn their basic sciences knowledge in a way that would be more lasting while helping to develop clinical skills…

The authors of this article express concern about the use of parametric techniques to report faculty performance based on categorical Likert survey data gleaned from student responses to teaching evaluations. They argue that these surveys often violate primary statistical requirements for evaluative application. Therefore, the conclusions drawn…