This article outlines a method used to successfully breakthrough student bias surrounding controversial issues in the classroom. The method uses a debate with randomized position assignments to encourage students to consider all sides of the topic. Student feedback is overwhelmingly positive and students appear to develop a newfound respect and…

Wicked problems are large, complex problems involving multiple perspectives that present substantial future challenges. These challenges can be overwhelming for learners and pose difficulties in teaching for instructors. Herein a solutions-oriented teaching strategy that amalgamates proven active learning strategies is presented along with a…

Field-based learning in higher education is lacking both in practice at colleges and in research within the academic literature. This study aims to address these deficits by exploring the benefits and possibilities of executing field study in higher education across a variety of courses. We report the results of a qualitative research design that…

This project examined the effects of two team selection methods (self-selected and instructorformed based on matched academic performance) on team and individual student performance and on self-reported attitudes and team behaviors in a freshman-level core-required introductory course. The data included mid and end-of-semester self-reports.…

This study builds upon previous research that explores the pedagogical use of film and video by explicitly asking instructors about their attitudes towards and motivations for employing such texts in their teaching, as well as the challenges they face in the process. Data were gathered through an anonymous, online survey of instructors across…

Challenges to establishing and maintaining undergraduate research programs include how to demonstrate impact as evidence for future funding, establish eligibility criteria when resources are limited, and assess new components. To address these challenges, undergraduate researcher GPA, credit accumulation and time to graduation were evaluated…

Research has demonstrated that academically successful students are effective, self-regulated learners. Moreover, exam wrapper interventions have been shown to foster the development of self-regulated learning behaviors on the part of college students. In this naturalistic, qualitative, and exploratory study, an exam wrapper intervention was…

In this paper we provide two concrete examples of class assignments, developed by the authors, which challenge students to think more critically about themselves, their cultural values and beliefs, and the "invisible forces" that shape their perspectives. We include samples from students' work and our reflections to demonstrate the types…

The concept of active learning as a superior mode of instruction has recently received great attention in the education research literature. It holds promise of steering students away from rote memorization towards higher order thinking (as defined by Bloom's taxonomy revised). However, few studies focus on student perceptions of higher order…

This convergent mixed method quasi-experiment study evaluates the effectiveness of an HIV Prevention Webcourses on reaching HIV related competencies among college students at a large public university in Florida. College students in health majors participated in the study, experiment group were students enrolled in the HIV Webcourses and…

In modern university education, quantitative analytical skills seem best acquired through deep learning of complex, multi-faceted problems. Our quasi-experimental design tested whether student achievement in an immersive classroom case study might affect subsequent academic performance, presumably reflecting deeper learning of fundamental…

This Quick Hit discusses an exploratory approach to integrating print newspaper into the college classroom as a method to connect journalism with theoretical knowledge. Daily copies of The New York Times were provided to students in an Introductory Sociology course throughout the duration of a semester. Working in groups, students regularly read…

Game-based learning has become increasingly popular in recent years and has drawn an increasing level of attention in education. While the preliminary findings of educational gaming impact are quite promising, the current dilemma is the disconnect between what is available on the market and what is needed in the classroom. There has been an…

This article describes a project focused on identifying science instructors' conceptions of science literacy and using these conceptions to develop a brief science literacy student self-assessment (SCILIT). We present the rationale and process we used to elicit instructors' conceptions of science literacy, crafted in a meaningful way with input by…

The advantages of active learning approaches have prompted national recommendations for the development of inquiry-based laboratories to replace traditional laboratory classes. However, there is little consensus for the most-effective implementation strategies. Frequently, a single inquiry-based exercise is incorporated at the end of a traditional…