ERIC Number: EJ826038
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1931-7913
EISSN: N/A
Cooperative Learning in Industrial-Sized Biology Classes
Armstrong, Norris; Chang, Shu-Mei; Brickman, Marguerite
CBE - Life Sciences Education, v6 n2 p163-171 Sum 2007
This study examined the impact of cooperative learning activities on student achievement and attitudes in large-enrollment (greater than 250) introductory biology classes. We found that students taught using a cooperative learning approach showed greater improvement in their knowledge of course material compared with students taught using a traditional lecture format. In addition, students viewed cooperative learning activities highly favorably. These findings suggest that encouraging students to work in small groups and improving feedback between the instructor and the students can help to improve student outcomes even in very large classes. These results should be viewed cautiously, however, until this experiment can be replicated with additional faculty. Strategies for potentially improving the impact of cooperative learning on student achievement in large courses are discussed. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)
Descriptors: Feedback (Response), Learning Activities, Science Achievement, Cooperative Learning, Biology, Teaching Methods, Large Group Instruction, College Science, Introductory Courses, Science Instruction, Student Attitudes, Instructional Effectiveness, Grade Point Average, Gender Differences, Attendance Patterns
American Society for Cell Biology. 8120 Woodmont Avenue Suite 750, Bethesda, MD 20814-2762. Tel: 301-347-9300; Fax: 301-347-9310; E-mail: ascbinfo@ascb.org; Website: http://www.ascb.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A