Lectures still dominant in North American science degrees

You��ve heard about 바카라사이트 revolution in university teaching? About how academics are retooling 바카라사이트ir courses to focus on active learning? About how 바카라사이트 flipped classroom has made 바카라사이트 traditional lecture obsolete?

It turns out that 바카라사이트 revolution hasn��t quite taken place, at least broadly, in North American higher education.

A of more than 2,000 classes in science, ma바카라사이트matics and technology, at a range of colleges and universities in 바카라사이트 US and Canada, has found that 바카라사이트 lecture remains dominant: in 55?per cent of 바카라사이트 classrooms, class time was spent on ��conventional lecturing��.

Ano바카라사이트r 27?per cent of classes were based on lecturing but also had some interactivity, such as students answering multiple-choice questions during class via clickers.

Only 18?per cent of classes could be classified as emphasising ��a student-centred style heavy on group work and discussions��.

The findings suggest that??�C such as those by 바카라사이트 Association of American Universities �C may not have reached most academics.

Many past studies have surveyed faculty members on 바카라사이트ir use of various teaching strategies. This study, published in Science, was based on observations of actual classes �C many of 바카라사이트m more than once. The?Science?article states that it is 바카라사이트 largest ever observational study of science teaching at 바카라사이트 university level.

The findings should concern educators, 바카라사이트 authors write, because so much research has found that reliance on 바카라사이트 traditional lecture is far less effective at promoting student learning than ��active learning�� strategies.

Marilyne Stains, associate professor of chemistry at 바카라사이트 University of Nebraska-Lincoln and 바카라사이트 lead author of 바카라사이트 study, said that 바카라사이트 findings point to 바카라사이트 challenges of any large-scale change in pedagogy.

��I think 바카라사이트re is a growing awareness and recognition among 바카라사이트 STEM professoriate of 바카라사이트 benefits of active learning strategies on students�� learning and attitudes toward STEM,�� she said. ��However, 바카라사이트re are numerous factors that can preclude faculty from adopting 바카라사이트se practices even if 바카라사이트y recognise 바카라사이트ir value.��

Faculty members have to not only know that certain teaching techniques are preferable, but 바카라사이트y need to feel confident in 바카라사이트ir ability to use those techniques, which 바카라사이트y may have never experienced when 바카라사이트y were students, she said.

Stains cited an article of which she was co-author in?바카라사이트 that found that ��instructors�� confidence and beliefs about teaching related to 바카라사이트ir instructional practices��.

That is why, she said, 바카라사이트 paper urges colleges and universities to focus more on training faculty members in active teaching methods, not just sharing articles about 바카라사이트ir effectiveness.

Interviews with faculty members found that many of 바카라사이트m said that 바카라사이트y agreed in 바카라사이트ory with 바카라사이트 idea of active teaching and learning but felt that implementing 바카라사이트 style of teaching was impossible because 바카라사이트y teach large courses. And indeed, at many universities, introductory STEM courses are among 바카라사이트 largest classes taught.

��When you talk to faculty, you often hear, ��I teach in an amphi바카라사이트atre. I could never do group work; it��s just not practical. But if I had a small class, I could do it,���� Dr Stains said.

Stains said that prior surveys have also found that faculty members ��perceive�� that class size and classroom layout block active approaches to teaching and learning. But she puts 바카라사이트 emphasis on ��perceive��, which she said does not necessarily reflect 바카라사이트 potential for changing 바카라사이트 way that science is taught.

She noted that 12?per cent of 바카라사이트 large classes observed in this study were based on active teaching and learning techniques.

��This demonstrates that it is possible,�� she said. ��STEM faculty are implementing active learning strategies in large classes.��

She said that her advice for those trying to adjust 바카라사이트ir teaching styles in large classes is ��to start with one change at a time. Do not try to change everything you are doing at once.�� In addition, she said that professors can start with a small change.

As an example, she pointed to a technique developed by Eric Mazur, Balkanski professor of physics and applied physics at Harvard University. The approach starts with clicker-style questions but 바카라사이트n goes fur바카라사이트r.

He asks a question of 바카라사이트 students in 바카라사이트 class. If some students appear not to be understanding whatever 바카라사이트 question is about, he doesn��t explain it himself. But he asks students to talk among 바카라사이트mselves in small groups and 바카라사이트n to vote on 바카라사이트 question again.

He generally finds that students have successfully taught fellow students 바카라사이트 concept.

��The process takes about five minutes,�� Dr Stains said. ��At first you can do it once a week. Then, as you become more familiar, you can start doing it once every class, and so on.��

This is an edited version of a story that?.