Improving teaching and learning in undergraduate science: Some research and practice

Research has shown that traditional methods of teaching science (lectures, laboratories and problem solving tutorials) are ineffective in promoting conceptual change and are inadequate or unsuitable for many students. Together with a growing number of colleagues around the world, members of the Phys...

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Main Authors: Zadnik, Marjan, Yeo, Shelley
Other Authors: Anne Fernandez
Format: Conference Paper
Published: UniServe Science 2001
Online Access:http://science.uniserve.edu.au/pubs/procs/wshop6/rdws001.pdf
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/37442
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author Zadnik, Marjan
Yeo, Shelley
author2 Anne Fernandez
author_facet Anne Fernandez
Zadnik, Marjan
Yeo, Shelley
author_sort Zadnik, Marjan
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Research has shown that traditional methods of teaching science (lectures, laboratories and problem solving tutorials) are ineffective in promoting conceptual change and are inadequate or unsuitable for many students. Together with a growing number of colleagues around the world, members of the Physics Education Research and Development Group at Curtin University of Technology have attempted to address some of these issues by incorporating, or developing and evaluating, innovative teaching practice in their courses. Teaching innovations, such as the implementation of a 'studio' Model, are being researched to examine their effectiveness in changing students’ understandings of fundamental concepts. These innovations integrate theory, experiment and problem solving activities in a student-centred 'hands-on' learning environment based on a constructivist epistemology. This paper discusses some of the reasons for embarking on research into university science teaching and learning. It outlines the guiding principles and then describes some of the current projects and lessons we have learnt, which have led to improvements in student learning.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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publishDate 2001
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-374422017-02-28T01:45:43Z Improving teaching and learning in undergraduate science: Some research and practice Zadnik, Marjan Yeo, Shelley Anne Fernandez Research has shown that traditional methods of teaching science (lectures, laboratories and problem solving tutorials) are ineffective in promoting conceptual change and are inadequate or unsuitable for many students. Together with a growing number of colleagues around the world, members of the Physics Education Research and Development Group at Curtin University of Technology have attempted to address some of these issues by incorporating, or developing and evaluating, innovative teaching practice in their courses. Teaching innovations, such as the implementation of a 'studio' Model, are being researched to examine their effectiveness in changing students’ understandings of fundamental concepts. These innovations integrate theory, experiment and problem solving activities in a student-centred 'hands-on' learning environment based on a constructivist epistemology. This paper discusses some of the reasons for embarking on research into university science teaching and learning. It outlines the guiding principles and then describes some of the current projects and lessons we have learnt, which have led to improvements in student learning. 2001 Conference Paper http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/37442 http://science.uniserve.edu.au/pubs/procs/wshop6/rdws001.pdf UniServe Science restricted
spellingShingle Zadnik, Marjan
Yeo, Shelley
Improving teaching and learning in undergraduate science: Some research and practice
title Improving teaching and learning in undergraduate science: Some research and practice
title_full Improving teaching and learning in undergraduate science: Some research and practice
title_fullStr Improving teaching and learning in undergraduate science: Some research and practice
title_full_unstemmed Improving teaching and learning in undergraduate science: Some research and practice
title_short Improving teaching and learning in undergraduate science: Some research and practice
title_sort improving teaching and learning in undergraduate science: some research and practice
url http://science.uniserve.edu.au/pubs/procs/wshop6/rdws001.pdf
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/37442