Guest Editorial: A Review of Research on Constructivist-Based Strategies for Large Lecture Science Classes

Abstract

Science is routinely taught in large lecture courses at colleges and universities, despite longstanding research in science education and developments in modern learning theory that throws doubt on the efficacy of traditional lectures in helping students learn. While the liabilities of teaching science in large lecture settings are generally acknowledged by instructors and administrators alike, it seems clear that, for a variety of reasons both financial and systematic, large lecture courses are here to stay. Faced with this institutional reality, contemporary science educators have increasingly focused on the testing and implementation of teaching and learning strategies that can promote student understanding of science content/process in large lecture settings. As part of a grant project aimed at improving middle school science teaching , the following annotated bibliography on contemporary research on instructional strategies aimed at promoting student-centered, active learning in large science classes has been developed to assist science faculty in revising their courses to better promote student learning. References were chosen that: 1) provide an overview of the theoretical basis for the importance of active learning strategies for the teaching and learning of science, 2) provide examples of instructional practice(s) intended to promote student-centered active learning in large lecture classes, and 3) describe research finding(s) that bear on the efficacy of these strategies. Several of these references provide examples of discipline specific strategies used in biology, chemistry, physics and earth science lecture courses.