Bonnie Ferri, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Combining Blending, Hands-On Activities, and MOOCs in a Circuits Class:

Both Online and On Campus

In order to improve consistency across sections and introduce mini-labs into the classroom, ECE3710 has been converted into a blended format where the lectures are provided by two MOOCs. The on-campus students take the course synchronously with the public MOOC students and share a discussion forum. ECE3710 has been taught in this format for four semesters with over 1100 students enrolled, including one section of distance learning students. The overall student performance has improved, and the consistency in performance, coverage, and grades across the sections has improved dramatically.

Jennifer Leavey and David Garton, School of Biology

Scientific Teaching

Put simply, scientific teaching refers to the application of scientific methods in evaluating pedagogical effectiveness. While the classic lecture-centric approach to teaching in the sciences remains widespread, multiple studies have shown that better engaging students in the classroom and laboratory improves retention and teaching effectiveness. In this session, we will discuss easy ways to make your classroom more engaging and how to evaluate your teaching methods.