The Tough Road to Better Science Teaching

Chronicle of Higher Education. 1255 23rd Street NW Suite 700, Washington, DC 20037. Tel: 800-728-2803; e-mail: circulation@chronicle.com; Web site: http://chronicle.com/

N

1

Teaching Methods; Science Instruction; Resistance to Change; Change Strategies; College Faculty; Instructional Improvement

0009-5982

For decades introductory science courses have relied largely on lectures and tests that reward memorization of facts and formulas, an approach that has driven away many talented students. While new teaching models have shown success in engaging and retaining undergraduates, they have yet to be widely adopted in academe. For one thing, the tenure system rewards good research above good teaching. For another, faculty members have final say over their own courses, and some are resistant to change. Other professors are unaware of the new methods, in part because the federal government has provided only limited financial support for getting the word out. In this article, the author examines why proponents of new methods of science teaching encounter resistance from science educators. The author also discusses ways in which methods in teaching science could be improved into a "student-centered" approach.

ERIC

2007

EJ777763