Walter Research Lab
We examine instructional practices of postsecondary instructors,
the factors that influence these practices,
and how these practices influence STEM learning outcomes for college students.
The following issues drive our research:
50-75% of North American STEM faculty exclusively lecture.
This is despite strong evidence that active learning (a) reduces course failure rates & (b) improves knowledge.
Students cite negative college classroom experiences as a primary reason they leave STEM.
College-educated Americans lag behind counterparts in Western Europe and Asian in acceptance of scientifically validated ideas, including evolution and climate change.
-