Improving the teaching of science

New York Times : According to a new study published in Science, undergraduate students learn better through an interactive approach than through the more traditional lecture style of teaching. A team of researchers at the University of British Columbia in Canada led by Nobel Prizewinning physicist Carl Wieman compared results from an introductory college physics course that was taught two different ways, one using the traditional lectures and the other using an experimental, collaborative approach in which students puzzle out problems together during class. The results showed that students in the experimental class did more than twice as well on a multiple-choice test of the material and also tended to have better attendance. Although some have criticized the study, pointing out its limitations and problems with its design, others see it as a long-overdue step toward improving undergraduate teaching and learning.