Semmelweis' Ghost: Student Learning Is in Our Hands

Two significant and intertwined problems have been identified in undergraduate science education: poor learning outcomes and inadequate retention of students. Biology education reform movements have promoted increased student-centered learning to address these problems. Professional bodies including the National Research Council, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Science Foundation, and the Presidentu0027s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology have articulated both the need for reform and the necessary steps to achieve it. A move away from traditional lecture to active learning approaches is a centerpiece of these proposals, but the majority of science faculty have not made this shift. Most faculty were educated in the traditional way and have spent a number of years perfecting lecture design and delivery. And students generally respond well to clear, organized lectures. So why change?