University of Colorado at Boulder
Course Title: Introductory Astronomy
Contact: Doug Duncan
The University of Colorado at Boulder redesigned a two-semester sequence of Introductory Astronomy to make the course more interactive and thus increase student attendance and engagement with the material. The course redesign replaced the traditional large lecture hall format with learning teams of nine students coached by undergraduate assistants in a banquet style classroom furnished with round tables and networked laptop computers. In the completed redesign, course content was delivered through an on-line astronomy text rich in graphics, animations, simulations, and links to current research activities in astronomy. Web-based materials and software were used to facilitate individual and team-based active learning. The university planned to apply this redesign plan to two different enrollment configurations, with anticipated cost savings of 14% for one and 35% for the other. The results of the completed redesign can be found by following the links listed below under Final Report.
Initial Planning (as of 7/1/99)
Interim Progress Report (as of 12/31/00)
- Improving the Quality of Student Learning
- Labor Saving Techniques
- Course Development Issues
- Implementation Issues
- Dissemination
- Detailed Description of Key Innovations: Learning Teams and Undergraduate Learning Assistants
Final Report (as of 12/31/01)
- Impact on Students
- Impact on Cost Savings
- Lessons Learned
- Pedagogical Improvement Techniques
- Cost Savings Techniques
- Implementation Issues
- Sustainability
Program in Course Redesign Quick Links:
Program In Course Redesign Main Page...
Lessons Learned:
Round 1...
Round II...
Round III...
Savings:
Round I...
Round II...
Round III...
Project Descriptions:
Sorted by Discipline...
Sorted by Model...
Sorted by Success...
Sorted by Grant Rounds...
