Strengthening Web Based Learning through Software Quality Analysis

The Web is changing the way people access & exchange information. Specifically in the teaching & learning environment, we are witnessing that the traditional model of presence based magisterial classes is shifting towards Web Based Learning. This new model draws on remote access systems, knowledge sharing, and student mobility. In this context, pedagogical strategies are also changing, and for instance, Project- Based Learning (PBL) is seen as a potential driver for growth and development in this arena. This study is focused on a PBL oriented course with a Distributed Remote ACcess (DRAC) system. The objective is to analyze how quantitative methods can be leveraged to design and evaluate automatic diagnosis and feedback tools to assist students on quality-related pedagogical issues in DRAC enabled PBL courses. Main conclusions derived from this study are correlation-based and reveal that the development of automatic quality assessment and feedback requires further research

Cooperative Learning in Industrial-sized Biology Classes

This study examined the impact of cooperative learning activities on student achievement and attitudes in large-enrollment (>250) introductory biology classes. We found that students taught using a cooperative learning approach showed greater improvement in their knowledge of course material compared with students taught using a traditional lecture format. In addition, students viewed cooperative learning activities highly favorably. These findings suggest that encouraging students to work in small groups and improving feedback between the instructor and the students can help to improve student outcomes even in very large classes. These results should be viewed cautiously, however, until this experiment can be replicated with additional faculty. Strategies for potentially improving the impact of cooperative learning on student achievement in large courses are discussed