Background: There has been much research into innovations, quality, barriers and satisfaction with online learning. In the rush for development however, there has been little empirical evidence of the effectiveness of online courses in promoting student learning. Study Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the influence of an online learning course on student exam results. Methods: The stud...

AIM To evaluate the transition from a longitudinal to block/modular structure of preclinical courses in a medical school adapting to the process of higher education harmonization in Europe. METHODS Average grades and the exam pass rates were compared for 11 preclinical courses before and after the transition from the longitudinal (academic years 1999/2000 to 2001/2002) to block/modular curric...

Abstract  In most schools, introductory computer programming courses are required for computer science as well as all engineering majors. It is generally believed that the programming courses are not just about programming per se, but that they provide a forum for teaching precise and logical thought processes. Computer programming courses constitute a necessary background for computer science...

Traditional lectures continue to be the predominant form of teaching in most undergraduate classrooms. Traditional lecture can be defined as an instructor/professor standing in the front of the classroom and presenting material to the class, with or without the use of audio visual aids, such as slides. A common picture that comes to mind when we hear the term “traditional lecture” is an auditor...

This work-in-progress describes a novel approach to support freshman engineering students entering college with low math competencies in pre-calculus. Institutions across the nation are making significant efforts to develop K-12 programs and summer camps to recruit more ethnic minorities into engineering to better support the growing needs for diversity in industry workforce. However, while a d...

The newly administered Iranian Ph.D. Program Entrance Exam (PPEE) is supposed to have had different washback effects on university curriculums. This qualitative study examined the effects of the new TEFL PPEE on the applicants’ study plans and strategies from the points of view of both Iranian university instructors and applicants. To this end, we conducted in-depth interviews with 10 experienc...

Introduction. The changes trend from traditional to community oriented medical education necessitates that the social medicine courses be more effective and presented at an appropriate time. The object of this study is the comparison between medical physiopathology and stager students’ competency in practical social medicine course. Methods. All the medical students who entered the health appr...

Many courses require students to synthesize the knowledge they’ve gained from the course by completing a major term project. Computer simulation courses are well-suited to such a project since it is difficult to demonstrate model-building skills during an in-class exam. Students, however, tend to approach the idea of a major project with trepidation. This article describes the elements of succe...