Prominent science educator Richard Felder suggests that assessing a student's learning style can increase the instructor's effectiveness. This can be achieved by determining whether students are "sensory" or "intuitive"-- that is, whether they most readily perceive sights, sounds and sensations, or prefer memories, ideas and insights, respectively. Other dichotomies include visual vs. verbal; inductive (facts and observations) vs. deductive (consequence from principle); active vs. reflective; and sequential (small and incremental) vs. global (large and holistic). Being open to individual preferences is key in this process. It's ineffective to prescribe one or two modes of learning to a classroom of 100; instead, educators should design curricula and lectures to embrace as many styles as possible.
Studies suggest that the recent shortfall of American scientists and engineers is largely due to inadequate teaching methodology. Many students who initially intend to pursue science degrees end up switching to nonscientific fields. Students are not only finding it difficult to relate their lives and interests to science as it is presented in the classroom, but an overwhelmingly competitive classroom environment discourages cooperative learning -- a clear impediment in an increasingly collaborative world. Lectures, learning activities and assignments should all encourage collaboration in a practical setting and can benefit from reflecting trends outside of the university.
Collaboration (intrapersonal) and reflection (interpersonal) are essential to learning and development. The "see it, hear it, do it" approach to learning -- now known as "visual, auditory, kinesthetic"-- is simple enough if you plan to stick with lecturing. But merely visualizing and processing images into language is no longer enough, and confining students to passive learning benefits neither the student nor the educator. Classroom settings that encourage participation and discussion have been shown to improve student retention and overall interest in the subject. Keep in mind that students have learning preferences here, too. For instance, active learners are better suited for groups than are reflective learners, who prefer working alone or being paired up.
In the classroom, inspiration goes a long way. Retaining students isn't just about keeping students in the classroom; it's also about keeping students awake, aware, and involved in classroom discussion. For science educators, this means relating the principles at hand to the lives and interests of their students. While requiring students to maintain journals and lab books is a good start, creating interactive spaces online where they can transfer concepts through discussion and debate allows them to flex their intellectual muscle and learn from others.
In the digital age, writing competency is essential for researchers of all types. That's why, in addition to reinforcing scientific principles and procedures, educators must also help their students develop writing competences that will benefit them in the real world. Integrating index cards into classroom discussions is an effective method. Assigning short reflective papers in addition to lab reports is also a good way to familiarize students with the page. Note-taking may be considered the least of these, but requiring pupils to produce their written notes at various times throughout the term encourages them to practice and think about their writing more.