Research on the use of web-based Expertiza software as a mechanism for using active learning and cooperative learning experiences in courses offered in a variety of disciplines is being conducted. Individual students and student teams are selecting a course topic and creating reusable learning objects. Worked-out examples of difficult concepts from a lecture, visualization materials including animated lecture slides, and questions for mastery quizzes are examples of the learning objects being created. When completed the learning objects are submitted for peer review. The most highly rated objects are being shared with the entire class and in some instances incorporated into subsequent faculty classroom presentations. In addition to undertaking development of new topics, successive classes are improving and extending previously developed learning objects. The result is that high-quality educational materials are being produced with less demand on faculty time. Studies have shown that women and underrepresented minorities respond well to active learning and cooperative learning techniques. The use of Expertiza is showing similar results with improved retention of these groups and increased classroom performance.
