In his course Applied Mathematics 201, Professor Michael Brenner used an innovative approach in his problem set assignments. Students worked in groups of two or three on each assignment. In a first phase, they collaboratively wrote the solution of the problem set and posted it on a wiki. In a second phase, students were asked to study the solution posted by another group and to provide comments to improve the writing and clarity of the solution. Students then voted for the best solution.

Romance Studies 201 featured numerous guest speakers throughout the term. Guests recorded a 20-minute preview of the readings, which was then posted to the course website for students to watch prior to class. Class time was used for in-depth discussion with guests.

Students also used the course wiki to synthesize notes on the speakers. These were paired with the pre-lecture video and recordings of the actual lecture to create a lasting archive for future iterations of the class when that speaker may not be available.

In Spring 2011, a new laboratory component of Physics 15a (Introductory Mechanics and Relativity), 15b (Introductory Electromagnetism), and 15c (Wave Phenomena) was begun under the name “Principles of Scientific Inquiry” (PSI). A three-semester sequence on the methodology of experimentation and modeling, PSI exemplified the cyclic process of scientific inquiry.

The goal for this project was to provide students with a unified laboratory experience in PSI. The end result would be a central source from which all of the course documents would be distributed, and to which faculty and...

Culture and Belief 51: Making the Middle Ages focused on the cultural and historical context of five objects (e.g., things, texts, and manuscripts) that students unpack through lectures and projects. The course offered students “a great adventure into the unknown”—an opportunity to unlock their own talents while exploring the cultures and beliefs of medieval Europe.

The goals in Professor Daniel Smail’s PITF proposal for this course included:

• Preparing a photo-sharing program that Professor Smail could access easily in class
• ...