Active Learning Strategies in Computer Graphics. Research Paper: Connecting Technology to Teaching and Learning.

When competing with mass media and other forms of information delivery, a verbal lecture does not have enough sensory impression. What students read in a passive framework is barely remembered, less so in pre-examination cramming. Weaker students have difficulties in reading, most notably with abstract and mathematical concepts. These problems are magnified in computer graphics, where mathematical expressions/structures and programming projects may prove too formidable. In this paper, active learning models are applied to computer graphics. Lectures are augmented in real time with student activities, inquiry-based reasoning, and other methods of initiating student contribution to the learning experience. This approach promotes a more comprehensive, deeper, and more memorable understanding of the theory, principles, and methodologies of computer graphics. A progression of such activities is presented as they are applied in the course. Six figures illustrate the text. Contains 14 references. (AEF)