The working model for "helping the learner to learn" presented in this work should be relevant to any teaching context, but the focus here is on teaching in secondary and college science classrooms. Specifically, the goals of the text are to: help secondary- and college-level science faculty examine and redefine their roles in the classroom; define for science teachers a framework for thinking about active learning and the creation of an active learning environment; and provide them with the assistance they need to begin building successful active learning environments in their classrooms. The volume is motivated by fundamental changes in education in response to perceptions that students are not adequately acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to meet current educational and economic goals. The premise of the volume is that active learning offers a highly effective approach to meeting the mandate for increased student knowledge, skills and performance. It should be a useful resource for all teacher trainers in science education and high school and college science teachers.