In my classes, I try to emphasize the application of information, rather than rote memorization. I also encourage my students to be skeptical and to critically evaluate how new data inform their mental paradigms.
Many of my classes require students to design and/or perform research projects, to help develop critical skills. It's not enough, however, for students to just do science, they need to communicate science, so each of these projects require students to present their work to others.
Perhaps my favorite courses to teach are the field-based courses that I hold at the SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station outside of Cooperstown, NY. These are 16-day 4-credit experiences where students can focus on a single subject and really immerse themselves in the content.
While I have taught a large number of courses over the 14 years I have been at Oneonta, these are the courses I teach on a regular basis: