In this working paper on needed research issues, areas of inquiry are grouped in a way that parallels the programs of the National Center for Research in Postsecondary Teaching and Learning (NCRIPTAL); additional categories are also cited. The following topics are addressed: (1) issues of student learning (participation and involvement,…

This paper examines the role departmental chairs play in curriculum planning, who is chosen to lead the process, the behaviors used, and the complementary or conflicting roles played by other faculty members. Data for the analysis were drawn from interviews with 44 department chairs and 83 faculty in Carnegie classification institutions; these…

Aspects of professional competence and professional socialization that are being emphasized in professional education programs are summarized. Of concern are generic outcomes of professional preparation, outcome-related issues and trends common to professional education in diverse fields, some problems that concern professional educators, and…

Goals and outcomes in various fields of professional education are considered. Attention is directed to generic outcomes of professional preparation, the emphasis these outcomes receive among professional educators, some problems that concern professional educators, and recommendations for future action and study. The generic outcomes, which were…

This book proposes a broad view of the college curriculum, suggesting that it be defined as an "academic plan." The plan included decisions about what, why, and how students learn; ways to determine whether students have learned what they are supposed to learn; and methods of using this information to improve the plan. Taking both a macro and a…