Most Virtual Learning Environments are designed to be simple to use by staff and students alike. We report a case study where this feature has led academic staff to reject formal centralised training and teach themselves how to use the system. What has resulted is widespread use of the system but with poor pedagogic development, leading primarily…

In this paper, we draw on a 16-month study funded by the Learning and Teaching Support Network in the UK and entitled "Mathematicians as Educational Co-Researchers." The study's aims were two-fold. Primarily we intended to explore mathematicians' reflections on issues identified in the literature as highly topical in the area of teaching…

Contributions from researchers and practitioners involved in self, peer and group assessment in an online or e-learning environment investigate how assessment practices can be used to assist and improve the learning process. The book describes the principal characteristics of self, peer and group assessment; presents guidelines for effective…

There is concern that the nation's schools are not preparing students to excel in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. At both precollege and postsecondary levels, much effort is needed to create and implement powerful STEM curricula, prepare and support highly qualified teachers, deliver effective instruction, and give…

This case study of current practice describes a virtual cross-cultural collaboration in the development of an undergraduate teacher preparation course in educational technology. In an effort to increase the cross-cultural and technological awareness necessary for 21st-century teachers, the authors collaborated on the design and development of an…

The increasing importance of the library in modern society has increased the demand for well-qualified persons to serve in various types of libraries with their numerous specialized departments. Librarianship, in common with other professions, has its distinctly specialized fields.'The purpose of this bulletin is to give the prospective library…

This paper describes two related distance courses for instructor and leadership training and a distance undergraduate course in mechanics. Flexible and distance learning are becoming more and more important, so it is important to train instructors for such changes. KTH (Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm) has the course "5C4502 Distance…

Students of biology must learn the scientific method for generating information in the field. Concurrently, they should learn how information is reported and accessed. We developed a progressive set of exercises for the undergraduate introductory biology laboratory that combine these objectives. Pre- and postassessments of approximately 100…

Arabic, English, mathematics, and information technology (IT) are used in every aspect of modern Islamic society throughout the Arab world. As a result of the increased awareness of the importance of these subjects and their impact on society, they have rapidly become established as part of the curriculum in most modern Arabic universities'…

This paper describes the use of a participatory action research model to teach undergraduate social work research and statistics. Strategies of the model include (1) integration with social work education, (2) policy analysis, (3) literature review, (4) collaboration with practitioners, (5) collaboration with the target population through…

The author, who is an award winning college professor, is often asked about her philosophy of teaching. She reflects upon her own undergraduate experiences when she considers what makes an effective course. In this article, the author shares and discusses five principles of teaching that define her teaching philosophy: (1) Be approachable; (2) Use…

This American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Occasional Paper presents the proceedings of a conference on "Liberal Arts Colleges in American Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities" convened by ACLS in November 2003 in Williamstown, Massachusetts with the support of the Oakley Center for the Humanities and Social Sciences at…

The signing of the Higher Education Act (HEA) in 1965 by President Lyndon Johnson marked the beginning of the federal government's explicit commitment to equalizing college opportunities for needy students. Since then, however, two trends have developed which are running at cross purposes to each other. The first is the emergence, shortly after…

In the following general report the aim is to present a concise view of the organization, methods, and problems of the teaching of mathematics in the United States, touching particularly upon the larger questions that seem to merit especial emphasis, and referring to the special reports for details with respect lo the various types of schools. The…

The connection between knowing the right or good thing to do, and then actually doing it has long been a puzzle. "Watch what we do, not what we say" goes beyond the revealing admission of a former Attorney General of the United States to the broader reality of human behavior. Parents, teachers, employers, religious educators, and society…