A summary of major writings on college and pre-college curriculum literature are presented in this report, which is an early step in establishing a framework for the research program of the NCRIPTAL (National Center for Research in Postsecondary Teaching and Learning) Program on Curricular Integration and Student Goals. Section 1 on the literature…

Exemplars of research on academic programs are considered in relation to the qualities of research and types of information used as a framework for analysis. It is suggested that serious investigations of the postsecondary curriculum are characterized by: efforts to move from particularistic approaches to the stipulation of universalistic…

This paper reports the results of a literature reviewed on models or approaches to curriculum development and evaluation used or are currently in use at the college level in recreation and leisure studies. Trends in this field are identified, analyzed, and summarized according to themes. Most of the data available in the literature were about…

Despite the resurgence of the liberal arts, an undergraduate curriculum still requires a synthesis of liberal and practical learning. (Author/MSE)

A discussion of the ways in which colleges are preparing students for corporate life looks at the objectives and design of the management programs at Birmingham-Southern College, Bucknell University, Trinity University, and the University of Virginia. (MSE)

Results of a survey of American medical schools indicate that there is considerable interest in legal medicine and that while 40 percent of the schools require students to complete some course work in legal medicine, the curricula vary considerably among the schools. Topics most frequently covered are informed consent and malpractice. (Author/JMD)

Presents an annotated bibliography of ERIC materials on critical thinking instruction, focusing on general approaches, and critical thinking approaches linked to developmental education, writing instruction, and other disciplines. (DMM)

Discusses the advantages of a four-year undergraduate liberal arts program for preparing students to lead educational, therapeutic, and recreational experiences in outdoor settings. Recommends a curriculum design that balances training and education with reflection and action (praxis). Outlines the content of an outdoor leadership curriculum and…

This report is the result of a three-year survey of uniform course numbering systems across the nation, conducted by a committee created by the Conference on College Composition and Communication. It describes the establishment of the committee and then provides an overview of the responses to the survey from the 50 states. This is followed by an…

Trends and changes in international recognition of academic achievement in the European Community are examined. The history of international negotiations and conventions concerning recognition, recent initiatives, and prospects for progress are discussed. (MSE)

Important factors to be considered in the development of new career programs and sources of further guidance and information are reviewed. (MSE)

Viewing curriculum as an academic plan permits development of parallel course and program planning models that are dynamic, conceptually related to student learning, and familiar to institutional planners. Opportunities gained by using the academic plan umbrella for curriculum are described. (Author/MLW)

Changes causing recent interest in future missions for community colleges are examined and the work of five individuals and groups suggesting future directions for the colleges is summarized. Two models arising from the synthesis of their work are discussed. (MSE)

Literature on college curriculum has been declining since the early 1990s, representing under 5 percent of the literature added to the ERIC database in 1996. One reason seems to be the emphasis on instruction; another is that information on curricular movements are often addressed in the literature on instructional change. Trends in 1996 in the…

Presents the theory that to understand himself/herself in humanity, the college student must encounter cultural diversity on the campus through language, sharing of sub-cultures and the presence of diverse cultures. The college degree is not the end goal but establishes the need for life-long learning and growth. (RC)