In this paper, we strive to provide a primer for students on how to thrive and learn effectively in engineering education in the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) times following the onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic, which has disrupted the educational enterprise massively with universities physically closing in many parts of…

One of the greatest mysteries of ancient times is how the Egyptians managed to raise huge obelisks using very simple technology. This remarkable task has puzzled engineers for thousand of years. After failing to raise an obelisk with simple machines, such as levers and pulleys, a team of modern engineers solved the mystery using a sandpit and the…

Faced with doing research, students are often hesitant. Most graduate students have never conducted extensive research, having few qualifications or little technical skills. This article focuses on helping students acquire research interests, understanding and skills by using an experiential research group model. The purpose of this article is to…

This study examined whether college students' perceptions of the positive and negative attributes of group work are associated with their tolerance for ambiguity, tolerance for disagreement, conversational sensitivity, and cognitive flexibility. Participants were 192 undergraduate students who completed a series of quantitative measures…

The debate continues as to whether the underachievement of boys has reached "crisis" levels. Therefore, in an effort to increase the achievement of male readers, this article provides five teacher recommendations from the perspective of Derek, a sixth grade struggling reader. Derek is a soft-spoken, amiable African American who has consistently…

Many instructors teach courses that prepare students to do research individually or in teams. These instructors also supervise their students' research projects. Continuous and systematic use of action research principles can help instructors prepare for problems that may develop when students encounter unfamiliar issues at research sites due to…

Briefly reviews children's literature on the themes of cooperative learning, community cooperation, interdependence, and putting the social back into social studies. Summarizes three books for primary readers, four for intermediate grades, and three for young adults. Covers a wide variety of cooperative learning situations. (CH)

Students in a physical sciences course were introduced to cooperative learning at the University of Queensland, Gatton Campus. Groups of four to five students worked together in tutorial and practical sessions. Mid-term and practical examinations were abolished and 40% of total marks were allocated to the cooperative learning activities. A peer-…

Outlines a series of creative ideas designed to increase the membership and effectiveness of a campus music organization. Ideas are collected under the broad categories of recruitment, retention, programs, special events, and fundraising. Suggestions include partnerships with other organizations, mentoring programs, and others. (MJP)

This study uses systemic functional linguistics and the related critical discourse analysis to examine intertextual links between four eighth-grade students' talk in informal conversations as they generated ideas for the characters of their narrative writing. Data sources included classroom observations, students' drafts and polished writing,…

Discusses a program in which research groups consisting of faculty, undergraduate students, and graduate students worked on projects in computer graphics, automatic-code generation, or computer-aided instruction. Cites several positive outcomes for students when research is made relevant to the technical subject studied. (RT)

Model-eliciting activities (MEA), specially designed client-drive, open-ended problems, have been implemented in a first-year engineering course and in secondary schools. The educational goals and settings are different, but the design of an MEA enables it to be versatile. This paper will introduce the reader to the principles that guide MEA…