Ethnography as a methodological approach presents the fieldworker with many ethical crossroads throughout the research process. This is because of the unique position that ethnographers find themselves in, the environments that they research and the relationships which are formed. This paper presents four confessional vignettes from a broader…

Academics who specialise in improving the teaching of "hard" sciences like chemistry, biology, maths and physics are increasing in number and influence at Australian universities. Those in academia who have channelled their energies into teaching are delighted with this development. It means that many committed tertiary teachers can now look…

A former Sauer graduate student reminisces about one of the most influential, albeit controversial, figures in American geography. Topics include Sauer as a geography educator, his fieldwork, his department at Berkeley, his opinions about the subfields of geography, his interest in the here and now, and his personal interests. (SR)

This paper examines research in science education, making a case for the interpretive researcher to value both reason and emotion for generating a reflective and reflexive understanding of the classroom experiences of teachers and students. It discusses the role of rationality and emotions in fieldwork, and presents two impressionistic…

Reports on thoughts expressed by nine Future Faculty Fellows, graduate students active in the Preparing Future Faculty program, attending the annual meeting of the Association of American Colleges and Universities. Comments addressed some fundamental questions facing education including the basic task to accomplish, questions about quality, and…

This paper argues that involvement in higher education policy research and development is important for college faculty since not doing so leaves the field to others who may not exhibit sufficient objectivity or adequately emphasize the goals of understanding, effectiveness, and efficiency. First, it identifies some general problems of policy…

Discussion of the research/practice gap in higher education suggests the importance of considering the forces influencing new faculty and researchers, including tenure and promotion policies and practices, institutional socialization, disciplinary culture, journal editors, and senior scholars. Offers suggestions for bridging the gap between new…

The idea that people committing themselves to lifetime careers in academe should take some coursework in higher education retains its appeal; but that appeal has rarely grown so strong as to cause courses in higher education to become part of the graduation requirement for advanced degrees. (MLW)

The college novels of C. P. Snow present an accurate portrayal of academic life. Snow's artistic approach combined with the scientific approach to higher education enables those who engage in the study of higher education to achieve an in-depth understanding of organizational behavior in institutions of higher learning. (MLW)

The academic training needs of two-year college mathematics faculty are discussed in this paper and appropriate courses of study are proposed. After introductory comments on the diversity of two-year college students' needs for mathematics education, an undergraduate course of study appropriate for two-year college math faculty is proposed. This…

Problems and perspectives about the college professoriate are discussed. Attention is directed to: organization and location of graduate programs; enrollment declines and fluctuation; scholarly activities of professors; consulting and field work; and teaching. One of the recent developments of higher education as a field of study has been that…

This article chronicles the experience of a higher education administration professor who, without prior training in teaching methodology or special education, taught a deaf graduate student in four courses. It discusses the professor's expectations and reactions, introduction to deaf culture, and interactions with the student and deaf…

Describes the higher education reform discussion in Austria which led to major system reorganization in 1993. It is noted that a previous academic oligarchy played a central role because a high proportion of university faculty also served in the parliament. Research on higher education played little part in reform because few studies were…

International and comparative trends in higher education since the mid-1960s throughout the world are addressed in two essays, and a bibliography of some 7,000 works of higher education worldwide is presented. The essays were commissioned by the European Centre for Higher Education (CEPES), a decentralized unit of UNESCO. Philip G. Altbach's…