Radford argues that psychology needs to be of greater value to psychology students, regardless of whether they intend to enter professional practice. He also suggests that psychology should be part of everybody's education, on the basis that human behaviour lies at the heart of the most serious problems facing humanity. This author agrees very…

There are obstacles to teaching science; however, these obstacles are not insurmountable. One obstacle is the students themselves. Students often labor under the misconception or anxiety that the course material will be too difficult to understand, or boring (mind-numbing), or that the information learned will not be applicable in their day-to-day…

The split between higher education and vocational education and training (VET) in Australia is not clean. This paper discusses a number of aspects of this tertiary education sector: the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), which describes the qualifications offered by the three education sectors: schools, higher education and VET; student…

This article argues that an overhaul of undergraduate education in Ireland is needed. It asserts that at present most students leave university short-changed, never having been exposed to the riches of discovery and research. A framework founded on research and inquiry is designed to stimulate learning and innovation through action. It is argued…

This article argues that meditation guided by a competent teacher can be a positive influence in contemporary American society and even a force for progressive social change. A number of critical issues requiring further study are identified, including the need for a better understanding of meditation from the perspective of developmental…

The arrangement of course information in a logical sequence for molecular life science (MLS) courses remains a matter of some controversy, even within a single subdiscipline such as biochemistry. This is due to the explosion of knowledge, the latest bioinformatic revelations, and the observation that new discoveries sometimes reveal specific…

Debates concerning how to engage students with economic geography have ignored the important role of field teaching. This paper argues that fieldwork must remain a key component of economic geographical teaching and that it offers a variety of advantages to overcoming student disinterest in the sub-discipline. It goes on to argue that field…

Kinesiology has a long and storied tradition and history. The growth of our discipline and what might be called our subdisciplines has been the shining achievement of the 1970-2006 era, spurred on by Henry's (1964) call for an academic discipline. In this short thought paper, we argue that we have lost sight of the discipline in a quest to become…

Discusses possible advantages of focusing more extensively on the history of selected areas or fields of psychology in a history and systems course. Argues that this topical approach may allow students to see different insights more clearly and the advantages provided by a historical approach. Includes a bibliography of source materials. (DSK)

Reflects on experiences as a teacher of undergraduates and a mentor of junior faculty. Notes the decline in teacher training and the absence of faculty mentoring programs. (SK)

Makes the case that undergraduate science education is debilitating and crippling because of its focus on memorization and rote learning. (MM)

Teaching economic geography is not a matter of replicating textbook models. It requires engagement with the ever-changing global economy, which often puts the lie to existing theory. It demands that the teacher break down the economy into its major parts, in a way that students can grasp. This does not mean abandoning theory; on the contrary, it…

Discusses modifications made to an undergraduate geography course taught in a mastery learning format. Provides comparative data on final exam performance and later course achievement between students who took the mastery learning course and those in traditional instruction. Results show little difference in students' performance in later courses…

To provoke thought among those teaching sociology, an undergraduate class is portrayed as a drama consisting of three parts: the classroom lecture, the discussion session led by a teaching fellow, and the office encounter between professor and student. Both the words and thoughts of the protagonists are presented. (Author/AM)

Explores how building comprehensive, integrated links among the many programs that have each found a small place in college life over the last decade (for example, curriculum improvement, diversity, learning communities, and service learning) could lead to a powerful "big picture" of undergraduate education that moves beyond these individual…