Describes how the job characteristics model (J. R. Hackman), used by industrial-organizational psychologists to enhance the motivating potential of jobs in industry, can be applied to increase student motivation. The job characteristics model describes the relationship between the core characteristics of skill variety, task identity, task…

Examines the catalog descriptions of 42 undergraduate psychology programs in North Carolina. Reveals that minimum introductory and methodological requirements consists of one-term introductory, statistics, and experimental design courses. A required integrated experience was most often a history and systems course or senior seminar. This is…

Describes a Kingsborough Community College program that pairs an experimental sociology course with a speech and English class to help ethnically diverse students develop needed reading and writing skills, while improving their self-concept by noting parallels between their cultures and the dominant culture. Reviews course content and goals. (DMM)

Presents a model of the world as an interdependent whole dominated by two conflicts: (1) the North-South economic conflict between developed and underdeveloped nations; and (2) the East-West ideological conflict between two superpowers and their allies. Intended to serve as a theoretical basis for objectives and content selection in geography…

Describes the development and evolution of college-level history courses on U.S. western history. Discusses historical resources used in the courses and topics for student discussion. Concludes that the 20th-century west can be used as the foundation for a thematic approach to history instruction. (CFR)

A program that brings together students entering demanding professions (law, medicine, and nursing) to explore issues of ethics and professionalism is described. The course uses thought-provoking stories, classroom discussion, student journals, and collaborative teaching. Lessons learned from teaching the course a number of times are also…

Compares two closely related distinct approaches to art teaching: (1) the issues-oriented approach; and (2) the thematic approach. Contends that the issues-oriented approach to art education supports cultural diversity by emphasizing art's potential to promote political change. (CFR)

Maintains that recent developments of local, state, and national exit outcomes call for changes in assessing student performance. Discusses the use of cooperative learning modules in European history and global studies. Asserts that cooperative learning techniques call for much more student-student and teacher-student interaction. (CFR)

Maintains that undergraduate sociology students often are intimidated by course requirements in statistics and research methods. Describes course content and instructional strategies used to enhance student understanding and motivation. Reports that student evaluations of the course were uniformly positive. (CFR)

Presents a negotiation model for thinking about controversial issues in psychology. Provides students a framework for managing conflicts, including conflicting positions on professional ethics. Discusses relationships among three models of critical thinking. (CFR)

Maintains that literacy and informed decision making in an uncertain world require the ability to reason statistically. Describes a course designed to help students use statistical concepts as tools for social reasoning within simulations of real-world problems. Describes four types of instructional activities used. (CFR)

Maintains that the history of psychology course is a common capstone course in the undergraduate psychology curriculum. Describes exercises designed to encourage active learning and critical thinking. Presents basic steps in completing the exercises and students' reactions to them. (CFR)

Asserts that art history and art criticism have not met the needs and aspirations of female students. Maintains that teaching embroidery can help teach about a history of female oppression. Describes how this approach is used in the classroom. (CFR)

Maintains that, while geographers have been using films for some time, it is only recently that the full power of this medium has been recognized. Argues that teachers should be aware of subtexts within films that mark significant cultural and political biases. Discusses a list of films used in a college introductory geography course. (CFR)

Examines the proposed definition of biological literacy as the understanding of a small number of pervasive biological principles appropriate to making informed personal and societal decisions. Utilizes the content of a major daily newspaper to adjust biology instruction to focus on this notion of biological literacy. Discusses benefits and…