Dutch universities complain that freshmen in studies such as chemistry, physics, economics and mathematics do not master the required algebraic skills. In the worldwide discussions on mathematics education, mastery of algebra is also a prevalent issue. Often a distinction is made between basis procedures and algebraic reasoning, so-called symbol…

This study investigated the effectiveness of a guided inquiry integrated with technology, in terms of female middle-school students' attitudes toward science/scientists and content knowledge regarding selective science concepts (e.g., Greenhouse Effect, Air/Water Quality, Alternative Energy, and Human Health). Thirty-five female students who were…

Since 2001, the International Institute of Women in Engineering (IIWE) at EPF, Ecole d'ingenieurs generaliste, Sceaux, France, has conducted a 3 week short course for culturally and discipline diverse, recently graduated and final year engineering students. The aim of this course is to introduce young engineers to broad global concepts and issues…

Although the theoretical benefits of feedback are generally well established, in practice those benefits can be less than clear. This is particularly the case on shorter courses, where students have limited scope to integrate feedback into future assessment performance. If we accept that one of the key purposes of feedback is to encourage students…

This report explores the first iteration of a teacher professional development courselet grounded in constructionist theory and activities. This online teacher professional development (oTPD) courselet provided opportunities for teachers to engage in just-in-time, ongoing TPD within a social networking site for educators. The topic of the oTPD was…

Introduction: Although the use of reflection to facilitate learning and its application in practice has been widely advocated, there is little empirical research to establish whether or not health professionals use reflection to integrate learning into clinical practice. Particularly troublesome is the lack of empirically based theory underlying…

Teachers are searching for new venues through which they may meet stringent professional development requirements. Under competitive funding from NASA's (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Office of Education and the NASA Explorer Schools Project, U.S. Satellite Laboratory, Inc. created a series of live, online, interactive…

A majority of 56 nursing students who took a short counseling course increased empathy skills. Although some types of nursing specialties might benefit from longer, more intensive counseling training, for most nursing students short-term training develops core sensitivity and empathy. (SK)

College students of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Chile participated in an online mini course designed to improve their listening comprehension. There were four experimental conditions: A) one in which participants listened to fast dialogues; B) one in which participants listened to slow dialogues; C) one in which participants were given…

Participants in a summer Elderhostel program, all of whom were 55 years of age or over, were exposed to a one-week course on parapsychology which emphasized skeptical inquiry. As a result of the course, the older adults became more skeptical in their belief of the paranormal. (RM)

This document describes the adaptation of an American inservice teacher training package to German teacher education programs. Far West Laboratory's "Minicourse Nine" was processed in two steps in order to field-test the material and to eliminate possible language inconsistencies. Difficulties in the transference of educational material…

The rationale for, and use and effect of, audiotutorial minicourses in teaching basic biology are discussed. Statistical analyses of data from an evaluation questionnaire that was given the students at Hagerstown (Maryland) Junior College is presented. (SGM)

Groups of 30 students each in an algebra minicourse and semester course and 45 each in an accounting minicourse and semester course showed no significant differences in course grade point average or overall average. Students choosing the intensive minicourse format were generally older, indicating that adults find this format more useful and…

This study investigated alternative instructional delivery modes in two different short courses for professional engineers and scientists. Two math-oriented courses were taught to 130 participants. Each course was taught twice, once using the blackboard exclusively and once using extensive view graph projections (20 to 40 transparencies per…

Presents results of a study of student attitudes toward United States history 10-week minicourses. Course titles include America's West, Roaring Twenties and Desperate Thirties, Nuclear Age, and Popular American Image. Concludes that minicourses allow students to choose among a variety of offerings and to determine which subjects are relevant and…