Identifies institutional pressures and demographic contingencies to be addressed if general education is to be a high-priority and high-quality endeavor at major research universities. Describes the University of Pennsylvania's strategic planning process and its curriculum emphasizing breadth of knowledge, understanding of intellectual inquiry,…

The Program for Access to Science Study (PASS) consists of a preparatory science course which is taught in tandem with a special counseling seminar. Problem solving is taught using content in chemistry and physics. The curriculum is divided into cycles, each built around a single topic. A problem set related to the topic and an illustrative lab…

The curriculum of the Western College Program at Miami University is used to illustrate the effective use of the interdisciplinary approach to undergraduate curriculum. The importance of finding the right question and stating it so the disciplines can complement, not talk past, one another is emphasized. (MSE)

Supports the notion that the goals of majors and nonmajors are different when taking science courses and that the main goal for nonmajors is scientific literacy. Presents theory and practical guidelines of one approach toward motivating nonmajors to learn science. (DDR)

Presents a sociology program through three models of curriculum: (1) faculty centered; (2) discipline centered; and (3) student community based curricula. Explores the experiences with these models and reveals that curricular development as a social process can be used to lay a foundation for social context based assessment. (Author/KDR)

Describes different assessment designs available for different types of curricula. Reports results from a quasi experimental design comparing the level of critical sociological reasoning skills among students near the beginning and those finishing their studies. Believes the multi dimensional diversity within sociology presents the greatest…

Analyzes how textbooks define and describe an earthquake focus or hypocenter. Provides examples from textbooks that reflect an absence of precision in words and diagrams that can foster misconceptions. Discusses the origin of the problems. (DDR)

Presents a simple technique for teaching the Cournot model to first-year microeconomic students. Involves demonstrating, without the use of derivatives, that out of all rectangles with a common perimeter, the square has the greatest area. (RLH)

Describes interest in the behavior of random processes with positive feedback. Explains that simulation of the law of large numbers with increasing amounts of feedback makes instruction of random processes with positive feedback possible for undergraduate students. (RLH)

During the '40s and '50s, an experiment in general education was conducted at the undergraduate college at the University of Chicago. "The Chicago Plan" included: students would enroll after two years of high school; a strictly prescribed curriculum; an autonomous faculty; and comprehensive exams to assess students' progress. (MLW)

Discusses practical work which can be completed in a few hours that enables students to explore the genetics of the dandelion plant, which reproduces asexually. Dandelions, measuring instruments, and student imagination are needed for this activity. (DDR)

Argues that biology students learn how to write effectively from biologists who write well. Presents a picture of a writing curriculum interwoven with a biology curriculum. Includes course-specific writing tasks. (DDR)

Investigates the content and structure of the undergraduate curriculum in psychology by analyzing 500 college catalogs. Reveals that introductory, statistics, and a capstone are the common required courses, laboratory experiences are not integral to required courses, prerequisites are recommended, and the traditional model is the most popular…

Suggests a need for a new catalytic and national development-based paradigm for higher education in South Africa. Proposes a four-year undergraduate curriculum that would encompass both the traditional three-year program and the one-year honors program, as well as a development-based curriculum that would better meet the needs of changing…

Describes the experiences of a medical school faculty who have been offering for more than 10 years a two-course series in the biochemistry of human disease to undergraduate students majoring in biochemistry, biology, or chemistry. Recommends the teaching of specialized, advanced courses to undergraduate, pre-professional students. (DDR)