Computer assisted guidance systems may adapt well to various models of academic advising, and they have the ability to address the challenge of meeting the diverse advising needs of community college students without sacrificing the integrity of academic advising (Fowkes & McWhirter, 2007). The purpose of this qualitative case study was to assess…

Since 2005, the first-year engineering program at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, has been significantly restructured to include more hands-on learning. A major grant (2004-2009) under the department level reform (DLR) program of the National Science Foundation (NSF) facilitated this restructuring. A number of hands-on learning modules were developed…

One of the biggest problems for students majoring in pre-graphic design is students' inability to apply their knowledge to different design solutions. The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of interactive learning modules in facilitating knowledge acquisition during the learning process and to create interactive learning modules…

Scholarship in applied linguistics has not sufficiently addressed learner motivation in mandatory writing classes in postsecondary settings. The data collected through short interviews from 20 students enrolled in a mandatory academic writing program at the junior/senior level in a California State University indicated that learner motivation in…

Science fiction films were used in required and elective nonmajor science courses as a pedagogical tool to motivate student interest in science and to reinforce critical thinking about scientific concepts. Students watched various films and critiqued them for scientific accuracy in written assignments. Students' perception of this activity was…

This study evaluates changes in students' performance and appreciation for mathematics as the result of taking a required general education course designed for calculus-ready students. The purpose of the study is to determine whether the goals of this rigorous general education course are being met. Changes in students' performance are measured by…

Many states are now requiring high school students to be competent in the areas of economic and financial literacy. This is due to the recent escalation of bankruptcies, large credit card debt, and mortgage foreclosures in our society. This study examines how financial knowledge is transferred from the high school level to the college level and…

Although there has been much discussion about improving college student writing with college-level courses, little is known about how accounting programs, in particular, are addressing the writing proficiency challenge. This study surveys the 852 accounting programs in the United States to identify the frequency and types of accounting writing…

A new national survey shows that better communication between high schools and parents is needed to address the disconnect between parents and students, faculty, and employers in perceptions of recent graduates' readiness for life after high school. Parents see significant room for improvement in the job their child's high school did conveying…

The primary purpose of this case study was to identify what were Taiwanese University English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' perceptions about learning communication strategies. This study collected qualitative data about students' beliefs and attitudes as they learned communication strategies. The research question guiding the study was:…

Computer Information System (CIS) majors are required to successfully complete an introductory accounting course. Given the current forces in the financial world, the appropriateness of this course warrants scrutiny as to whether it properly serves the student, and the degree to which it continues to meet the IS 2002 outcomes. The current business…

This narrative interview study of a Spanish learner documents and explains apparent contradictions in a student's story when reporting on why she continues to take Spanish even when she does not like it or perform well in foreign language courses. A dialectical approach to human activity based on sociocultural theory is used to make sense of her…

The importance of educating people to live in our increasingly science- and technology-rich world is well established. Many institutions require students to take one or more courses in science. Some nonscience majors are intrigued by this opportunity, while others are less inclined to take science classes. This project used a mixed-methods…

A new national survey of recent public high school graduates shows that approximately 50% of them report gaps in preparation for life after high school. Recent grads say they would have worked harder if they had fully understood the challenges that lay ahead. The research suggests that providing real academic challenge for high school students and…

The second phase of a new national survey conducted among college instructors and employers shows that 78% of college faculty and 62% of employers believe that public high schools are not doing enough to prepare students for the expectations they will face in college and the working world. Only roughly one in four recent high school grads report…