Proposes that the current highly impacted curriculum for baccalaureate degrees give way to a reduced program oriented toward engineering science that can be completed in four years. This curriculum must be based on a limited set of core educational outcomes and educate engineers within an integrated, liberal framework while preparing graduates for…

Project Kaleidoscope, based on a 2-year study of science and mathematics programs at 200 colleges, seeks to improve recruitment, preparation, and retention of teachers in those disciplines, reshape introductory courses, provide faculty fellowship and research opportunities, revamp teacher education, and forge relationships among public agencies,…

Presents a case study of an interdisciplinary program for freshmen in a mid-size public university in which anthropology has been integrated into the curriculum without the advice or teaching of anthropologists. Issues concerning the teaching of anthropology in this fashion are examined. (JS)

Describes a new BS degree in secondary science/mathematics teaching being offered at Florida State University. Notes that the science concentration is either chemistry-physics or chemistry-biology. Indicates approximately 40 semester hours split between the science subjects are required. Notes that both a prospective and inservice track are…

Discusses the review of California's master plan for higher education by a state blue-ribbon commission. Reviews the commission's recommendations concerning the community college curriculum, student progress, transfer programs, governance, and accountability. Considers the work of the commission a reflection of a new alliance between faculty and…

Reviews ERIC materials on external influences on the community college curriculum, including state-level control, accrediting agencies and the accreditation process, transfer institutions, foundations and other sources of private financial support, and customized job training. (DMM)

An evaluation of an experimental problem-based medical education curriculum used with 18 first-year students at the Bowman Gray Medical School of Wake Forest University is discussed. The study, which included a matched group of students experiencing a traditional curriculum, provides insights into design problems in such evaluations. (TJH)

Increases in the number of older students are prompting some colleges to reconsider the purpose of undergraduate liberal education and adjust curricula and teaching methods to accommodate the more eager, active learners. Adult students may be more directly motivated by rising job requirements and a readiness for liberal arts. (MSE)

Discussion at the Wingspread Conference on the New American College (August 1994) concerning a new model of educational excellence in higher education is summarized. The model emphasizes the need to connect general education with specialized education, theoretical learning with practical learning, and development of intellectual skills with…

Colleges and universities must do more to prepare graduates to deal with serious environmental challenges. The decline in environmental quality presents higher education with an opportunity to create a truly interdisciplinary curriculum, revitalize pedagogy, and redesign the campus to reduce cost, lower environmental impact, and help catalyze…

College grades do not reflect many of the skills most relevant to jobs, contributing to discontinuity between higher education and the world of work. Ability tests, bio-data, work samples, and job analyses are job selection strategies that make the most explicit use of material associated with a college education. (MSE)

A study used the Coursework Cluster Analysis Model to assess comparability of community college and lower-division courses taken by 76 transfer students and 168 "native" students at Southern University (Louisiana). Results indicate that the different student abilities and backgrounds and different institutions produced different kinds of…

Reports on a survey conducted to determine whether two-year colleges are prepared to meet commerce/industrial needs for a more sophisticated and globally competitive workforce. Presents findings related to the internationalization of occupational curricula, short-term training and services, the characteristics of heavily involved colleges, and the…

A thorough review and revision of curriculum at San Jose State University (California) illustrates that the modern university can achieve major internal academic reforms when two important conditions are met: legitimacy and energy. These two concepts are defined and practical illustrations are drawn from the institution's recent experience in…

This paper gives a succinct account of current debates in the literature on graduate attributes as they are related to employment and lifelong learning, and argues the limitations of a "key skills" agenda as a guide to curriculum practice. Development of a curricular innovation that addresses key skills, "integrative studies"…