National attention is currently focusing on the issue of general education in American colleges and universities, bringing to light the need for a unifying purpose and idea. Evidence such as declining test scores, grade inflation, and employer criticisms of college graduates have prompted public laments by academics themselves about the erosion of…

The structure of the university English department in Third World countries is examined with respect to curricula, objectives, policies, and traditions. Examples are drawn from Arab countries, India, Pakistan, and several African countries. The typical syllabus in English has offered a complete coverage of English literature, but little emphasis…

During the past two decades, there have been several highly visible developments in education, including behavioral objectives, criterion-referenced test interpretations, the mastery model in instruction, performance-based instructional programs, competency testing, and accountability. This paper is an attempt to weave these various developments…

The study of science, technology, and society (STS) has, over the past decade, become established in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States as the fastest growing area of teaching and research in institutes of higher education. While it is reasonable to describe STS as an important socio-educational movement, it is thematically erroneous to…

A method pertaining to the identification and analysis of course objectives is discussed. A framework is developed by which post facto objectives can be determined and students' attainment of the objectives can be assessed. The method can also be used for examining the quality of instruction. Using this method, it is possible to determine…

Drawing from tapes of meetings and documents produced during a month-long curriculum development institute, this paper describes the conflicts attending an effort to design a structured general studies program at the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP). The paper presents and analyzes two fundamentally different ways of conceiving of problems,…

In light of the pressures of historical circumstances and with a commitment to educational integrity, this work seeks to reconceive the mission of the liberal arts and sciences. Chapter I defines the key criteria of humanism and holism and offers a critique of current liberal education in terms of curriculum coherency and intellectual and personal…

A convocation address at St. Lawrence University, New York, considers the purpose of the curriculum, expectations of the curricula, and the promise that it represents. It is suggested that the curriculum comprises a set of experiences, most of which are organized as courses, selected to facilitate a student's progress toward defined educational…

Although educators have been turning to motion pictures and television as devices for supplementing instruction, there has been a sparsity of instruction about the elements of film or how to understand the medium. An innovative program designed to meet this need was introduced at St. Gregory's College. The course dealt with the history and the…

College theater programs should be evaluated and criticized on criteria that take into account the purposes of the programs and that have realistic bases for judging the effectiveness of instruction. The impact of college theater is based on its diversity as a training laboratory, as a part of a liberal curriculum, as a community theatre, and as a…

Identifies the hierarchy of library development in Southeast Asian countries that results in the neglect of public and school libraries. Developing local library school curricula which focus on the specific needs of each country and cooperation among library schools are suggested as methods of correcting this situation. (CLB)

Reviews the guidelines created in 1950 for the development of North Carolina's community college system, and assesses how well the guidelines anticipated future needs. Reviews the achievements of the system with respect to vocational preparation, broad curricula, low tuition, conveniently located campuses, local initiative and control, and state…

Issues in teaching students who are neither mathematiaclly nor scientifically oriented to apply computers to their intellectual and creative pursuits are described. Suggestions are made for designing an introductory computer literacy course. (MSE)

Approaches to developing the college curriculum and teaching techniques to cultivate or enhance the student's capacity for abstract logical reasoning are discussed, and their implications for testing and faculty development are explored briefly. (MSE)

Broad changes in the academic culture and the curriculum since the 1960s are reviewed, and the need is emphasized for a re-formation of the curriculum to bring the student back into focus and to rebuild the humanities. (MSE)