Discusses the foreign language requirements at Hunter College. By the fourth semester, a student is expected to read and understand a fairly advanced literary text and to talk and write about it in the target language. Discusses possible changes in these requirements, such as oral proficiency testing, and problems that may be encountered. (SED)

A study examined a national trend towards dropping Shakespeare and other Great Authors from college English major requirements, and asked what new courses are taking their places. Programs from 70 representative schools were analyzed. Results indicated that 23 schools require a course in Shakespeare, which may include other authors as well, but…

Outlines the foreign language requirements of the University of Michigan's Residential College, including the five-part proficiency exam, covering all four language skills. (EKN)

Argues that composition teachers should drop outmoded requirements that perpetuate the discourses of hierarchy and exclusion. Instead, they should articulate the study, practice, and teaching of writing; devise curricula in writing that aim at the achievement of critical public literacy; and abandon the institutional discourse of student need, the…

Responds to an article in the same issue of the journal. Discusses five interrelated issues: whether required speech communication courses should be skills or theory; to what extent skills should be emphasized; the effect on the academic integrity of the communication discipline; the effect of grade inflation; and attracting high-quality majors.…

A survey conducted in 1982 and repeated in 1986 was replicated in 1990 with data collected from 356 of 700 2- and 4-year colleges. Results show that business communication is often a required course, enrollments are constant, class sizes are decreasing, and a wider variety of related courses is being offered. (SK)

One group of college students who had no previous keyboarding instruction and one group who had were tested after three months of microcomputer use. Previous instruction was found to increase speed; no significant difference in mean error scores appeared. Proficiency appeared to be enhanced by previous keyboarding instruction. (SK)

Reports on a national survey of 520 psychology programs on the number of mathematics and science courses required as part of the general education requirements for an undergraduate degree. Finds that an average of one mathematics course and two science courses are required. (CFR)

Introduces this special issue, arguing that because communication practices are changing radically (because of the global transition from a primarily industrial to a knowledge economy) writing requirements for business students must be reexamined so that they reflect what business professionals should know and do in a knowledge economy. (SR)

Discussion of quantitative literacy (QL) at the undergraduate level considers specific quantitative skills necessary in the computer era, including numeracy in everyday events, numeracy as a liberal art, finding opportunities for quantitative thinking outside of traditional courses, and various options for meeting QL requirements. QL requirements…

Examined effects of diversity-related courses on the intergroup tolerance and sociopolitical beliefs of 131 undergraduate students at the University of Michigan before and after taking a required race and ethnicity course. Comparison with other students suggest that such courses can buffer students from declines in intergroup tolerance exhibited…

Examines special issues surrounding foreign language (FL) requirements for students classified as learning disabled (LD). Focuses on why students experience FL learning problems, the problems with the definition of and diagnosis of LD, whether research supports traditional assumptions about LD and FL learning, whether students classified as LD…

Attitudes of nursing students in required (n=31) and elective (n=29) online courses were favorable both before and after courses. Preferences for online or classroom format remained stable; most preferred online. Those in elective courses were slightly more favorable, perhaps because of their high-stakes nature and students' first-year status. (SK)

A disparity in high school coursework currently exists between college preparation requirements and state board/school district graduation requirements in Minnesota. Because graduation requirements are general, the extensiveness and quality of curriculum requirements can vary greatly by school district and building. This information brief compares…

A literature review and the results of a study of 40 preservice elementary education teachers suggest that an individualized, self-pacing program is a more effective approach to providing future teachers with computer literacy than simply requiring them to take a computer course. (KH)