This is the introduction and summary of a series of six papers discussing major issues about student assessment for the University of Wisconsin Extended Degree Program, a program designed to give academic credit for college level learning derived from experiences outside the scope of formal classes. A distinction is made between prior learning,…

A study of the choice of specialty by medical students suggests that Family Medicine depends on students whose choice predates medical school; the number of those interested diminishes significantly over the four years. Interviews suggest several characteristics of the medical school that mitigate against the choice of family medicine and steer…

Promotes the use of a practicum technique in which senior engineering level students work on typical company problems in a laboratory setting. Offers suggestions on how to solicit and organize such a university-industry course. (RT)

The 2005 Graduate Follow-up Survey of Apprenticeship Students was a pilot project undertaken by the Ministry of Advanced Education, the Industry Training Authority, and post-secondary institutions (13 public and 9 private). The pilot survey targeted those who completed their apprenticeship technical training programs in a BC post-secondary…

American Indian students are among the most underrepresented groups in academe, and few of those who enter college finish. This book attempts to provide greater understanding of Native American experiences in higher education through analysis based on critical theory, focusing particularly on the recruitment and retention of Native Americans by…

This study examined the experiences of disabled students at a variety of Scottish universities and colleges. The study was intended to provide insight into what it is like to be a student with additional needs, and to develop a list of key issues for policymakers. In the first phase of the study conducted in the summer of 1996, a preliminary…

This book details how Harvard Medical School (Massachusetts) overcame prevailing educational inertia and developed a curriculum and educational program consistent with preparing students to practice medicine in the 21st century. The New Pathway in General Medical Education program emphasizes both acquiring current knowledge and developing learning…

Twenty-three undergraduate social work students from Eastern Michigan University completed a seven-week internship in a geriatric unit at a Mexico City hospital. Analyzes stages that students went through as they began to realize the importance of cultural context and to understand cultural differences in human behavior and service provision.…

Analysis of data from 5 years shows that students enrolled in the Dalton Junior College (Georgia) first-year seminar, although similar to a comparison group in age, sex, standardized entrance test scores, degree objectives, and group grade point average, attempted more course hours, showed a higher retention rate, completed more hours, and had a…

Reviews a teaching exercise that highlights ethical and ecological issues through the systematic critical analysis of a technical land reclamation project. Students are encouraged to examine their own motivation for advocating particular solutions, to consider the value systems implicit in solutions, and to examine environmental actions in…

A study of 24 Hispanic and American Indian college students attempted to refine the concept of academic integration in Tinto's model of education withdrawal. Findings suggest that measurement of academic integration could be strengthened by including indicators of the substance and process of academic advising, as students experience it.…

Analysis of final college major choice by 3,893 students of the high school class of 1980 found that major choice was influenced by social background, high school achievement, high school major choice, and college and that debt burden was not significantly associated with major choice. (Author/MSE)

A study investigated the cost effectiveness of a Seton Hall University (New Jersey) freshman studies program designed to improve retention, stabilize enrollments, and enrich campus life. Data were analyzed from short- and long-term perspectives. Results indicate that, despite increasing costs, the program is a cost-effective approach to student…

Researchers consistently underestimate the enormous potential of children to participate in the construction of their own learning environments and as research partners in examining learning. The paper chronicles one 6-year collaborative project with students on research in literacy learning and highlights students' perspectives on what the…

Whatever forms they take, colleges of the 21st century must incorporate the educational fundamentals that underlie traditional residential institutions. Key ingredients of these educationally powerful environments include clear purposes, maximization of human interaction, pedagogies for active learning, recognition of individual differences,…