Analyzes the history of the development of African-American studies as a social science and humanities discipline, and contends that the field is so new it has no history of its own. The inception of the Temple University (Pennsylvania) School of Afrocentric Scholarship marks the discipline's real birth. (SLD)

Discusses the complicated role of the published writer in academics. Suggests that the writer teaching in a university setting has a similar goal to the academic: to illuminate the human experience. Asserts that the writer undertakes this mission in a creative, unstructured way, whereas the academic does it traditionally and often as a critic.…

This study replicated previous research that tested the validity of A. Biglan's classification scheme, a theoretical framework for empirically examining the differences among academic disciplines and classifying them according to three dimensions (hard-soft, pure-applied, life-nonlife). In addition, new data were used to attempt continued…

Possible educational goals for a college to be developed by Rock Church in Virginia Beach were defined, based in part on an analysis of views of pertinent interest groups about what the college should be. In addition, priorities among these goals were established, and questions and steps to prepare for a college were identified. Among the 246…

A group of faculty members and accrediting representatives was assembled to explore ways to better integrate liberal and professional study during the undergraduate years. The group based its discussions on educational outcomes previously identified by the project directors as important for all college-educated professionals. The project involved…

This paper begins with a literature review of the objectives of general education, giving special consideration to the possible role of communications skills. Because of current discussion and disagreement about what the basic general education requirements of a university should include, a survey was administered in 1981-82 to full-time faculty…

Movements calling for reform in undergraduate education and the initiative for civic responsibility are traced, demonstrating that they have mutual concerns and self-interests. Though largely separate from and unknown to each other, their complementarity provides the basis for joint action. By integrating efforts to increase student involvement in…

An historical and conceptual analysis of general education in the United States is presented, comprising the following chapters: (1) transformation and the search for meaning (including a discussion of the concept of general education); (2) the classical curriculum confronts democracy (democratic pressures on the classical curriculum; the Yale…

Current developments concerning criminology and criminal justice education are viewed historically and placed within a broader perspective of academic professionalization, and a few of the debates going on within and between the two fields are considered. Some early sociologists made considerable claim to studies of crime, and criminology and…

The relationship between formal education and creativity was investigated in two studies. A reanalysis of Cox's (1926) 301 geniuses indicated that achieved eminence of creators is a curvilinear inverted-U function of formal education. Secondly, a study of 33 American presidents found that dogmatism (i.e., idealistic inflexibility) is a curvilinear…

The areas of educational programs, their design and operation, their intellectual base, and their philosophic presumptions are examined. Part One discusses the nature of academic programs in colleges and universities: influences, purposes, and priorities; and the concept of curriculum and its origins, definition, and design. It is proposed that…

The contemporary literature on general education, most of which is aimed at college and university reform, is evaluated. The underlying assumptions of some of the representive works on this topic are examined, and persistent issues in the field are identified and alternatives proposed. Although the emphasis of the analysis is directed to "Missions…

The key question underlying this study was: What does the untrained population know about public speaking? The study thus focused on resolving the conflict between folk speech theory, or knowledge that students gain informally, and formal academic speech theory. An Inventory of Public Speaking Principles was devised to test six hypotheses which…

The proposed fiscal year (FY) 1975 budget for American Indian education for the Office of Education requests $42 million (the same amount provided in FY 1974) for the Indian Education Act. Of this total, $32 million is to be focused on special demonstration projects for Indian children and $8 million on special projects for Indian adults. These…

A survey was conducted of 70 Indiana radio and television station managers and 250 college-educated employees of their choosing to assess views on quality of academic programs in radio and television. Questionnaires were distributed and personal visits made to more than 50 stations. Questions and responses were grouped under three headings: Part 1…