An adult, nontraditional student with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder, now enrolled in a community college, describes the pain of her school experiences, her quest for self-identity and personal satisfaction, and the value of drug therapy and other treatments. Suggestions are offered for students with similar problems. (JDD)

This paper explores both the personal narratives of a group of black and white undergraduate students and the institutional discourse at one historically white and Afrikaans medium university now undergoing its own transformation in post-apartheid South Africa. It considers how students talk about their actual experiences and the micro-realties of…

The Indian Residential School in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia, was established by the Canadian government in 1929 to provide residential education to orphan, destitute, neglected, and other Mi'kmaw Indian children aged 7-16. Since many Indian parents were poor and unable to provide for their children, they felt the school was a chance for their…

A Rollins College (Florida) professor's survey of alumni concerning their memories of the institution elicited vivid and specific character narratives about faculty, pointing up the important role of faculty in students' college experience. The narratives reflected students' discovery of the pleasure of ideas, realization of teachers' concern for…

Despite research to the contrary, most college teachers assume students have more basic knowledge then they do, and they assign essays accordingly. One instructor discusses the poor results of students' knowledge testing, noting his institution's low admission requirements and questioning today's lax standards in the face of the information age.…

The author relates the quality of her educational experiences and the influence of her college teachers that led her to pursue graduate degrees. She criticizes the educational philosophy underlying the University of Alberta (Canada) publication, "Quality First," that narrowly envisions the future of higher education in Canada. (LP)

Author, consultant, and teacher educator Grant Wiggins recalls his own and his students' memorable learning experiences and discusses the impact of those experiences on his evolution as a teacher, the importance of the teacher/student relationship to student learning, and the likelihood that the student understands less of what the teacher says…

When she was asked to write an article on how she used quantitative research methods in her doctoral dissertation, the author eagerly jumped at the chance. Not because she is some sort of expert on the topic, but rather because she wishes someone had given her some insights into the journey she was about to embark on. Although the course work for…

This study explored how undergraduate students diagnosed with AD/HD remain in college. Using a qualitative research design from a grounded theory perspective, the researchers captured the personal stories of 10 college students from two universities similar in location, size, and liberal arts tradition. The findings included themes related to…

This qualitative study explored the perceptions of 14 adults (ages 21 to 37) with learning disabilities (including 7 enrolled in college) regarding their K-12 school experiences. Personal interviews were used to elicit those dimensions of the school experience perceived as most positive or most negative. The critical incident technique was used to…

This study reports the development of 25 post-baccalaureate students who participated in a longitudinal study of college students' epistemological development. experiences into the process of knowing. The study interviewed students to evaluate how they arrived at contextual knowing through experiential learning experiences. The experiences…

Drawing from autobiographical essays prepared by students enrolled in urban community college districts in eight states, this report profiles the lives of these students with particular focus on family background; educational objectives; obligations and problems related to work and home life; and career and educational plans and goals.…

A graduate student in environmental education reflects on her experiences traveling throughout the United States on a converted school bus with 20 other people in an effort to gain insight into social issues and problems. This experience helped her realize how listening to others, respecting their opinions, and discovering common goals promotes…

This article offers a profile of Dr. Andy Chen, an individual from Taiwan with learning disabilities who became an assistant professor of accounting at Northeastern Illinois University. The interview follows his progress through school, college, military service, and postgraduate work and describes learning strategies he developed to deal with his…

Three American Indian college graduates describe how they benefitted from the "INROADS to the Stars Scholarship" program. A multi-year scholarship and summer internship program, INROADS places talented minority group students in internships with global corporations and provides leadership training. Students must major in geophysics,…