This work presents innovative cybernetics (feedback) techniques based on Bayesian statistics for drawing questions from an Item Bank towards personalized multi-student improvement. A novel software tool, namely "Module for Adaptive Assessment of Students" (or, "MAAS" for short), implements the proposed (feedback) techniques. In conclusion, a pilot…

The Department of Accounting at California State University Northridge (CSUN) has developed a unique sequence of courses designed to ensure that accounting students are trained not only in technical accounting, but also acquire critical thinking, research and communication skills. The courses have proven effective and have embedded assessment…

We examined the effects of in-class writing instruction, practice, peer review, and feedback on writing skills of undergraduates enrolled in a general psychology course. We rated writing for grammar, writing style, mechanics, and American Psychological Association referencing style. Significant differences emerged on the 4 writing skill domains (p…

Calls for reform in university education have prompted a movement from teacher- to student-centered course design, and included developments such as peer-teaching, problem- and inquiry-based learning. In the sciences, inquiry-based learning has been widely promoted to increase literacy and skill development, but there has been little comparison to…

Presents a case study of Second Chance, a successful academic support program for minority undergraduate students. Describes the program's five components and the major impediments to its success, and discusses the program's outcomes relative to their duplication and reasonable expectations. (GR)

Describes a study that investigated the effectiveness of Web-based learning using learner control with advisement for non-American English as a second language (ESL) undergraduate students at the National Taiwan Normal University. Results showed students with advisement improved significantly faster than students without advisement on learning…

Presents a study which recorded attendance of 57 introductory psychology students by requiring them to sign-in at each class meeting. States that students who signed in attended more classes and scored higher grades on weekly multiple-choice quizzes, even on material from the textbook not included in lectures. (CMK)

This article presents the findings of a survey of students' usage of the objective question bank section of an academic publisher's textbook website. The findings are based on a survey of 239 business and management undergraduates conducted using a quantitative research methodology. The results suggest that increased use of the objective question…

Discusses a means for increasing undergraduate and graduate students' level of empathy. Assigned students to write about and role play a character that they create who suffers from a psychological disorder. Explains that after quantitative and qualitative analyses it was demonstrated that students' empathy increased. (CMK)

A study of 170 undergraduates at the University of Washington examined the effect of terminology and screen layout on student ability to select databases from an initial online interface, "Session Manager." Results indicated that student ability to navigate menu screens was improved with expanded terminology and type grouping of online…

Argues that fieldwork develops student understanding of various concerns in social and cultural geography. Recommends using a new approach that focuses on the role of fieldwork in the research process and illustrates this approach by describing an account of a residential field class to Los Angeles (California) and Las Vegas (Nevada). (CMK)

Compares three methods of teaching keyboard sight-reading to 69 undergraduate music majors enrolled in six piano classes were randomly divided among three conditions: (1) error-detection practice plus "shadowing" (EDS); (2) shadowing only; and (3) unguided independent practice. Indicates that the EDS subjects achieved moderate overall…

Describes a project at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey to encourage women to enroll in courses with a large computer technology component and to enable those women to be successful when they take computing courses. Explains the development of a first-year seminar that was created to improve women's computer skills. (LRW)

This assessment of two computerized vocabulary games addressed three issues: (1) did undergraduate students' scores improve when they reviewed the meanings of words?; (2) did students improve their ability to determine the meaning of new words?; and (3) did students with low verbal skills demonstrate greater improvement than students with high…

Reports findings of a two-year study of undergraduates at a United Kingdom university concerning the development and implementation of a general-purpose computer-based assessment (CBA) system. Results of questionnaires, observations, interviews, and a comparative analysis of student scores in conventional examinations and computer-based…