A study was undertaken at Georgia's Gainesville College to compare the distribution of grades awarded in academic courses in fall 1990 with those in fall 1996. Study findings included the following: (1) the overall college-wide pass rate in academic courses rose from 65.1% in fall 1990 to 68.6% in fall 1996; (2) excluding students who withdrew by…

This essay examines the ways in which health, as a discipline, has been influenced by feminist scholarship in the field. It explains that feminist scientists in the field have recognized and sought to address gender bias in traditional approaches to health research, including the androcentric bias in defining priorities for medical research, the…

Described is the comprehensive effort launched by Doane College in 1973 to blend the career development concept into its liberal arts framework. Areas discussed include college mission, curriculum planning, individual planning, advising, institutional responsibilities, internship programs, and evaluations of the liberal skills and of Doane's…

The University of the Orange Free State (South Africa) is testing effectiveness of group work with tutors as part of independent study modules. The method is based on an experiential learning cycle including pre- and post-testing, self-evaluation, reflective observation, active experimentation. Early indications are that most deficiencies of…

Major changes in British higher education in the last five years are analyzed, including increasing student numbers, mandated government assessment, linking funding to assessment, modularized curriculum, and the competency movement. Comparisons are drawn with the United States, and the impact of the policy changes on one institution, the…

Recommends using informal writing exercises to increase students' involvement in large survey history courses. Explains several activities in which undergraduates collect their thoughts on particular lecture topics. Also suggests that students keep journals to accompany reading assignments. Argues that journal writing enlivens the material and…

Calls attention to the emphasis on the practical in the curricula of community colleges and its infusion into the liberal arts programs of many four-year schools. Even in the upper tiers of the academic system, the vocational vogue is encroaching on the traditional liberal education. (SLD)

Suggests ways to maximize benefits and minimize problems of obtaining master's degrees in music education through summer school graduate study. Considers factors that distinguish summer school from the regular calendar: changes in faculty, reduced course offerings and performance opportunities, and altered college environment. Includes a nine-item…

The increased use of technology in academia combined with the challenges posed by growing enrollments of nontraditional graduate students have forced institutions to adapt educational programs to insure student retention and academic success. This case study examines student perceptions and responses to a required information literacy workshop,…

Arabic, English, mathematics, and information technology (IT) are used in every aspect of modern Islamic society throughout the Arab world. As a result of the increased awareness of the importance of these subjects and their impact on society, they have rapidly become established as part of the curriculum in most modern Arabic universities'…

In spite of the dramatic increase in the volume of information on computer technology in social work, very little has been written about how this technology might be incorporated into existing curricula. What is needed is an overview of how computers have been used in social work practice and in educational settings that can serve as a starting…

This collection of 34 essays provides an overview of the debates and reforms under discussion in regard to undergraduate curriculum. Part 1 focuses on the purposes and objectives of undergraduate education, reviewing pivotal historical developments, changes in the curriculum due to social and historical forces, and traditional and innovative…

The most widely accepted classification system of institutions of higher education, the Carnegie system, does not provide any sub-groupings for the category of two-year institutions. This lack of precision has inhibited the understanding of the diversity among and between community colleges, their missions, functions, curricula, students, and…

This report documents benefits and costs of restructuring two undergraduate courses at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University to better utilize instructional technology. Professors of the two courses, one in philosophy and one in microbiology, participated in workshops designed to help faculty explore the potential of electronic…

A discussion of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction for non-native speakers in higher education distinguishes the needs of immigrants who are residents from those of foreign students with temporary student visas, and looks at how those needs affect the design of classes and programs to serve them. Data are drawn from experience with one…