The "problem-posing" education model of Paulo Freire takes as its departure point the life experience of the learner, rather than the teacher's knowledge. Ursuline College (Cleveland, Ohio) created several courses for returning adult students that were based on Freire's ideas. One course called "Humanities Focus on Life" is for…

The Bachelor of Science (nursing) degree offered by the New York External Degree Program of the University of the State of New York is described. The degree program is designed to enable individuals to earn a college degree by using college courses, proficiency examinations, and/or special assessment. It provides a program of assessment rather…

Canadian colleges and institutes are well-positioned to respond to the needs of immigrants given the role of these institutions in providing learning opportunities for 900 communities across the country. Colleges and institutes have demonstrated leadership in increasing access, effectiveness and efficiency through the application of prior learning…

A collaborative of secondary teachers and administrators, university faculty, and administrators formulated a four-phase, field-based teacher education program that included: providing for self-directed experiences with adolescents; establishing an understanding of teaching and schools in modern society; developing skills to meet the needs of…

The unique characteristics and needs of adult students in higher education are discussed, drawing on experience of the School for New Learning at DePaul University (Illinois). Issues discussed include adult learning habits, motivations of adults for continuing their education, differences in the faculty's role with adult learners, challenges in…

Reviews the current literature concerning prior knowledge in an attempt to clarify problems with the terminology. Identifies the three main problems: lack of definition or vagueness, nominal versus real definitions, and different names/same constructs or same name/different constructs. Includes a conceptual map of prior knowledge terminology. (MJP)

This article discusses the relationship among an individual's cognitive style, attitude to learning, and his or her achievement in the context of computer aided learning (CAL). The results of a small-scale study involving 32 students (18 male and 14 female) studying their first electronics module during an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Design and…

This paper describes the pedagogical principles that underpin the design of the Master of Engineering Practice, a distance education program offered by the University of Southern Queensland. This innovative program enables experienced engineering technologists to use their workplace learning to assemble portfolios that demonstrate their…

Enrollment data confirmed that by fall of 1985, half of the 70 students enrolled in vocational teacher education coursework at Idaho State University (ISU) were involved in corporate training outside of vocational education. ISU's Vocational Teacher Education (VTE) Program has developed a new degree program for corporate trainers that maintains…

Intended for elementary and secondary school teachers, supervisors, curriculum specialists, and researchers, this report presents the proceedings of an institute on the Learning from Text Project sponsored by the University of California and the California State University systems. After an introduction by institute chairperson Deborah Hancock,…

The development, implementation, and integration of a nontraditional adult degree program at Mary Baldwin College, a traditional liberal arts institution, is described. The adult degree program is designed for adult men and women who cannot attend classes in the traditional manner; it may involve independent study, courses at other accredited…

Describes activities of the Educational Technology Center at Harvard University, which focus on the use of computers and other technology to improve K-12 instruction in science, mathematics, and computing. Topics discussed include curriculum development; students' prior conceptions; the construction of scientific knowledge; the use of software;…

A discussion of distance education in nursing and pharmacy fields looks at the history of distance education; issues in program design (resources, politics, student populations, policy); planning (finances, curriculum, technology, resources, faculty); implementation; evaluation; and outcomes (graduates, career mobility, institutional image).…

Examines the proposed definition of biological literacy as the understanding of a small number of pervasive biological principles appropriate to making informed personal and societal decisions. Utilizes the content of a major daily newspaper to adjust biology instruction to focus on this notion of biological literacy. Discusses benefits and…

Describes Project FORE (Focus on Research and Evaluation), a hypermedia program developed at Utah State University for library use instruction. Topics discussed include guidelines for designing instructional courseware, lesson objectives, recall of prior learning, feedback, enhancing retention and transfer of learning, visual design, learner…