Universities are strategically positioned to serve as a vital impetus in developing pre-professionals' lifelong learning skills. The development of a Web portal, InfoWIZARD, a tool for integrating information literacy and information technology in problem-based research assignments is described in this article. InfoWIZARD includes 20 modules in…

This paper describes a pedagogical technique employed for an interdisciplinary course on Cold War America. Students had to "become" a fictional person and discuss how political and social changes during the Cold War era would have impacted that person. By doing a semester-long project that required primary source research, this…

One requirement often stressed by the author's Japanese business English students in sales and marketing positions is the need to talk about the product, or make presentations, in terms of its market growth and market share over time with the use of a visual representation. These requests have linguistic and conceptual elements that demand a lot…

This article discusses learning within the corporate environment. Comparing objectivist and constructivist theories of learners and learning, the author presents her views from a constructivist approach. Three learning methods are discussed: (1) Problem-based; (2) Cooperative and (3) Situated. A background of each is included, noting outcomes…

This paper reports on the experiences of a small collaborative inquiry group consisting of a high school science teacher, Deidre, and two university researchers, the authors of this paper, as they explored an active, inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning referred to as Problem-Based Learning or PBL (Barrows, 1994; Barrows & Tamblyn,…

The momentum gathering behind authentic learning/critical skills raises fundamental issues concerning teaching and learning. This article discusses some of the more general arguments surrounding authentic learning with particular reference to an in-depth evaluation of its impact on schools in one part of Great Britain. It then moves on to describe…

Today's high school graduates are entering a world in which they will need at least some college to gain access to decent-paying careers, according to the 2007 edition of "Diplomas Count." Those without even a high school diploma will face increasingly bleak labor-market prospects. This report, "Ready for What? Preparing Students…

Understanding the relevance of basic science knowledge in the determination of patient assessment, diagnosis, and treatment is critical to good medical practice. One method often used to direct students in the fundamental process of integrating basic science and clinical information is problem-based learning (PBL). The faculty facilitated small…

Many educational philosophers and researchers have argued the importance of including ethical study and reflection in educational preparation programs, both for prospective teachers and administrators. Among other potential benefits, a moral foundation allows educators to evaluate current practices and assess their work amidst a seemingly…

A 1986 policy instituted by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges calls for strengthening the rigor and academic standards of all college-level courses to be counted toward the associate degree. The policy calls for all courses to promote students' ability to think critically. One of the first difficulties encountered by…

This is one of six innovative sessions proposed for the AHRD Scholar-Practitioner Track and coordinated by the AHRD Scholar-Practitioner Committee. It examines a suite of novel e-learning design options and how to implement an action-based approach to online learning. Participants have the opportunity to hear about these innovative approaches to…

In the Charlotte-Mecklenburg (North Carolina) Public Schools, thousands of gifted children are tackling challenging, real-world problems correlated with curricular expectations. This gifted program fuses three philosophies: multiple-intelligences theory, problem-centered learning, and a thoughtful atmosphere to foster critical and creative…

Use of problem-based learning in a large upper-division general education class at McMaster University (Canada) provides opportunities for students to identify and practice skills for inquiry into societal problems and solutions. Classroom techniques and processes preserve the essence of problem-based learning despite the fact that the class is…

An approach to teaching optometry combining didactic and problem-based teaching is described, highlighting course procedures that have evolved over a number of years. Problems are organized so students learn portions of required content, building a knowledge base while solving a succession of problems. Cases are usually presented and discussed in…

Introduces a chemistry unit, the "Evolving Atom", based on a problem-based learning approach designed for non-science majors. Uses the case method to address memory loss in mice during instruction. (Contains 14 references.) (YDS)