Physics lab instruction is evolving in response to changing technology, a desire to better prepare students for diverse careers, and renewed focus from physics education researchers. To prepare researchers to evaluate progress in instructional labs in the future, this study set out to understand the current state of instructional physics labs in…

Defines "course of study" as a statement of work and course goals and suggests the need to follow a consistent format in developing courses of study for community colleges. Reviews divergent points of view and offers a format for developing courses. (JOW)

This project validated the competencies and curriculum for telecommunications technology programs and specified a generic curriculum design/structure that could be useful to community colleges and technical institutes that are beginning or revising their curricula. The project took advantage of and built upon the first program development work…

The degree to which Fresno City College (California) is meeting the curricular needs of its students is examined in this study of 234 students and 26 faculty. An analysis of student preferences toward 20 selected learning modes is compared to the amount of time which faculty devote to each. High correlation between preference and practice exists…

A study was undertaken at Glendale Community College, in California, to determine the effectiveness of a 2-week summer macroeconomics course. To gather data, the instructor maintained a diary of topics covered and problems encountered, surveyed all 20 students upon completion of the class regarding their experiences and satisfaction, and compared…

This study was undertaken to determine if instructors in community colleges in the United States are as innovative as has been perceived in some quarters. The data used for the study were originally collected by Cohen in a 1978 nationwide survey of science and science-related courses in two-year colleges to obtain information about the curriculum,…

Given recent Federal Government and business community emphasis on integrated vocational and academic education, a telephone survey of community colleges was made to explore what forms such integration is taking. Information was gathered through telephone contact with 45 community college officials recruited through a mailed questionnaire to a…

The offshoots of women's studies programs, such as cultural diversity, men's studies, and African-American studies, are now viewed as being at odds with women's studies although they share the same goal of transforming the curriculum. Most notable among these is men's studies and its relationship to women's studies. The challenge for teachers is…

To date, no studies have focused solely on community college students' epistemological beliefs and the courses students pursue. The purpose of this study was to determine if a semester-long community-college course designed to increase critical thinking skills could help students attain more sophisticated levels of epistemological beliefs. A…

A random sample of 55 faculty and 593 students in 28 classes was surveyed to determine class scheduling preferences for three-semester-hour courses and to relate them to existing scheduling patterns at Moraine Valley Community College. Fifty-five percent of the students preferred two 90-minute class sessions per week, 27% preferred one three-hour…

This student interest survey was conducted in Spring 2003 by Glendale Community College North (GCCN), Arizona. The purpose of the survey was to determine student preference for courses, course times and frequencies, and for other college student services they might need and want. In addition, an attempt was made to uncover any enrollment obstacles…