Survey Says is a lesson plan designed to teach college students how to access Internet resources for valid data related to the sexual health of young people. Discussion questions based on the most recent available data from two national surveys, the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance-United States, 2003 (CDC, 2004) and the National Survey of…

In this article, the authors introduce 3 different course formats for teaching management consulting at the university. On the basis of data from self-evaluation questionnaires from 159 students, the authors analyze effectiveness of these course designs in raising the self-confidence of participants to cope with the kind of tasks typically faced…

The Guided Independent Study Program, an individually paced, master-oriented teaching method for serving undergraduate and graduate nontraditional students at the College of St. Scholastica, Minnesota, is described. A number of independent study courses in psychology, gerontology, and education have been offered to students who cannot come to the…

This guide is designed to assist postsecondary disability service providers and others in conducting a Curriculum Transformation and Disability (CTAD) faculty development workshop intended to make classrooms more accessible to all students, including those with disabilities. The CTAD workshop uses the model of universal instructional design, which…

Surveys two universities regarding their use of and views toward extra-credit assignments. Findings show faculty were more likely to view such assignments negatively, citing the disadvantage of extra credit as encouraging irresponsible attitudes. Students disagree and emphasize the advantage of a second chance. (NL)

To discover how courses are planned and taught, faculty and their students at three community colleges, two liberal arts colleges, two comprehensive universities, and one doctoral university were interviewed with a protocol based on current theories of course design. Their candid responses indicate that academic content, materials, student…

This study was conducted to determine theoretical models, learning styles, and activities adult learners prefer. From a total of 154 survey forms administered to undergraduate and graduate students in adult studies and in the adult learner course at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 119 questionnaires were analyzed, using a chi square model on…

In the study reported here, an attempt was made to measure the relative achievement of students enrolled in four intermediate-level college Spanish courses, including one of near-immersion design. Course designs differed in methods of teaching and in intensity; it was expected that these differences would be reflected in student achievement.…

Projects in which university students of Spanish develop their language skills by serving as tutors to Spanish-speaking students in elementary and junior high schools are described. The university students develop and teach mini-courses in Spanish in their disciplines and offer health, nutrition, and consumer information courses to the community.…

Collaboration between a public affairs faculty member and an instructional developer resulted in design of a learner-centered large lecture course. Evaluation after three years revealed which elements of the course format generated the most student interest and, in some cases, changed attitudes about learning in college. Suggestions are made for…

Research results and suggestions concerning motivating college students are considered. Some research has indicated that motivation to learn in school is not fixed, but it is not changed drastically in short time periods either. It has been suggested that students who are not motivated to learn resist new information, and use categorical reasoning…

At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a 4-year project was undertaken to restructure the sophomore elective course in social science for natural science and engineering students. The restructured course emphasized an objective, rigorous, and exact approach to social phenomena. Readings were designed to carry the student step by step from…

Although there have been numerous studies of the reliability, validity, and uses of student ratings of instruction, relatively few efforts have focused on the association of the combination of various student, instructor, and course characteristics in relation to such ratings. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between…

Examined final-year undergraduate responses to innovations to determine whether positive learning outcomes in large classes are possible by increasing the range of work in which students are involved. Straightforward adjustments to approach and style produced both positive learning outcomes and an increase in transferable skills. (RJM)

At Arizona State University, English grammar classes were taught using elements of peer teaching and cooperative learning. Classes involved (1) student lectures explaining assigned readings; (2) daily quizzes; and (3) student grading of exams and quizzes. Positive aspects included student acceptance and attainment of a high level of mastery.…