In 2005, the "Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education" (GAISE) college report described several recommendations for teaching introductory statistics. This paper discusses how a large multi-section introductory course was redesigned in order to implement these recommendations. The experience described discusses…

We present the most recent steps undertaken to reform the introductory algebra-based course at The George Washington University. The reform sought to help students improve their problem-solving performance. Our pedagogy relies on didactic constructs such as the" GW-ACCESS problem-solving protocol," "instructional sequences" and…

Steps to improving introductory courses to keep the appropriate liberal education emphasis include: teach less, restructure testing, relate course content to problems in the outside world, pursue ethical issues, balance facts with other forms of knowledge, teach the arts of discussion and critical thinking, and help students develop wisdom. (MSE)

The University of Missouri-Columbia Law School has implemented a first-year course in dispute resolution integrating topics in torts, property, civil procedure, contracts, and criminal law and taught by teachers in all of those areas. (MSE)

This study was designed to test a less labor intensive data collection methodology than the extensive interview system developed by the University of Michigan currently used to show the relationship between faculty rationale and course description. Subjects (N=210) were randomly selected faculty members each of whom was responsible for teaching…

This report summarizes the results of the Planning Introductory College Courses study which examined influences on course planning among U.S. faculty members. The study was built on exploratory interviews conducted in the 1986-87 Course Planning Exploration survey with 89 faculty members. Major findings show that when planning introductory…

Guidelines for learning and teaching structural equation modeling (SEM) in doctoral-level social work educational programs are offered. Essential ingredients of an introductory course, successful and unsuccessful methods of instruction, practical course organization, and integration of the material into the doctoral curriculum are discussed.…

In the personalized system of instruction (PSI) used in beginning communication courses at George Mason University (Virginia), the students do more than read text materials and master cognitive course objectives. They are encouraged to have experiences that reinforce what they read and to consider how these experiences relate to everyday life. The…

A conceptual framework for developing pharmacy curricula to provide students with introductory practice experiences (IPEs) is outlined, including the rationale, educational objectives and outcomes, and desired characteristics of these experiences. Pharmacy literature concerning early practice experiences is also reviewed. Models and desired…

Introductory courses in biology are often either designed for majors or watered-down versions for nonmajors that are not stimulating. A course developed for nonmajors emphasizes the relationship of biology to the human condition and focuses on five basic concepts while being flexible enough to adapt to new research and technology. (MSE)

Factors in development of a new introductory economics course, primarily for nonmajors, are discussed. These include selection of course content to capture student interest and reflect societal change, creation of a more stimulating classroom environment, and use of three cooperative learning activities on poverty, inflation, and budget deficits.…

Patterns that emerged from reviewing syllabi for courses on educational policy are discussed, and two sample syllabi are presented. These courses are offered as part of graduate level studies in the field of higher education administration. Review of seven syllabi and three brief course descriptions indicated that the subject of educational policy…

Reasonable people disagree about how to introduce undergraduate students to the marvels and complexities of the biological sciences. With intrinsically varied subdisciplines within biology, exponentially growing bases of information, and new unifying theories rising regularly, introduction to the curriculum is a challenge. Some decide to focus…

The framework presented here is intended to provide general guidance in the design of curricula for teaching introductory Japanese to English-speaking students at the high school and college levels. It is not a course syllabus or statement of specific instructional outcomes. It has three purposes: (1) to assist Japanese language teachers in…

A variety of options for integrating service learning into the college curriculum is outlined, including: fourth credit option; introductory service learning courses; courses linking service and leadership; optional or required course component; significant course requirement; core curriculum component; graduation requirement; disciplinary…