A reform movement in the United States has focused on STEM education and 21st century soft skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. This spotlight on STEM instruction provided an opportunity to explore how K-14 STEM teacher participants perceived a Design Thinking Instructional Problems (DTIP) approach to…

The Florida College and Career Readiness Initiative (FCCRI) is a statewide policy that has required college readiness testing in 11th grade, and then participation in college readiness and success (CRS) courses in 12th grade for students who did not test as "college-ready." CNA Education is evaluating the FCCRI through a five-year grant…

Although the United States is touted as a country where anyone could be successful regardless of social class or national background, upward social mobility is hard to attain. Less than one in 10 children born into poverty will reach the top of the income distribution. For many individuals, postsecondary education has historically been a way out…

In 2011, working groups from across the eight campuses of Miami Dade College (MDC) conducted a wide-ranging examination of why many students were not completing their programs. These groups identified a number of reasons for student attrition. Students were unclear about how to progress through programs--they had too many course and program…

The idea behind guided pathways is straightforward. College students are more likely to complete a degree in a timely fashion if they choose a program and develop an academic plan early on, have a clear road map of the courses they need to take to complete a credential, and receive guidance and support to help them stay on plan. However, most…

A growing number of community colleges and four-year universities are seeking to improve student outcomes by redesigning academic programs and student support services following the guided pathways approach. These institutions are mapping out highly structured, educationally coherent program pathways for students to follow by starting with the end…

The author defines faculty practice as a means of faculty development. She focuses on the Faculty Practice Program at New York University Medical Center. That program allows nursing faculty to practice as part of the Medical Center staff during the summer. (CH)

Discusses the Education Renewal Center (ERC), a self-supporting, "do-it-yourself" graduate school set up by Lamar (Colorado) School District for southeastern Colorado educators. Describes ERC's beginnings, teacher recertification credit, unexpected benefits, and courses for expanding horizons and building skills. Offers tips for starting…

In the summers of 1991 and 1992, 4-week faculty institutes were held at Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC), in Michigan. Funded by grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the institutes sought to examine the ways in which the humanities, science, and technology have each advanced human understanding. During the 1991…