"The Secret Syllabus" equips students with the tools they need to succeed, revealing the unwritten rules and cultural norms and expectations not included in the official curriculum. Left to figure out on their own how the academic world works, students frequently stumble, underperform, and miss opportunities. Without mastery of the…

Intergroup dialogues are co-facilitated, face-to-face dialogues between two groups that have a history of conflict (for example, White people and people of color). Although researchers have explored the outcomes of these dialogues among students, little is known about the role of facilitators. Drawing from a case study of an intergroup dialogue…

Semester-long program of orientation and counseling was developed to aid students in adjusting to college and developing their own life styles. Program was centered around a course in student development. (Author/EK)

Psychology and computer science were clustered into a course in "Internet Psychology" with the goal of enabling students to use electronic networks responsibly and creatively and to understand the principles of psychology as they operate in the electronic context. Fourteen students from a variety of majors registered for the class.…

Reviews the essential characteristics of experiential learning. Shows how this approach was applied to a business communication course. (RL)

The Honors Speech course at Florida A&M University, which is a special section of the Public Speaking course, is designed to develop appreciation of and skills in the preparation, delivery, and criticism of speeches. The honors course is different from the regular course in (1) the smaller enrollment in the course; (2) the topics of the…

A course taught at Pacific Lutheran University (Washington) encourages students to transform inner creative energy into an expression of their changing, developing identities. Students make shrines to their childhoods, create models, or costume themselves to express their inner lives. (MSE)

Innovative use of film constituted the core of an experimental, team taught, interdisciplinary course designed to assist first-generation college students undecided as to major course of study to gain personal awareness of the interconnectedness of self and society. Course content, staffing, and evaluation are outlined. (JT)

Educational innovations are frequently undertaken with little or no planning. There are occasions, however, when it is possible to define educational problems with some precision and to plan changes which will "solve" these problems. Here is a report on such a case in the teaching of introductory anthropology at a large land-grant university.…

Describes an "exit" course, Senior Seminar in Communicative Theories, developed for students majoring in Speech Communication at George Mason University. Outlines the evolution of this course and the case for adding such a course to speech communication curricula. (KEH)

A freshman course at the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Tennessee is described that mixes the academic and personal experiences in three areas: career exploration, human development, and the history of universities. (Author/MLW)

Workshop Way is described: a scientific educational system that organizes time, materials, and strategies so as to permit students to develop and maintain positive feelings as persons and learners, and to handle new material without fear of failure. (Author/MLW)

Describes and discusses courses offered by student affairs staff, excluding courses offered by student affairs practitioners, as part of student affairs preparation programs. Focuses on undergraduate courses and emphasizes learning outcomes associated with various courses. Discusses goals and course objectives, course materials, instructional…

Rapidly changing demographics are forcing more and more Americans to interact with people who are different from themselves. Americans must become more sensitive to cultural diversity. One way to address this challenge at the university level is to offer courses in intercultural communication. At one university, an upper level course in…

A freshman seminar offered at a women's college includes activities designed to enhance individual academic responsibility by assessing academic goals and evaluating progress toward them. Faculty advisor evaluation and student evaluation of the course indicate its usefulness. The exercises can be used in any developmental academic advisor-advisee…