The defining task for undergraduate departments is the design of a major, including the number and content of courses as well as other requirements. Department members must weigh the desire to produce graduates superbly prepared for further study against the charge that the major requires too large a share of an undergraduate's course options.…

Educational Theory into Practice Software (ETIPS) is an online case study program in the testbed stage of development intended for use by professors of education administration. The program is being developed by Sara Dexter and Pamela D. Tucker of the University of Virginia and is being tested by various other universities throughout Virginia. As…

This 21st Century Skills Map is the result of hundreds of hours of research, development and feedback from educators and business leaders across the nation. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills has issued this map for the core subject of English.

This article focuses on the development of, and new theorising about, a strong democracy education intervention, the Just Community approach. Three questions frame the discussion: (1) Does democracy education change children and adolescents or do students in these programs change their schools, or is there a dynamic interaction over time? (2) How…

Canadian universities are struggling to address seemingly contradictory challenges pertaining to undergraduate education: high demand and underfunding. A number of instruments, including the National Survey of Student Engagement (National Survey of Student Engagement, n.d.), have led to greater priority being placed on the undergraduate…

This laboratory exercise encourages upper level biochemistry students to build and expand upon previously developed laboratory skills and knowledge as they conduct a comparison of two methods of plasmid preparation based upon cost, quality of product, production time, and environmental impact. Besides creating an environment that mimics a more…

In this article, the author describes a way of motivating learners to solve and reflect upon mathematical problems. The author wanted to find ways to help the Y6 class with their KS2 SATs, but more importantly she wanted to develop their interest and skills in solving mathematical challenges. She spent some time working on the idea of a "…

What happens when children pour water through a funnel? They begin to understand science and math concepts such as flow, force, gravity, and volume. What happens when children mold sand to create a tunnel? They develop skills in areas such as problem solving and predicting. They also gain knowledge about absorption and the properties of sand and…

Many of the theories about communicating effectively in corporate structures as well as the accompanying pedagogy do not pertain to changes in corporate structure and communication brought about by Total Quality Management (TQM). TQM creates a work environment in which employees need problem-solving skills and interpersonal skills that allow them…

While conflict resolution programs in the elementary schools have been in existence for the last decade, few studies have provided quantitative data concerning the effectiveness of such programs. A study was conducted which used interviews and surveys to focus on the development, implementation, and results of a Conflict Manager program at one…

A self-instructional program on decision making was used in conjunction with workshops to introduce the staff of an instructional materials company to the decision tree process as they used it to study their own film production problem. (Author/MS)

A study examined the possible differences in home training received by Hispanics and Anglos, the development of particular problem-solving styles as a result of home training, and possible differences between Hispanics and Anglos in problem-solving styles. A questionnaire was used to investigate home teaching style, actualization of…

This manual is intended for individuals who are experiencing transitions that call for changes in relationships, routines, roles, or assumptions within the settings of work, school, family, health, or finances. It is intended to assist them in becoming aware that (1) transitions and change are inevitable and natural, (2) there are many resources…

A variety of methods are presented for developing skills for critical thinking, which is described as reflecting on assumptions underlying actions and considering new ways of looking at and living in the world. Critical thinking is viewed as not just an academic exercise, but a productive process enabling people to be more effective and innovative…

The study compared the effects of two instructional strategies for teaching the programming language, Logo, on the problem solving skills of third graders. The two strategies are the guided discovery approach, a student-directed learning environment with the teacher as a facilitator, and the direct instruction approach, with specific…