This paper examines similarities between the goals of Aikido, a martial art, and critical thinking and argues that Aikido promotes the development of thinking in its training and practice. It applies these ideas to the gifted education curriculum. First the paper introduces characteristics of Aikido, Aikido movement and techniques. It equates…

Action Learning (AL) is one instructional method used to bridge the gap between theory and practice in university courses. This study reports the results of a pilot test that applied AL techniques to an educational leadership preparation program. Participants were 47 doctoral students, most of whom were practicing administrators or teacher…

The questions addressed in this paper are: how do students interpret the non-solution problems as a mathematical practice in the classroom? What kinds of arguments do the students offer? To deal with these questions the utterances of students working in the classroom with problems in which they had to look for general relations in order to argue…

This paper provides information sources and ideas for challenge and adventure activities. Main information sources are listed: libraries, ERIC, and several publishers and programs. Some useful publications are described that provide activities and ideas related to outdoor education, environmental issues, games, special populations, educational…

As downsizing of government and business organizations has become widespread, many managers are seeking to increase productivity by empowering the workforce. When effectively and appropriately implemented, empowered workforce structures can cut costs and improve quality and safety. Yet resistance to such changes arises from a patriarchal…

This paper describes a process by which developing or established teams can create a clear and common understanding of issues concerning team purpose, team approach, performance goals, role clarity, and mutual accountability. The major components of this process--Purpose, Approach, Goals, and Everyone mutually accountable--form the acronym…

This paper explores some aspects of building and fostering strong group dynamics to enhance expedition behavior and ultimately, successful wilderness group experiences. It attempts to reflect the needs of both large-scale expeditions and educational and camp groups traveling through wilderness, and includes various activities to allow for direct…

Creating a nonthreatening atmosphere, drawing out introverted participants, and relating the lessons of programmed activities to everyday life are a few of the challenges of quality processing (debriefing). At times, alternative methods of processing open doors when straightforward questioning does not. In some instances, alternative methods serve…

Colleges and universities are being challenged to examine their mission, structure, and delivery of services for two reasons with far-reaching implications for cooperative education. The first is the move from an industrial to a postindustrial economy. The second deals with incorrect assumptions about learning based on outmoded information and…

Leading-edge technologies, integrated with emerging educational methodologies, make the Advanced Learning Environment (ALE) model cost effective and efficient for learning. The ALE integrates virtual reality and other enabling technologies such as natural language processing, animation, video, courseware, sound, projection, CD-ROM, and distance…

Augustana University College (Alberta, Canada) offers a senior-level outdoor pursuits course called Arctic Canoe Expeditions, open to any student with a previous canoe-based outdoor course. Course goals are for students to apply knowledge from previous outdoor courses, integrate knowledge from their home disciplines into the experience, explore a…

This paper begins by presenting three tests, which are included in the appendix, of one's awareness of physical risks. This exercise leads to a discussion of the differences between actual and perceived risk, why people participate in outdoor activities, and the inaccurate perception of actual risks. Complicating the issue of accurately perceiving…

This publication of the National Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education presents members' achievements in developing exemplary programs in the year 2000. Seven programs were identified for their ability to enrich the educational experience of college students. The programs demonstrate the spirit of innovation and resourcefulness and…

This article, also available in Spanish, describes what happened when a bilingual kindergarten class in West Liberty, Iowa, investigated a combine. The dual-language Kindergarten program supports content area instruction in both Spanish and English. The first part of the article tells the story of the Combine Project, this class's first project…

Most organizations find it difficult to implement change, and only about 10 percent of learning from training and development experiences is actually applied in the workplace. This book advocates facilitation as a means of enhancing change and increasing productivity. Facilitation engages employees by enhancing the processes associated with their…