Examined results of pretests and posttests given to undergraduates enrolled in a music appreciation course to analyze the changes in their musical attitudes, opinions, and knowledge. Found that students exhibited a significant gain in knowledge about musical works; however, there was no significant difference in their opinions of these same works.…

This article presents an interview with the director of the Alternative Learners Project of College Misericordia (Pennsylvania), an academic support program for students with learning disabilities. The interview focuses on recruitment and selection of students, admissions standards, the precollege summer program, accommodations used, program…

Assessment of career interests in 80 undergraduate students enrolled in a course and practicum on the psychology of mental retardation found no significant changes in career interest from pretest to posttest. Students with prior exposure to individuals with mental retardation (especially as volunteers) reported high levels of career interest.…

The oppressive mechanisms of racism suppress the development of children of color. Teachers must critically analyze school structures; conventional notions of ideology and identity; and cultural artifacts such as ideas, ideals, language, and routines to reveal how they reproduce the racism of the larger society. (SK)

Traditional models of student development have been criticized for discriminating against developmental characteristics of women. Developed Ways-of-Knowing Instrument (WOKI) to measure concepts from Belenky et al.'s model of intellectual development. Administered WOKI to 348 female undergraduates. Found encouraging empirical support for Belenky et…

Evaluates several theories and models for their ability to incorporate developmental issues of African-American male students. Details Africentric approaches that provide useful models for the development of programs for African-American men on campus. Presents suggestions for interventions and activities to enhance matriculation, academic…

When academic advisers are trained in the principles and practices of team-centered developmental advising, as at Valencia Community College (Florida), and interventions create the expectation for student success, advisers are better equipped to teach students to approach their education in purposeful ways. Technology that delivers accurate,…

Discusses the benefits for students and communities of service-learning experiences. Briefly describes student efforts to formulate and solve community problems as part of the Expeditionary Learning project (Massachusetts), which calls on adults and students to embark on experiential learning "expeditions" to renew themselves as…

Changes in preservice teachers' level of reflective thinking over a three-quarter period were explored by analyzing their journal entries on readings and field experiences. Even without specific reflection training, levels of reflection increased significantly due to simply asking preservice teachers to reflect. However, only one participant…

Argues for adopting the concept of colleges and universities as "total institutions," noting the importance of such characteristics as isolation, activities, location, unity of focused goals, and opportunities for student development. Implications of these considerations and characteristics for student recruitment, admissions, student orientation,…

Explores what creative drama is, why it should be included in the teaching of both expository and creative writing, and how language arts teachers can implement creative drama activities to increase student success in writing and to improve learning. Describes how using creative drama to enhance creative writing restores authority to students for…

Describes a five-week group counseling program designed to help students adopt behaviors that can lead to greater academic success. Phases of the program are (1) institution and professor bashing; (2) member confrontation and accepting responsibility; (3) implementation of success strategies; (4) future pacing. Discusses results and implications.…

In experiential education, the ABCs of participant experience are agency (allowing students to become more powerful change agents in their lives); belonging (sharing a sense of community); and competence (developing students' cognitive, physical, and social competence). A research review discusses these and other components in a conceptual…

Primary and secondary schooling experiences of 21 adults (seven each from Denmark, Germany, and United Kingdom) showed positive views of primary and postcompulsory education but reservations about their progress in early secondary schooling. Results were attributed less to adolescent development factors than to management of the transition from…

The transformation of education for nation building, currently underway in South Africa, represents a political program driven by utility. Education should be concerned primarily with the self-empowerment of an individual person and, as such, not be sacrificed to demands of utility, which serves the narrow interests of the state and the economy.…