The authors present the outcomes of three parent training experiences carried out at the Research Institute "OASI MARIA SS" in Troina, Italy, which were designed to facilitate the acquisition of specific competencies and to promote educational effectiveness within the family. Some 30 families (all with a member with autistic disorder or…

High schools are under tremendous pressure to increase graduation rates and lower dropout numbers. A survey conducted for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation indicated that over a third of students entering high school never graduate on time. Students who drop out claim that the curriculum is disconnected from real life and that their schools…

This research evaluated learning outcomes of a leadership development program at a large, southern land grant institution. The program is an interdisciplinary, semester-long class where experience and theory are juxtaposed to offer leadership training and development. Through an intensive research project, the program exposes students to four…

In this article, the authors describe an interdisciplinary doctoral course via a seminar (one semester, one-and-a-half hours weekly), that students found to be a major awakening and an important part of their professional development. Addressed were separate disciplines, via an experimental "How to be a Professor" course, and…

In death-averse American society, the field of thanatology is often socially and academically isolating. The purpose of this article is to describe the experiences of a group of death scholars and share insights gained as members of an interdisciplinary team. They discuss the ways in which they have created a special "safe" space for death study…

The author mentions some of his recent works that he values and uses, without becoming a kind of academic costermonger cataloguing all the produce for sale in the shop. At the same time, he suggests some substantive things, while not falling prey to mere rant. In his books, the author discusses the characteristics of Native American Studies (NAS).…

Over the past year, Andrea Foster reviewed a wide array of current and international research into the multiple, powerful and lasting outcomes produced through utilizing outdoor and experiential education (OEE) as a key learning methodology. As co-authors, Foster and Linney produced an 80-page document that reports the findings according to the…

Introduction: A variety of studies has shown that the type of goal orientation determines students' cognitive and behavioral reactions as well as their educational performance (e.g. Ames 1992, Ames/Archer 1988, Valle et al. 2003). Contrary to many views, this study perceives goal orientation as a multidimensional construct with different…

This article examines a six-year process of reforming the core curriculum at a midsize public research university, showing how a seminar for first-year students, a lengthy campus-wide dialogue, and a multidisciplinary community of faculty produced a new core curriculum focused on inquiry, communication, and undergraduate research. (Contains 1…

We describe the development and evolution of an interdisciplinary introductory course in psychology and sociology. Such a course benefits students by encouraging a wider view of the social sciences and interdisciplinary critical thinking. The challenges of a combined course include reduced content for each discipline, the selection of appropriate…

Background/Context: In the last several decades, a college education, in particular the bachelor's degree, has become the key to higher earnings, and overall, to a middle-class lifestyle in the United States. In an increasingly globalized economy, privileging information and communication technologies, it is more than likely that this emphasis on…

Physical education departments are composed of diverse academic disciplines that may include physical education teacher education, exercise science, and athletic training programs. The complexity of each program and its individual demands often cause faculty and students to become disengaged from those outside of their own major and the happenings…

There is a cross-national trend towards unified curriculum and qualifications frameworks in upper secondary education, but such reforms face epistemological, political and institutional barriers and "unification" remains a contested issue in many countries, including England. This article examines the experience of the Scottish Higher…

In this article, the authors discuss the need for integrative, multidisciplinary courses in value creation. They describe the design and implementation of courses in 2 different schools at the master of business administration (MBA) and undergraduate levels. Both courses involved schematic models in the teaching methodologies, but each emphasized…

In this article, the authors present a study of experienced faculty's beliefs about the assessment of interdisciplinary student work. The study focuses on faculty's close analysis of student work produced in interdisciplinary courses, such as integrative final papers, written examinations, and capstone presentations. The authors begin by reviewing…