The philosophy of the cluster system operating at Oakton Community College (OCC) is described in this paper along with changes that have occurred in the system over the past few years. Part I describes the social, political, and educational environment in which the philosophy of the cluster system was forged. Additionally, this section identifies…

Nine two-year colleges were visited during an administrative professional development leave from the Community College of Allegheny County. The visits were conducted during summer 1983 to observe and discuss: (1) college programs with business and industry; (2) student development programs; (3) academic and administrative uses of technology; and…

In 1982, Ursinus College instituted a new Freshman Advising Program (FAP), involving: a greatly expanded role for the advisor; postponement of the declaration of major; greater emphasis on student-centered developmental advising; a focus on the transition needs of freshmen; a focus on the problem of false starts and student encounters with…

Efforts in higher education to use students as teachers (peer teaching), thus providing them with the benefits traditionally enjoyed by professors are described. Four sections focus on the following: (1) peer teaching and the psychological basis for its benefits (cognitive level, affective level, and peer learning); (2) types of peer teaching used…

In order to more fully understand the student services function in the community college, this paper presents a historical overview of the community college movement and the emergence of the student services profession in the United States. A parallel is drawn between the community college mission and the student services profession. The paper…

A 1985 review of secondary education in Alberta culminated in a set of policies and directional statements designed to more effectively prepare students for the future. One challenge arising from these policy statements was the identification of essential concepts, skills, and attitudes that all students should acquire by the time they graduate…

Current methods and instruments for assessing college student academic outcomes are identified and described, and possible outcome measures of NCRIPTAL's (National Center for Research to Improve Postsecondary Teaching and Learning) are suggested. Section I defines college outcomes from several perspectives, including pressures for outcome…

Through the years, gifted adolescents have suffered from a lack of formal guidance from the school counselor. Probably the most common reason for the lack of quality counseling for the gifted student stems from the general yet erroneous belief that the gifted child can take care of himself/herself. Alvino (1981) noted that when counselors do work…

The responses of 38 preservice teachers enrolled in an education course entitled "Teaching in a Pluralist Society" were obtained through interviews, essays, and survey instruments. The students' responses were analyzed in relation to their knowledge of multicultual education, inter-ethnic experiences and behaviors, and attitudes and feelings about…

An innovative teaching method used in a theories of personality class at Eastern New Mexico University is described. The objectives of this method were to foster growth in creativity among students by involving them in creative activities or experiential sessions and to test for improvement in student creativity scores. The following procedure was…

This booklet is designed for elementary and middle school teachers to use in teaching students how to improve their test-taking skills. The authors draw the analogy between an athlete preparing for the big race and a young student getting ready for an important test. The central character is an underdeveloped test-taking tiger who, after going…

The application of structural-developmental theory to experiential education practice is discussed. The theory is based on the concept of stages, which are structurally whole, internally consistent systems of thought that organize the individual's understanding of, feelings toward, and actions on the world. Stage theory presents the image of an…

The current status of research on experiential learning (primarily at the postsecondary level) is discussed, based in part on responses from a seven-member panel. Methodological considerations and proposed research agendas are also covered. Current research on experiential learning, which focuses on program design and impacts on the learner, falls…

One goal of student affairs programming is the promotion of character development. Based on the assumption that empathy training will have a significant impact on character development, a study was designed which incorporated the listening skills (empathy) training of the Sierra Project (Whitely, 1982) with the Hersey/Blanchard model for…

Ways to promote academic advising are suggested at a conference for deans and directors. Objectives that an institution should address are as follows: (1) to provide advisers with accurate and timely information about the policies, procedures, and processes that affect the advising relationship; (2) to provide advisers with additional skills often…