A well-designed college course syllabus can serve a variety of purposes: as an agreement between teacher and student; as a device for communicating intent, seriousness, and expectations; as an overall plan of action for the course; and as a cognitive map of the course to share with students. This article identifies the major components of a good…

A graduate course on curriculum and strategies for teaching gifted students was delivered by satellite to three university sites in West Virginia. Telecourse design and procedures, student enrollment, course evaluation, and suggestions for course planning and institutional cooperation are discussed. (Author/SV)

Describes a library research skills course taught at the University of California at Santa Barbara with team teaching. Revision of a previous course is explained; course design is described; class assignments are outlined; an evaluation of the first year is discussed; and the future of the course is considered. (LRW)

Describes a method of teaching fieldwork in cultural anthropology classes by having students do an ethnosemantic exercise on a card game of their choice. Through this experience, students learn how to do simple forms of fieldwork, the emic perspective, and componential analysis. (Author)

Describes a method of contrasting "scientific creationism" and evolution, or pseudo-science and science, that was utilized in a freshman seminar at Dickinson College. Discusses how the seminar format fostered analytical thinking, research, and writing skills. Presents responses given by creationist students after the course. (JS)

Responds to commentaries about the author's article "Teaching about Validity." Links these commentaries and the original article to suggestions for curriculum design in teaching about qualitative research methods. Discusses the idea of "meaning making" as a possible way to integrate the approaches described in the commentaries and original…

Outlines content of a law-school course in legal scholarship, describes course mechanics, and reports on its success. A section explains why law students should be given additional instruction in jurisprudence, legal history, and social science. Discusses legal education's content and quality, effects of student-run law reviews, and…

Describes the authors' experience team teaching a graduate school clinical research course for students concentrating in secondary teaching. Examines the team planning process, actual team teaching, and team grading and evaluation. Most students responded positively to the approach. Each instructor also wrote a reflective piece on the experience.…

Describes a method for organizing the subject matter associated with the history of economic thought. The conceptual matrix is an organizer and visual display that cross references normative and economic issues with their historical context. Maintains that the matrix promotes critical thinking and allows students to focus on the issues. (MJP)

Describes three workshops designed for an Elderhostel program whose audience is largely Americans of German descent and the grandparents of today's students. The workshop topics include an introduction to the German-American experience and German-American studies; German American customs, beliefs, and traditions; and German-American genealogy,…

This article describes the curriculum for a highly student-centered human biology course constructed around a series of themes that enables the integration of the same basic paradigms found in a traditional survey lecture course without sacrificing essential content. The theme-based model enhances student interest, ability to integrate knowledge,…

A process evaluation of a three-credit, upper division career course at a southeastern university is described. Student responses to a standardized course rating instrument were analyzed. Anonymous course evaluations of 293 students enrolled in 11 sections of the career course were compared to student ratings of one section of the course 5 years…

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of course design on both actual and self-reported student outcomes. The authors examined data gathered from three courses, each with a different design, during one semester at a major university in the Southwest. One passive design was used and was patterned after the traditional method of…

Purpose: The recent changes that have occurred in the Spanish university teaching environment, such as growing competition, have caused these courses to become an important differentiating element of what is offered by each university. Therefore, the authors propose to delve deeper into the relationship existing between satisfaction and the intent…

Today, the media, policy makers, educators, and parents are all talking about abstinence. Unfortunately, these groups often do not define the term or assume a singular, limited definition. However, each group and possibly each individual have a different definition of the word. In this environment of confusion and miscommunication, it is essential…