In a freshman engineering graphics course at Santa Clara University (California), mechanical engineering students learn to solve ill-structured design problems using graphic communication skills. Integration of a critical thinking component has guided the faculty's own iterative, interactive process of designing a more effective teaching method.…

Live television is the fastest-growing distance learning delivery mode. Instructors must understand how distance learning differs from both the traditional classroom and commercial television, how the basic technology operates, the role played by the teacher in delivering instruction, how to design courses according to system capabilities, and how…

Teaching by telephone is one of the original distance education media, and retains an important place among distance learning media. Key considerations in teaching by telephone include: knowing the medium's strengths and limitations; designing for the audio medium; using teaching and humanizing methods that foster cognitive and affective…

In contrast with most academic departments, interdisciplinary programs lack automatic identity, clear space, or curricular territory, and motivation is closely linked to program success. This includes motivation of students in class and outside of class, of contributing faculty, of administrators, and of societal peer groups, such as professional…

In instructional design for higher education, it is important to the success of all students to take into account the differences in individual learning styles. Research indicates that different student populations have characteristically different approaches to learning and that teachers can use patterns of effective practice to foster success…

The traditional college classroom has a distinct culture to which educators have been blind, assuming that the classroom is culturally neutral. It often constrains the success of students from other cultural backgrounds. The alternate cultures of white women and men and women of color have implications for improvement of instructional design.…

A study investigated whether Biglan clusters of academic disciplines (hard/soft, pure/applied, life/nonlife) could be used to explain disciplinary differences in college student ratings of instruction. It was found that Biglan clusters do not explain the differences, many disciplines still emphasize knowledge acquisition over higher-order skills,…

Discussion of the problem-based learning approach in higher education looks at its origins in medical curricula, characteristics of the original method, the variety of educational objectives possible with this approach, problem-based curriculum development, advantages of the method, and its use outside the medical domain. (MSE)

Three principles based on research in cognitive psychology explain the potential power of problem-based learning: (1) learning is a constructive, not a receptive process; (2) metacognition affects learning; and (3) social and contextual factors influence learning. These principles are more likely to be activated when specific teacher behaviors and…

A study of the role of subject matter in shaping high school teachers' beliefs, curricular concerns, and instructional practices complements studies of the disciplines in higher education. Factors discussed include the "hard/soft" distinction between disciplines, curriculum sequencing, range of classroom techniques, breadth of course content, and…

Describes an assessment strategy used by pharmacy faculty to grade student writing in a large-class, lecture-based course, outlining the steps the instructors took to recast an existing writing assignment so that it is carefully constructed and articulated, can be assessed quickly and consistently by multiple assessors (self, peer, instructor),…

Mastery and performance goals can dramatically influence college students' self-regulated learning. These independent but complementary types of goals are shaped in important ways by how faculty organize and structure their classrooms for learning, particularly through the tasks assigned, development of student authority, and the focus of student…

A sophomore- or junior-level education course on social diversity in education is described, and techniques used to teach it are discussed. Content includes five subject areas: gender and sexism, race and racism, religious culture and anti-Semitism, sexual orientation and heterosexism, and physical or mental ability and ableism. (MSE)

Argues that developing writing activities, consulting with students as they work on a major writing project, and responding are important vehicles for teaching that fosters engaged learning. Central principles are to make assignments inquiry- or issue-based, to keep them focused but open enough for students to develop their own angle or interest,…

In this volume, experienced distance educators provide insights into new trends in computer-based teaching and learning in postsecondary education. The book is divided into four parts: (1) Issues and Trends; (2) Instructional Design Principles for Distance Learning; (3) Alternative Delivery Systems for Distance Learning; and (4) Administrative…