The authors review 24 midwestern institutions that have an undergraduate capstone course. Specifically they focus on accounting capstone courses, discovering that these are used to promote personal and functional skill development in 8 areas: research, problem solving, critical thinking, reflection, synthesis, teamwork, communication, and…

A course for older learners in practical applications of basic interpersonal communication techniques is proposed in this paper. Following a review of the current status of lifelong learning programs, the discussion shifts to a two-part outline of a course designed to train older students in effectively solving both personal and social problems.…

A thinking-skills course at Montana State University is described, along with recent issues concerning the potential effectiveness of such courses. Advantages and disadvantages of different designs for studying the effects of thinking-skills training are also considered. The focus of the course is: hypothesis formation and evaluation, problem…

Describes the implementation of problem-based learning (PBL) pedagogy in an undergraduate classroom. Briefly describes PBL philosophy and protocols, and gives guidance in choosing and integrating a PBL problem into the curriculum. Contains 13 references. (WRM)

An interdisciplinary course in problem solving, entitled "patterns of problem solving," and its unique peer program offered at the University of California, Los Angeles, are described. The emphasis in the subject matter and approach is to expose the student to the wide range of alternative problem solving techniques and to enable the…