States that educators find themselves facing reduced resources and a body of students whose diversity is unprecedented. Suggests that an effective approach to education lies in regarding the "content" of courses not as a body of information to be imparted by the knowledgeable to those seeking it, but as an active, experiential "learning process."…

Asserts that college developmental reading students often start out as passive learners. Describes a college reading lab where students practice active, self-directed, independent learning. States that when students are exposed to self-regulation and metacognition, they learn to manage their own learning activities and an attitude of success can…

Provides an overview of service learning: definitions, reasons for including service learning as an instructional strategy, ways to maintain academic vigor, grading principles, risks and rewards, and adaptability. Includes students' written comments, details on Northern Virginia Community College's widespread use of service learning in 18…

Asserts that technology can be one of the strongest teaching and learning tools available today if used well. Finds that, in particular, courses enriched through use of e-mail, electronic bulletin boards, "drill and practice" software, and the Internet can help to engage developmental students, motivating and enabling them to achieve greater…

Summarizes obstacles to effective teaching for community college faculty and presents strategies for overcoming them. Obstacles include faculty isolation, growing reliance on part-timers, pressure to produce research, underprepared students, and inadequate resources for development. Faculty have responded by developing learning communities,…

Discusses the collaboration of the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) with faculty from eight community colleges to develop an innovative curriculum for use in a one-semester general education course in biology that would reflect the recommendations of the current reform movement in science education. Discusses important issues in helping…

This guide offers suggestions for implementing active learning techniques in the community college classroom. The author argues that, although much of the literature on active learning emphasizes collaboration and small-group learning, active learning does not always involve interaction. It must also involve reflection and self-monitoring of both…

Highlights the rationale for and outcomes of integrating service learning into two public speaking courses. States that service learning enlarged the classrooms and created a wealth of communication examples and opportunities. Judges the success of this pilot experience on five criteria: community voice, orientation and training, meaningful…

Discusses the increasing adoption of the learning community ideal among community colleges, describing the leaders and organizations who have contributed to this movement. Reviews five indicators of a learning community: effective learning, professional development plans for every employee, constant reevaluation of missions and values,…

Discusses how the John Paul II Cultural Center is an example of how Catholic educators have begun taking advantage of new teaching resources to help students understand their personal faith. Center contains hands-on and interactive journey to learning about Catholicism and the faiths of other people. (MZ)

This paper clarifies the differences between collaborative and cooperative learning by presenting the author's definitions of the two terms, reviewing those of other authors who have helped clarify his thinking, and presenting and analyzing the educational benefits of collaborative/cooperative learning techniques. It states that collaborative…

By helping students acquire deliberative skills, community colleges can help develop citizen leaders who can engage in public discussion about values that are commonly shared but differently applied. Moreover, deliberative skills, consisting of active listening, creative conflict, public dialogue, and public judgment, can provide a fresh approach…

Teaching and learning in the traditional classroom continues to evolve in the presence of technological innovation. This paper highlights basic strategies in which the traditional classroom can be modified to involve students more actively in the teaching and learning process. One of the strategies outlined in this paper includes the incorporation…

Addresses the issue of student engagement in education. Suggests that reasons behind high dropout rates for first-year students may include the college's adherence to the traditional learning paradigm that characterizes the student as a passive learner. Urges institutions to move toward learning through engagement. (NB)

Discusses a Web-based composition class that requires students to participate in and write about service learning. Suggests that service learning and distance education complement one another--the student-community interaction balances the solitude of distance learning. Stresses that service learning offers a humanizing antidote to Web-based…