Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are courses offered for free for any students with an internet connection. Many institutions now offer free MOOCs, including prestigious state universities and private schools. MOOCs are differentiated from ordinary online classes in several ways. Some MOOCs may have as many 50,000 students enrolled in a course…

A key concept in contemporary Catholic educational discourse makes a distinction between religious education and catechesis. This distinction is based on the assumptions of faith commitment on the part of catechesis and the focus on cognitive outcomes on the part of religious education. Many official documents on Canadian Catholic school…

A professor of sociology and anthropology chronicles the development of a course in environmental problems, beginning with inquiry into the issues and culminating in design of a course focused on research and discussion rather than lectures. Students responded positively to the exploration of multiple perspectives, particularly those at the…

Advocates that technical writing teachers should teach computer (or other) hardware, in spite of its difficulty and perceptions that it is not needed. Shows why hardware should be taught, gives the specifications necessary to contract the teaching of such a course, and includes a reading list. (SR)

Outlines theoretical and practical dimensions of the use of bibliometrics (i.e., the scientific study of recorded discourse) to enhance library school curricula. A proposal for a course at the master's level and future prospects for teaching bibliometrics are included. Twenty-six references and a course syllabus are appended. (EJS)

Proposes a course in business communication that includes international or global perspectives in its philosophy, content, and assignments. Includes a syllabus, a scheme describing how the course is taught, a communication audit plan, a capstone project, and a sample reading list. (SR)

Proposes a three-course sequence of research courses for master's degree programs in journalism, to better prepare journalism graduate students to understand quantitative research. (SR)

Shares an alternative (and tested) approach to teaching the small group communication course, which includes discussions of race, gender, and class as important communication variables within various social and interpersonal communication. (SR)

Probes the tension between reasons to recognize differences among women and potential dangers inherent in emphasizing women's diversity, focusing on women and their communication. Suggests embracing this tension. Offers concrete instructional principles and practices (for communication courses) to cultivate respect for diversity and appreciation…

Describes a course dealing with issues of institutional policy analysis which is the study of government reform and its consequences. Explains that the course is organized around three sets of choices: value choices, methodological choices, and institutional choices in which students question their own decision-making processes. (BSR)

Maintains that perspectives of cultural diversity and gender are appropriate for courses in mass communication and society. Describes the academic techniques (a focus on culture and media studies) and the instructional techniques of such a course developed at Stanford University. Notes the need to deal with zero-sum perceptions of such endeavors…

Advocates the interpretive communities approach to teaching political communication. Discusses philosophical issues in the teaching of political communication courses, and pedagogical techniques (including concepts versus cases, clustering examples, C-SPAN video examples, and simulations and games). (SR)

Describes a technical publications course in which students learning how to use desktop programs also gain an understanding of the principles of design and layout by using mechanical paste-up techniques. (NH)

Advocates creating a business-communication course that combines writing instruction with computer instruction. Discusses contemporary students (their abilities, attitudes, and approaches to learning), pedagogy, course content, and institutional support systems. (SR)

A proposal is presented for a Music Ensemble course to be offered at the Community College of Philadelphia for music students who have had previous vocal or instrumental training. A standardized course proposal cover form is followed by a statement of purpose for the course, a list of major course goals, a course outline, and a bibliography. Next,…