A series of laboratory classes in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at Nottingham University are examined including the place of the laboratories within the medical school, the influences promoting changes during the eight years since their inception, and the effects of assessment. Possible criteria for evaluation are described. (JMF)

This paper describes the commonly found "knowledge delivery" education format and argues that work outside the academy and more in-depth academic training demand skills and competencies not developed by the "knowledge delivery" model. The knowledge curriculum education is characterized as lecture-type instruction, knowledge delivery and exposure,…

Discusses significant differences between face-to-face and distance education, considering the characteristics of students in each type of class. Examines the issues of the transfer of content, how content should be structured, what media are used, how the individual needs and motivation should be handled, and the role of evaluation. (GEA)

The Collaborative Probing Model (CPM) is a heuristic approach to writing across the disciplines that stresses discovery, process, and assessment. Faculty input will help the English department design an oral and written communication block that will be unified by a series of interdisciplinary videotaped presentations. CPM also uses flow charting…

The areas of educational programs, their design and operation, their intellectual base, and their philosophic presumptions are examined. Part One discusses the nature of academic programs in colleges and universities: influences, purposes, and priorities; and the concept of curriculum and its origins, definition, and design. It is proposed that…

An approach to program assessment taken by one bachelor's in social work (BSW) program involved evaluation of the collective work of randomly chosen seniors on three assignments. Results revealed strengths and weaknesses of the program and led to reexamination of assignments, statements of desired program outcomes, and curriculum changes.…

Discussion of equity in computer science education focuses on issues related to gender. Topics discussed include computers and society, including employment changes and the relationship of women to society; the relationship between mathematics anxiety and computer anxiety; instructional and curriculum design; evaluation equity; and computer…

Members of the Council of Universities and Colleges present recommendations and practical strategies in the area of curriculum development in this monograph. Louis Bender discusses strategies for curriculum revision. James Wattenbarger and Sandra Scaggs relate organization theory to the process of curriculum change. Raymond Schultz and Carl Webb…

Drawing upon relevant literature, this paper addresses various aspects of the administration, design, and evaluation of community service programs in community colleges. First, the paper considers administrative issues. It proposes an administrative structure for the Community Services Division, outlines the duties of the dean and director of…

Use of a critical approach in a curriculum design course for preservice teachers, by a five-phase process, would offer a beneficial shift away from the dominant "objectives first" models. This approach allows most teachers to reevaluate the processes and perspectives involved in educating children. (86 references) (CJH)

This book explains curriculum audits and how to conduct them. Chapter I, "Why Audit?" presents criteria for determining if an audit is warranted and describes three basic types: functional, operational, and programmatic. Chapter II shows how the three primary activities of document review, interviews, and site visitations yield answers to the…

Examines forces that shape the design of assessment systems for teachers and some inherent contradictions with regard to curriculum and assessment. Proposes a system of assessment that is continuous, dynamic, and principled and does not remove from teachers the responsibility of defining what is important to student learning. (SD)

Three papers address issues in course evaluation and assessment of student performance in language awareness programs. The first paper concentrates on the formative evaluation of a course, during its design phase or in progress. It focuses on self-evaluation and two features of course design considered essential to course integrity: explicitness…

Within the field of early childhood education, several issues are currently being debated and many new developments are emerging. One of these trends is toward the expansion and redefinition of early childhood education to include all educational experiences for children from birth to 8 years of age. Another trend is the increased interest in…