Methods of the Unesco Man and the Biosphere (MAB) program inhibit the integration of natural and social sciences. The systems analysis and modeling used by MAB employ little of social science theory. The program must be committed to disciplinary integration and involve local people in projects. (KC)

Encourages use of an integrated multidisciplinary approach by environmentalists for program design and problem solving. Suggests that economic and political influences on present day environmental issues be emphasized. Recommends that a collective approach involving teams of specialists or forums be used to solve environmental problems. (ML)

Questions the effectiveness of specialized research because of the fragmentation of knowledge. Argues that inter-disciplinary and inter-institutional research are needed to restore a sense of wholeness to the process of inquiry. Discusses the importance and the advantages of inter-disciplinary research and describes such a program. (GEA)

An international mass communication minor, with its salient, unique communication features and its interdisciplinary nature, can internationalize American higher education and raise students' cultural, political and economic awareness. The relationship existing between communication and the various disciplines is illustrated in the Arts-Sciences…

Describes the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) project in a mountain region in Switzerland, which is trying to halt depopulation and preserve the environment. Fourteen research units analyze relationships within and among the ecosystem, the economy, and the socio-cultural system. (KC)

Examines the needs and objectives behind the expression "languages for special purposes," considering the problems faced by a language center that attempts to provide strictly specialized programs of instruction. Describes a method for the analysis of student needs as applied to the Department of Agriculture at the University of Newcastle. Societe…

Principles for the administration and governance of interdisciplinary programs are drawn from several decades of experience in general education and in interdisciplinary centers, colleges, and schools. The principles are discussed in terms of the institutional context and include suggestions for garnering budgetary support, addressing faculty…

Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine conducts an off-campus retreat for medical residents, in which the instructional focus is on the humanities and particularly difficult medical and ethical issues. Students have found the format beneficial both personally and professionally, valuing involvement of senior faculty, the programs'…

This position statement was developed by members of the National Council of State Supervisors of Foreign Languages to assist school districts as they develop middle school foreign language programs. (JL)

Over 75 years ago, a British report on education commented on the confusion of aims in English language teaching, citing the quality of teaching, unsuitable textbooks, and lack of a coherent sense of purpose. Experience has shown that undergraduate linguistics has not come far since then. In the experimental, interdisciplinary program at the State…

The Penn State Seminar grew out of the need for quality research in art education. Art was viewed in a broad, interdisciplinary context. The Getty Institute sought to establish visual art, defined as including art history, art criticism, studio production, and aesthetic perception, as a discipline-based subject in elementary schools. (Author/RM)

The complex special needs of families with chronically ill children will be best met through the development of regionalized systems of care. A national program is proposed in the context of a generic definition of chronic childhood illness, emphasizing coordinated regional efforts which provide services as close to a child's home as possible. The…

These proceedings contain presentations made at the National Faculty Plenary Conference, whose theme, Nurturing Vocational Education's Leadership and Intellectual Capital, involved these topics: planning, evaluation, recruitment, and policy implications as they relate to the development and implementation of an Advanced Study Center. Introductory…

The four conference papers presented here examine specific strategies and programs by which colleges and universities can design and adapt programs for adult students. In "Strategies of Adaptation" Rosalind K. Loring notes six major types of adaptation to which traditional, four-year schools have resorted (flexible schedules, simulated…

An interdisciplinary, team approach involving a variety of support services and a joint effort on the part of faculty, admissions personnel, peers, and tutors can be an effective tool for use in reducing the anxiety of adults who are returning to education. Whether they are organized to publicize departmental offerings or to explain the function…