Family communication, as an upper-level communication course, attracts communication majors and students studying in other disciplines. As such, instructors employ pedagogies that appeal to both majors and non-majors. This essay reflects on how I used project-based learning (PBL) in a family communication course filled with mostly non-majors. The…

This paper describes a multidisciplinary teaching program, designed to provide students with the broad knowledge and skills required to practice product development in robotics and mechatronics. The curriculum was designed to prepare students for the senior capstone design project, in which they design and build a working mechatronic/robotic…

This article presents two approaches to using original sources in a capstone writing project for a History of Mathematics course. One approach involves searching local libraries and is best suited to schools in metropolitan areas. A second approach involves online resources available anywhere. Both projects were used in a course intended for…

This paper outlines an attempt to loosen the existing role and structure of the traditional "thesis" as the key undergraduate learning instrument within universities in Thailand. It does so by describing an exemplary project -- Polly's project - that uses technology to facilitate an exit from the "regulatory space" in which…

This article presents a new model of education that works with employers to help their employees gain the skills and credentials needed for promotions and career mobility. Southern New Hampshire University's College for America, a competency-based education model for working adults, increases their access to, and the convenience of higher…

This paper presents a model project for introductory undergraduate courses that develops students as citizens contributing scholarship to public discussions of environmental issues. In this field-based project, students actively and independently engage with an environmental issue and present their project experience to a relevant public forum. In…

Modern engineering curricula have started to emphasize design, mostly in the form of design-build experiences. Apart from instilling important problem-solving skills, such pedagogical frameworks address the critical social skill aspects of engineering education due to their team-based, project-based nature. However, it is required of the…

Web-based instruction is not a new phenomenon. There are 15-20 years of research and literature to support the effectiveness of web-based instruction. The purpose of this article is to synthesize the research in this field in order to determine which factors are critical to the success of web-based instruction. We created a toolkit to assist…

High school teacher Jeff House and his students revamp their study of "The Grapes of Wrath" by creating a class website. Students practice traditional skills such as researching, organizing material, and providing focused ideas while pursuing areas of interest such as music, film, and journalism. The project enhances their understanding of…

Introduces an interscholastic social studies competition designed for high school students by teachers at Sydney High School (Ohio). Briefly describes the game and the success that it found with regional high schools. Offers information for those interested in adopting the competition for their own local schools. (DSK)

Reports the development, delivery, and assessment of a project-based spiral curriculum for the first sequence chemical engineering courses. Technical proficiency of students under the spiral curriculum was equal to or better than that of students under a traditional curriculum. Attitudes toward chemical engineering and teamwork were better, and…

Faced with uncertain budgets and increasing pressure from high-stakes testing, among other challenges, educators easily can fall into the trap of equating teaching with the presentation of information and then blaming students when outcomes are inadequate. To move beyond this simplistic approach, educators must continue developing as teachers who…

Describes the development and implementation of a new interdisciplinary field of study at Indiana University called Masters in Immersive Mediated Environments (MIME). Graduates will be both critical thinkers of and producers of professional-quality original media design. Discusses student skills, course requirements and content, student group…

Provides practical ideas for "raising the bar" on student, technology-rich projects as teachers and learners work together to transform the learning environment. Explores levels of complexity in student products and determines what is realistic in terms of matching standards and activities with time and resources. (Author/AEF)

The World Wide Web has been regarded as the most important information technology revolution of the 1990s. It not only has drastically changed the nature of information technology in business and education, but has also imposed a great challenge to developers of information systems (IS) curricula worldwide. To provide IS students with an education…