We studied mentoring relationships between undergraduate and graduate students in a summer undergraduate research program, over three years. Using a grounded theory approach, we created a model of research mentoring that describes how the roles of the mentor and the student can change. Whereas previous models of research mentoring ignored student…

A college education is expected to improve students' critical thinking skills. Keeping students active in class--through writing activities and class discussion--has been shown to help students think critically. In this article, creative hands-on activities, which are common in engineering courses, are shown to improve students' critical thinking…

One concern about teaching online or in large, lecturestyle classes is the inability to see students' reactions to course material. These visual cues give instructors feedback on student comprehension, material clarity, and effective delivery modes. Instructors have to see the results of student assignments and exams or end-of-semester evaluations…

A long-term study of two faculty development programs on sustainability and the environment reveals enduring changes in teaching, research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and engaged action. Participants in cohorts of Tufts University's Environmental Literacy Institute (12-16 years ago) and Emory University's Piedmont Project (1-5 years ago)…

This article recommends the teaching journal as a method of instructional improvement. Drawing on teacher education literature, the article reviews the concept of reflective teaching and then describes uses of the teaching journal for college instructors in descriptive, comparative, and critical dimensions. Teaching journals can improve the…

This study investigated whether a reflective journal writing assignment would improve students' course performance. A total of 166 students from undergraduate sections of a course taught by the same instructor over three semesters completed the assignment as part of their requirements. Students (N = 317) from five previous semesters of the same…

Ample evidence supports the notion that keeping a course-related diary improves students' writing, knowledge of material, and awareness of psychological processes. Scant evidence supports the authenticity and completeness of diary entries. A questionnaire was developed to assess students' perceptions of self-censorship and pedagogical value of…

A Russian scholar anticipating language difficulties in teaching a seminar on the former Soviet Union in the United States used journal writing to improve communication. It was found that the journals helped monitor student attention and comprehension and was useful in adjusting teaching strategies to student styles and abilities. (MSE)

A college professor found, unexpectedly, that students appreciated the opportunity to write journals as a class assignment, that they expressed themselves in varied and sometimes poignant ways, and that journal writing added a new and different dimension to the teacher-student relationship. The teacher's response to student entries was also…

Of the many available options, instructors should choose "appropriate technology" that meets pedagogical goals with minimum disruption. Student journal assignments follow many teaching "best practices" but consume time and energy; we recommend e-mail as the most appropriate choice for journal assignments. E-mail encourages fast and personalized…

Describes use of developmental interactive bibliotherapy as a feminist methodology in an undergraduate course on women and education. Students responded to relevant selections read aloud in class, first by writing in personal journals and then by participating in small-group discussions. Analysis of questionnaire responses and journal entries…

Use of instructor-mediated student journals in college courses helps students overcome fear of writing, enhances critical thinking, and raises the level of student discourse within the discipline. The approach differs from conventional journals in that the teacher provides active guidance, in class, concerning writing process and technique. (MSE)

Describes the rationale for using reflection to link service experience to learning in college instruction, and offers guidelines for developing effective reflection activities: linking student experiences to learning objectives; giving guidance for the reflection activities; scheduling the activities regularly; allowing feedback and assessment;…

In one technical writing course, students write frequently in journals in a variety of exercises, including summarizing articles for other students, responding to topics introduced in class, writing drafts of papers, and clarifying teacher comments. The technique has proven effective in helping students organize thoughts and develop writing…

One college writing teacher's approach to teaching, characterized by reflection on the relationship between what she knows and what she does, is described. Techniques include structured assignments and specific suggestions for revision, cooperative learning, interest in individual students, and use of a personal journal for exploring problems and…