Student impressions formed during the first day of class can impact course satisfaction and performance. Despite its potential importance, little is known about how instructors format the first day of class. Here, we report on observations of the first day of class in 23 introductory science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses. We…

The complexity of a course's structure may influence how well students understand what is expected of them. Using the foundation of the industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology literature, the authors modified a measure of "Perceived System Knowledge" (Williams & Levy, 1992) for employee performance appraisal to be appropriate for…

The area of digital marketing is a difficult one for course development. Not only is it a relatively new topic area--having become popular after many marketing faculty completed their academic training--it is a constantly changing one wherein "innovative" tools are continuously being replaced within the industry. After uncovering what…

The author presents keys to designing a class that successfully melds service learning and student leadership development. These prescriptions are based on the lessons learned over 8 years of teaching a class titled "Community Leadership." This class emphasizes experiential learning and revolves around service learning projects. The…

In this paper we identify some of the issues and problems that we confronted while developing a new, one-semester, interdepartmental, multidisciplinary capstone design course. We implemented the following changes to the pre-existing capstone design course: (1) Utilized a website to enhance information transfer, (2) Modularized the course and…

In this article, the authors introduce 3 different course formats for teaching management consulting at the university. On the basis of data from self-evaluation questionnaires from 159 students, the authors analyze effectiveness of these course designs in raising the self-confidence of participants to cope with the kind of tasks typically faced…

A course was designed to teach the use of learning principles in the development of teaching materials reflecting the best in the present state of the "theory of instruction." Based on Keller's Personalized Instruction System, the course aimed to establish in students a working knowledge of behavioral principles, the ability to…

The problem of evaluating instructional materials in foreign language courses in terms of educational relevance is examined in this survey of a third-semester, college, Spanish class. Students were given reading materials in the social sciences in lieu of the more traditional literary selections and asked to evaluate them through an attitudinal…

A large introductory anthropology course at Utah State University was organized to promote collaboration among and between students and faculty. Students were divided into and worked in "clans" for the entire term. A study of the course suggests that learning and a sense of community resulted directly from this organization. (MSE)

Describes a team-taught college course designed to develop philosophical literacy among students as groundwork for future humanities courses. Unifying motif was "dialog" between faculty from different areas of expertise; the concept of philosophy as dialog; and the student-teacher relationship as dialog. Discusses course design, lessons learned,…

A course in Human Resource consulting ("Human Resources Field Research") was designed and implemented at a university in cooperation with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Students work with local business executives, SHRM representatives, and the class instructor to complete projects for the client business firms. Trial…

This guide provides adjunct faculty with a conceptual foundation for college teaching and a collection of teaching and classroom management ideas to help meet the needs of their students. Chapters 1 and 2 provide the aspiring adjunct faculty member with an understanding of the culture of contemporary higher education and suggestions for obtaining…

This Northern Illinois University College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET) initiative represents the authors' first attempt to prepare engineering and technology professors for teaching to improve student learning and the Scholarship of Teaching. This college portfolio is nontraditional in that it combines a learning paper approach…

Patterns that emerged from reviewing syllabi for courses on the American college student are discussed, and two sample syllabi are presented. These courses are offered as part of graduate level studies in the field of higher education administration. Five major objectives of courses on the college student are identified. In general, the objective…

This article documents the conception and development of a tool for providing academic and counseling support to meet the needs of minority adult students in an urban community college environment. Specifically, the tool is a course having as its base the proper assessment of student needs and the revision of the syllabus to fit those needs.…