College graduates are expected to acquire certain skill sets that are necessary and sought after by potential employers, as many industries in the United States continue to grow a global footprint. Employers also value good communication skills, and communication classes are a staple of most general education curricula, including those taught on…

Describes a national study of extended orientation courses. Finds them equally common at two- and four-year colleges but different in administrative structures and content emphases. Two-year college courses have larger class sizes, shorter durations, and less varied content and are less likely to be required or to introduce an academic discipline.…

Collaborative learning refers to small-group instruction that incorporates five elements: clear, positive interdependence among students; group self-evaluation; interpersonal behaviors that promote each member's learning; individual accountability; and frequent use of small-group social skills. These elements have been implemented in colleges…