To meet the need for reform in mathematics teacher preparation courses, two cycles of changes made in an elementary mathematics methods course are presented. Using action research, teaching approaches were developed, implemented, and evaluated as a meaningful way to continue my professional development. Results suggested that I improved my…

This research investigated the relation of course, instructor, and student characteristics to student ratings of teaching effectiveness, both overall and within the dimensions of pedagogical skill, rapport with students, difficulty appropriateness, and course value/learning. Interest in the course content, expected grades, satisfaction with the…

To meet the demand for workers with high-tech skills and an understanding of international business, America's schools have initiated school-to-work and international education programs. This study described the internationalization process of two banking and finance school-to-work programs, a German youth apprenticeship and an American career…

In this study, the authors surveyed 445 human resources (HR) professionals to determine their views regarding the HR curriculum content that will lead to graduates' success in entry-level (first-job) HR positions. Ninety-eight questionnaires (22%) were returned. Respondents identified five topics--equal employment opportunity/affirmative action…

Cultures throughout time have marked the passage of young people into adulthood with carefully designed tasks and rituals. The purpose of these activities is to prepare youth to mindfully consider their individual and communal life intention. The relative lack of modern rites of passage for adolescents is seen as having significant implications…

In its position statement, the International Reading Association states that technology needs to be an integral part of literacy instruction. This article describes two ways of integrating technology into an EAP curriculum that focuses on building students' reading and writing skills. In essence, the goal of the article is to demonstrate that…

Current pressure on education programs is leading to increased evaluation of course requirements. Alignment with national and state standards and demands for greater accountability are being reflected in teacher certification requirements and graduation proficiencies. There is a great deal of literature that identifies the need and value of…

Recognition of the increasing demand for gerontologically trained social work professionals prompted an investigation of the factors that attract undergraduate students to a career of working with older adults. Faculty (n = 10) and students (n = 10) from the disciplines of social work, nursing, consumer and family sciences, psychology, recreation,…

Biology education research has now reached a level of maturity where the expectation is that researchers will assess the effectiveness of their innovation on student learning. This may include an examination of affective outcomes, such as student attitudes and beliefs, as well as student understanding of discipline-based content. A variety of…

This integrative review of literature on online educational best practices is intended to provide a quick reference for those interested in designing online business courses and programs. Primarily American in its perspective, this review may be helpful for business schools seeking optimal online course designs that foster quality learning…

When faculty members think about curriculum, they think about course content. Debates about general education reflect this focus. Drawing on a case study, this article considers, rather, the politics and process of curricular change. It argues that success in this realm depends on the skill of academic administrators. (Contains 2 figures.)

Alarming studies indicating a lack of mathematical knowledge among elementary educators has led to increases in the number of mathematics courses required in teacher preparation programs. This study examines the impact newly required mathematics courses had on teacher candidates' beliefs regarding mathematics content and pedagogy in a large,…

We have previously reported in this journal that spatial ability influences academic performance in engineering. We have also reported that spatial ability is trainable, and can be increased through instruction focused on using perception and mental imagery in three-dimensional representation. In this article, we present the results of a…

The emergence and rapid growth of computer network technologies are changing the way people live and learn. Computer networks provide new alternatives for the design, development, storage and distribution of, as well as access to, learning materials. Therefore, they present new and formidable challenges for curriculum designers and teachers. In…

In 2003/4 NFER undertook a study of the content of the art curriculum in secondary schools in England on behalf of the Arts Council England (ACE) and Tate Galleries [1]. In 18 schools, eight of which were identified as engaged with contemporary art practice (referred to throughout the article as the CAP schools), 54 art teachers were asked to…