We describe a novel, university-level, introductory biology course that uses evolution as a narrative framework. Our course conveys the content in an introductory biology course by telling the story of the evolution of life on Earth. We begin with early Earth environments in which biological molecules and processes evolved and led to the first…

Objective: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) reduces anxiety among undergraduate students; however, there is limited evidence demonstrating mechanistic underpinnings. Theoretical models implicate cognitive self-regulation as a mechanism. This study explored whether an adapted MBSR embedded in a college course reduced anxiety and if…

This book investigates the content of the grammar syllabus typically employed in mainstream English Language Teaching. Using a mixed-methods approach, the author examines how the syllabuses used in coursebooks are actually constructed, how they evolved and how valid their contents are as a basis for teaching. The research reported consists of a…

Logistic regression (LoR) is a foundational supervised machine learning algorithm and yet, unlike linear regression, appears rarely taught early on, where analogy and proximity to linear regression would be an advantage. A random sample of 50 syllabi from undergraduate business statistics courses shows only two percent of the courses included LoR.…

In this article, the authors propose to enhance the syllabus for economic courses with economic explanations. They argue that providing economic rationale for course policies can increase student interest in the course and at the same time positively affect student attitude toward course policies. The authors describe practical strategies for…

We explore the use of text message reminders to improve student performance. The effectiveness of text messaging reminders is examined by comparing two large sections of a course where students focused on personal branding. One section received deadline reminders by email, while the other section received opt-in text reminders. The results of the…

This study examined the effectiveness of 3 online courses compared with the same 3 courses in a face-to-face (F2F) format, which had the same characteristics (e.g., the same instructor and final exam content and place). Effectiveness was examined by utilizing a wide range of variables, including 2 objective measures (N = 968): grades and…

Learning analytics is an emerging field in which educators and researchers are using data to improve their students' educational experiences. One of the most common courses offered by higher academic institutions in the US is data science. This paper examines the data science syllabi found in today's academic sector and compares the results to…

This mixed-methods study explored the effects of employing a genre-based approach (GBA) to descriptive report writing on the understanding of text structure and ideational, interpersonal and textual meanings among Japanese university students of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) over a 15-week course divided into three units. Applied within a…

Purpose: The Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for 2016 shows Pakistan as among the more corrupt nations in the world with a ranking of 117 among 176 countries surveyed. This situation raises concerns about members of the society and especially about the business communities. This paper aims to examine whether the tendency to corruption is also…

While sales force automation (SFA) and customer relationship management are important concepts in business-to-business selling, many instructors struggle to effectively integrate these topics into their curriculum. The research described in this article offers a role play and two coordinating sets of slides that aim to help students better…

Recommendations about syllabi design have emerged over the last two decades. From a Promising Syllabus, to a Graphic Syllabus, to a Student-Centered Syllabus, faculty are encouraged to purposefully set the tone with this document. Few studies examine students' impressions of these documents. In order to do this, we created four types of syllabi…

Success in undergraduate biology courses relies upon a firm grounding in chemical principles. We sought to raise students' awareness of the connection between these two disciplines and to improve their understanding of each by carrying out a pilot project that integrated the curricula of Principles of Chemistry II (CHEM1212K) and Principles of…

This experimental study investigates the effect on the examination performance of a cohort of first-year undergraduate learners undertaking a Unified Modelling Language (UML) course using an adaptive learning system against a control group of learners undertaking the same UML course through a traditional lecturing environment. The adaptive…

This paper reports on the evaluation of an ambitious attempt to embed academic literacy support within a core content course for first-year students at the University of the South Pacific. The course is offered in both blended and online modes, catering for on-campus and off-campus students, respectively, using Moodle as the virtual learning…