Academic advisers play an important role in making general education relevant and meaningful to student learning by helping to facilitate the three I's of general education: inter-disciplinarity, integration, and intentionality. This essay argues that the "advising as learning" model of academic advising embodies the kinds of advising…

This article considers the significance of Boyer's work on general education for Christian colleges and universities. After beginning with a synthesis and analysis of Boyer's vast body of work on general education, this article then identifies the challenges facing those concerned with renewing the general education program in Christian…

This article is an exploration of the emerging narratives on learning and teacher education in the United States and Hong Kong, as found in official policy statements and curriculum documents. Particular attention is given to Hong Kong's initiative in implementing an interdisciplinary liberal studies curriculum, and the continued professional…

The tradition of the university as a center for professional education needs to be effectively linked with a commitment to liberal learning. Examples to accomplish that linkage in law, medicine, and engineering illustrate a few of the advantages of the liberalizing of the professions. (JH)

General Education is viewed as education for life and improvement in one should stimulate improvement in the second. (JB)

The Core Program replaces a 54-credit, distributive approach to general education with a 45-credit, integrative and interdisciplinary set of semester programs very evenly spread out over the four years of college education. In place of a required number of courses from several separate departments, Core involves a 6-credit interdisciplinary course…

This article argues that liberal education instills a common understanding of past knowledge in students and warns against the pressures toward specialization. A core curriculum is recommended as a means of tying together various topics. (DB)

The comprehensive nature of the Total Institutional Project required a diversity of specialities and points of view. An advisory panel was encouraged to investigate any aspect of Austin College's program that it felt was relevant to the overall purposes of the project. The panel was able to gain a great deal of understanding concerning the…

Geographic education requires specific knowledge about the earth and the skills to recognize, describe, and explain the interaction of people with their environments. A recent Geographic Education National Implementation Project (GENIP) document presents a framework for developing a geography study course for grades 7-12. (MLH)

Argues that the goal of synthesis, as literally understood, is inadequate when used as a defining characteristic of interdisciplinary studies since epistemological differences among disciplines can be irreconcilable. Proposes alternative objectives for interdisciplinary studies, such as broadening students' perspectives and showing limitations of…

Discusses the relationship among biological organisms, social organization, and machines (BIOSOMA) and the need of redefining liberal education. Indicates that engineering curricula should contribute to the definition and prepare for a wider spectrum of careers than just engineering. (CC)

Describes the new general education program at James Madison University (Virginia) and the process by which it was developed. Indicates that the program is organized by five broad areas of knowledge that are defined by interdisciplinary clusters of learning objectives, which in turn were developed using input from every academic department on…

In analyzing the role of general education in community college vocational programs, one must begin by defining general education as part of the overall community college mission. Broadly defined, general education involves the study of the basic liberal arts and sciences; stresses a breadth of understanding of human knowledge; strives to foster…

Faculty have long fought over the merits of general, liberal arts courses and career training. Organization and planning for interdisciplinary studies could help reconcile the differences and benefit students. (Author/LBH)

Considered the need for and contributions of liberal education to the educational mainstream. (RK)