Over the past several decades, strategic planning has become ubiquitous in higher education. Yet, there are varying perceptions of its overall value. Perceptions of value are critically important as they can influence the effectiveness and breadth of participation in the strategic planning process, and such participation is widely held to be…

?n a policy context in which the harmonisation of HE curricula towards connection with the labour market is pursued, the article seeks to elucidate under-theorised and over-aggregated accounts of the role of the field of study in graduate employability and to investigate it from a new analytical angle to explain variations between fields. Using…

The research assessment framework is an unstable reality in many countries. While few would disagree that there is a need to measure and reward research excellence, there has been little investigation of how assessment mechanisms relate to knowledge itself. With a focus on the arts and humanities and writing from an Australian perspective, this…

Despite the amount of work done in evaluation in the humanities, there has not been enough clarification of the kind of knowledge or experience that the humanities can yield. More of this clarification must be done before developing even more new evaluation techniques. (MSE)

Describes a study examining the relationship between students' grades in business courses to their scores on a general test of cultural literacy. Reports no correlation between academic performance in business courses and cultural literacy. Suggests that, rather than adding liberal arts courses to business curricula, existing courses should…

Policy conceptualizations of the global knowledge economy have led to the channelling of much Higher Education and Research and Development funding into the priority areas of science and technology. Among other things, this diversion of funding calls into question the future of traditional humanities and creative arts faculties. How these…

Reports on the development and use at Western Illinois University of a survey to examine students' (n=787) knowledge of and attitudes toward the humanities. Students generally did not understand the reasoning behind the humanities requirement, could not explain differences between the humanities and social studies, and saw little relevance of the…

Discusses the tendency of universities to focus on the disciplinarity of the humanities as opposed to promoting interdisciplinary connections within the field. Argues for interdisciplinarity instead in order to reinvigorate university humanities programs and provide students with the knowledge they need. Warns against improperly practicing an…

The educational literature provides extensive evidence of concern with the issue of an integration of humanities and social sciences within higher education to meet the requirements of modern technology and society. This concern is also reflected in the numerous structural and functional changes in higher education, particularly in technical…

The autumn conference of the Vermont Council on the Humanities focused on discussions about Allan Bloom's book, "The Closing of the American Mind," and his call for Americans to return to fundamental questions of the nature of man and society. The Council also runs book discussion groups in local libraries. (MLW)

A 1986 national assessment of 7,812 high school juniors found them deeply ignorant of literature and history, with a lack of basic information as severe as their weakness in mathematics and science. The report by Diane Ravitch and Chester E. Finn finds that students score poorly because educators emphasize basic skills over content. (MSE)

Developmental education can help college-level curriculum planners identify competency objectives in social sciences, humanities, and the natural sciences. Developmental education is interpreted as learning that helps an individual develop the abilities necessary for pursuing personal and social goals. Abilities, differing at each stage of human…

Perspectives concerning "research about research" are summarized, based on symposia sponsored by the University of Goteborg in Sweden. It is noted that studies of science, technology, and society (STS) are prevalent in several countries during the 1970s. Based on visits to STS programs in the United States, it is suggested that there are…

Memory is the primary mechanism of modern education. Despite memory's importance in other ways, it is not the primary tool for solving problems, making theories or plotting courses of action. Students should be taught how to separate trivial from important information by using critical judgments, ethical standards, and logic. (MLW)

Addresses some of the results from the Funding For Results (FFR) program at Missouri Western State College that introduced specific Internet searches and communication of the results of that student research. Explains that the FFR's instructional interventions may be of interest to teachers of introductory courses especially in the humanities.…