This paper proposes a training model for raters, with the goal to improve the intra- and inter-consistency of evaluation quality for higher education curricula. The model, termed the learning, behaviour and reaction (LBR) circular training model, is an interdisciplinary application from the business and organisational training domain. The…

Traditional curricular approaches within engineering education tend to be fragmented, with opportunities for content- and meta-level synthesis being mostly limited to freshman and senior year design courses. In this paper, we are proposing a curricular model, the Synthesis and Design Studio, to combat the tendency towards fragmented curricula. The…

The concept of new university reduces the depth of disciplinary understanding at the undergraduate level. Instead, interdisciplinary understanding has been put forward, where room is provided for the broader development of student. Receiving training from multiple perspectives will provide students with the skills necessary in an era of present…

The purpose of this paper is to share how physical education (PE) offers a unique place of interdisciplinary connections, contributing to coherence in the general education (GE) experience, and to demonstrate the overall value of PE, serving as a rationale for its inclusion in a GE program. A definition of GE is provided, followed by an historical…

The discipline of education is a multi-faceted system that must constantly integrate new strategies and procedures to ensure successful learning experiences. Enhancements in education provide learners with greater opportunities for growth and advancement. "Open Learning and Formal Credentialing in Higher Education: Curriculum Models and…

It has become increasingly apparent that no single method for teaching anatomy is able to provide supremacy over another. In an effort to consolidate and enhance learning, a modernized anatomy curriculum was devised by attempting to take advantage of and maximize the benefits from different teaching methods. Both the more traditional approaches to…

Are the humanities relevant enough to the average undergraduate to be included as a required part of a general education program? The University of Idaho (UI) is currently ten years into the challenge of implementing a cross-disciplinary, university-wide general education program--the UI Core--that has the attention, if not always the support, of…

Baxter Magolda's Learning Partnerships model was used to create a program designed to foster student epistemological development. To assess its effectiveness, the Measure of Epistemological Reflection was administered to the experimental cohort and a comparable group in the traditional general education program. Results indicate that the model…

Traces the roots of contemporary collegiate education in the United States, discusses current emphasis on integration, and suggests a new construct for systemic change in baccalaureate engineering education in terms of a taxonomy of intellectual components connected holistically with a core focus on developing human potential. (Author/MKR)

Non-traditional courses recommended for the general education package at Los Medanos College are described. It is suggested that the core curriculum be six intra-disciplinary packages covering Behavioral Sciences, Social Sciences, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Language Arts, and Humanistic Studies. Each semester, students would be…

The general education curriculum should include academic experiences based upon selected theories of intellectual development. The works of Dewey, Piaget, and Perry provide the theoretical framework for an interdisciplinary model that takes cognitive development as the primary goal and disciplinary exposure as a by-product. (Author/MLW)

The learning community curricular model links coursework to promote coherence and intellectual interaction for a group of students. The four basic models are linked courses; course clusters; freshman interest groups; and coordinated studies. Learning communities can be effective, and offer a feasible solution for different issues and diverse…

Examines contemporary models of undergraduate education, including their historical development and the reforms of the 1960's, asking whether the many social, political, and intellectual directions demand corresponding curricular responses or a new synthesis. Concludes that social complexity calls for emphasis on the aesthetic and intuitive as…

The many forms of interdisciplinarity in higher education institutions and the various ways it has been used to advance curricular changes are examined. Definitions of interdisciplinarity and its variants (multi-, pluri-, and transdisciplinarity) provide a conceptual framework for the examination. In this study, interdisciplinarity is understood…

An outline is proposed for a tertiary course in rural studies for professionals such as teachers, nurses, and social workers that would better prepare them for rural service. The course could be an elective in general studies or give credit toward professional certification. Key components for effective rural preparation of professionals should be…