One higher education institution initiated a context based, situated learning environment to guide an introductory freshman engineering course that was designed to overcome many problems in traditional engineering education. Instructors used situated environment to facilitate: student acquisition of intellectual curiosity, appropriate framing and…

This study compared the effectiveness of Georgia community leadership programs based on leadership skill development to that of programs based on issue discussion and networking. The Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI-Self) was adapted for community leaders and mailed to a stratified sample of 376 alumni of community leadership programs based on…

The resource materials in this package are designed for use by English language and job training instructors attempting to make their instruction more urgently and comprehensively employment-focused. They are arranged in topical sections, each with an introduction and brief description of how they may be used. Sections address these topics:…

A study assessed whether training packages gave sufficient focus to attainment of generic skills and examined approaches that can be used to enhance the delivery of these skills so students are better prepared for the new demands of the workplace. A literature review and consultations with stakeholders provided information on development of the…

The progression of qualified surgical nurses toward capable proficiency was examined in an ethnographic study during which 25 nurses, including 4 who transferred to other wards, were observed to determine whether social mediation affects the process of proficiency development. The nurses were observed for 18 months. Data were also gathered through…

This Summary of Findings examines some of the special populations that community colleges serve (including single parents, first-generation students, and students aged 40 or older), and highlights a key area of training provided by community colleges, information technology. Faces of the Future is the first national survey to include both credit…

The arts deserve a place in education, provided they are properly taught. Humans need art to make their world sensible, find patterns in their experiences, and gain insights into the future. Art, like life, rewards those who grasp new patterns and act on their interpretation of reality. A good education imparts the ability to recognize patterns…

Suggests organizing one or more vocational home economics classes by the entrepreneur system to operate the class as a nonprofit business. Lists activities for planning and implementing the operation, benefits for the students, and ideas to develop skills in professional sewing, food service production, and occupational homemaking. (MF)

Discusses an intermediate-level learner's progress in listening comprehension during a pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes course in the United Kingdom. Highlights the difference in progress in one-way and two-way listening and the discrepancy between performance within the sheltered setting of the language classroom and success in real…

Describes how a sixth grade teacher of an ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) resource class used the GlobaLearn online program to promote cultural awareness and academic skills in social studies/geography. Discusses online communication with international host children, educational benefits, and other programs. (AEF)

Asserts that taking Introduction to College Writing, a fundamental writing course at Central Missouri State University, improves student academic achievement by developing their basic writing skills and preparing them for more advanced, general education writing courses. (VWC)

Predicts the changes and issues facing academic libraries. Discusses the movement toward a virtual library environment where the acquisition of digital technology and patron-initiated transactions over campus information networks will increase. Other issues include organizational experimentation, library funding, librarian employment, skills…

This study of 25 teachers in literature-based language arts programs in poor urban areas found that assessment issues produce considerable conflict for teachers as they attempt to understand and track children's literacy development and their own effectiveness in teaching children to read and write. Results suggest that assessment is not merely a…

A study, using a specific patient encounter as the focal point for each student's research, is described that documents the skills of entering freshmen medical students before and immediately after a short course emphasizing information retrieval and at follow-up one year later. (MLW)

This position statement explains the life skills instruction approach, considers why life skills instruction is important for students with disabilities, recommends that such instruction be given in the least restrictive environment (preferably the community), and delineates the responsibilities of general educators and special educators. (DB)