Can a class assignment covering the reading help students do better in an introductory chemistry class for nonmajors? Two sections of the same course have been compared where one section had a reading assignment that "forced" the students to interact with the text while the other class had the typical homework, quiz assignments, and…

The different aspects of architectural design and music that act in support of one another have governed the inspiration and utilization of music in design education. This paper describes a Basic Design Studio assignment that involves visualizing music by organizing linear and planar units using basic design principles, with the aim of…

It seems that instructors and professors--from community college to the Ivy League--are concerned by the lack of work completion in their courses, and therefore by student level of preparedness for class, or indeed, college. Work completion is typically a very large portion of course expectations-- often beginning on day one--and it is generally…

It is common for freshmen students to enter Calculus I with a wide range of levels of preparation and mastery of background material. In addition, many of the students struggle with the adjustment from high school to college. In an effort to help the students to solidify their understanding of concepts as they progress through the course, as well…

Success in college requires the development of self-regulated learning strategies that move beyond high school skills. First-year students of all ability levels benefit when given instruction in how to use these strategies in an authentic context. This paper presents an instructional method that requires deliberate practice of self-regulated…

We discuss an educational development approach to embedding academic literacies instruction within disciplinary curricula. This developmental, embedded approach contrasts with the generic, extra-curricular, study-skills approach adopted in many universities. Learning Commons partners at York University, including librarians, writing instructors,…

This module on guiding student study is one of a series of 127 performance-based teacher education learning packages focusing upon specific professional competencies of vocational teachers. Addressed in the three learning experiences included in the module are making student assignments (in-class study assignments, independent study projects, and…

Describes a research paper assignment that asks students to come up with a question (problem) in some academic field that can be answered (solved) from synthesizing all of the information currently available. Argues that such an assignment teaches the research paper within a rhetorical context. (HOD)

Study strategies used to assist mildly handicapped students become more actively engaged and successful in gaining and responding to information in content area classes are described. They include using advance organizers, summarizing/paraphrasing what is read, enhancing listening skills, and improving the organization, appearance, and accuracy of…

Suggests that content reading teachers set goals for their reading assignments as a method of helping students learn from textbooks and read the assigned material critically.

Students in a study skills class at City University of New York keep a journal as a regular record of the process of their learning to be college students: studying, attending classes and lectures, taking notes, navigating textbooks, and preparing for tests. They make four entries per week, one for each class, each focusing on detailed, concrete…

The development of a self-instruction package on making notes from reading which was designed for new students at Newcastle Polytechnic in the United Kingdom is described. Notemaking skills involve recognition of topics and topic sentences in a written text, picking out key content words in the text, recognition of key relationships and…

A basic concept in reading content in the social studies is for pupils to experience adequate background information. A pupil cannot read and understand new subject matter unless prerequisites have been met. For early primary grade pupils, the Big Book concept may be used, wherein the teacher discusses the illustration in the book pertaining to…

Recent surveys on writing in secondary school science classes indicate that a variety of modes of writing are incorporated for different purposes. The critical essay, the research report, and term paper assignments still demonstrate their usefulness as promoters of learning science. The study guide, another standard teaching tool, also continues…

Investigates the efficiency of a novel addition to the routine of note taking, writing brief summaries of the lecture material during four-minute breaks within the lecture. A group of students wrote three sets of summaries during a 21-minute lecture and showed significant improvement in understanding over other groups. (MJP)