A systematic approach to developing and evaluating a course in basic communication skills for beginning nursing students is described. The project results indicated that a sequential introduction to interpersonal relationships through selected audiovisual materials can enhance the student's ability to respond to a variety of clients in an…

Discusses the importance of using good instructional design principles when using new technologies for education. Highlights include identifying instructional objectives; understanding the target audience, and augmenting a presentation with technology instead of letting technology dominate it; organizing the content; and preparing for…

Focuses on the qualitative methods used to examine a high school science teacher's instructional practice and his students' performance. Explains participation-observation, collection of field notes and documents, pre-post survey, interviews, and analysis of analytic memos; and discusses the teacher's goal of combining skills-based instruction…

Presents a literature review that focuses on undergraduate discussion. Describes a teaching method in which undergraduate sociology students are assigned to create an open-ended question and write a one- to three-page answer every one- to two-weeks. Addresses the positive and negative aspects of the method. (CMK)

Focuses on the use of hybrid instruction by using the best aspects of traditional teaching incorporated with online instruction. Discusses the basic guidelines for teaching hybrid courses, what works and does not work in a hybrid class, and the improvements for future hybrid classes. (CMK)

Describes how a college developmental reading program was changed from three to five semester hours of credit. Addresses changes in staffing, number of course offerings, scheduling, support services, curriculum, teaching methods, and motivational needs.(MG)

Presented is a strategy which uses creationism and other pseudosciences as examples of non-scientific approaches to critical thinking to teach students the nature of science and the scientific method. Examples of the illogic of non-scientific approaches are given along with an explanation of how they can be used in teaching critical thinking to…

Describes a technique involving a story-frame concept which may be helpful in improving comprehension of content-area materials. Lists procedures for using this technique. Provides an example of a story frame for studying about Gandhi. Suggests that the value lies in enabling students to see the connection between a story and the presentation of…

Explains methods for teaching geology in an enjoyable way through a multidisciplinary, multimodal approach which highlights applications and relevance in an integrated manner. States that it does not endanger formal course content. (RT)

This paper contrasts active and passive learning environments, and describes efforts to create an active, critical learning environment in both "Introduction to Sociology" and "The Family System" typical lower division courses in sociology. There is a review of grade distributions, quantitative course evaluations, qualitative course evaluations,…

Compares the U.S. and British methods of teaching economics to undergraduate students. Examines the course objectives, the syllabi, the hiring and training of staff, the teaching system, and assessment and monitoring systems. Concludes that the British curriculum focuses on a narrower range of subjects. (GG)

Issues related to training of personnel working with handicapped infants/toddlers and their families center on two major areas: content of training and process of training. Following an analysis of within-discipline and cross-discipline content and within-discipline and cross-discipline training processes, recommendations are offered concerning…

Analysis of ethics courses' syllabi from accredited marriage and family therapy training programs showed that accredited programs are making an effort to teach about ethical dilemmas, legalities, and professional issues. These topics varied in treatment across syllabi and may more accurately reflect the professor's worldviews than external…

Examines a content-based English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) research class focusing on Anne Frank because of the dramatic story of her life and the literary quality of her diary's contents. The students were required to write about the character of Anne Frank and to use the same sources for their research journals. The course was a vehicle for…

Presents to science teacher educators information from the second language acquisition literature that is useful in understanding the linguistic needs of second language learners in today's classrooms. Examples of how this material can be incorporated into science methods courses is included. (LZ)