US students continue to lag behind the rest of the world in science, technology, engineering, and math--taken together, STEM. Even as the US falls further and further behind other countries in these four critical academic areas, not everyone sees it as a crisis. Fortunately, there are those who do. One organization out front on the issue is,…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of academics' job satisfaction to intrinsic and extrinsic factors such as gender, age, marital status, seniority, academic status, position, area of work (science and engineering, social science), and presence or absence of academic experience abroad. Participants included 203 academics…

The benefits of active learning in the traditional classroom setting are well established among engineering educators; however, this learning model can thrive in other settings, namely in a research group. This work presents findings from an educational research project specifically designed to foster active learning among undergraduates and…

Learner-centred approaches follow the prevailing tendency in modern University reforms which are primarily concerned about "how people learn". The methodologies can be learner-centred in the sense of placing the student as the main actor of the teaching-learning process by increasing his interactivity and participation, but also…

The written certification exam that accompanies the Gearing Up for Safety-Agricultural Production Safety Training for Youth curriculum was designed to partially meet the testing requirements of the Agricultural Hazardous Occupations Order (AgHOs) Certification Training Program. This curriculum and accompanying assessment tools are available for…

"Culturally appropriate pedagogy" has become an important practice since 1990 to address the increasingly diverse student population in every part of the world. For all the good intentions, however, there is an inherent danger in identifying and accommodating students' cultural differences: we may fall into the trap of reifying superficially or…

Advancements in handheld computing, particularly its portability, social interactivity, context sensitivity, connectivity, and individuality, open new opportunities for immersive learning environments. This article articulates the pedagogical potential of augmented reality simulations in environmental engineering education by immersing students in…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to first, outline the features of the contemporary apprenticeship system, and its performance in terms of the numbers starting and completing programmes and second, to report the findings of empirical research which sought to identify the characteristics of effective apprenticeship.…

This paper presents a number of case studies in Oceanography, an optional module in the third/fourth year of a Master of Science programme at Norwegian University of Science and Technology. The main objective was to gain more thorough insights into student learning by examining two sets of individual oral examinations. In addition, all students…

This study explores factors that predict learner satisfaction and transfer of learning in an online educational program at a multinational corporation, established to improve organizational learning by providing training in technical skills. A mixed-methods design was used, selecting both quantitative methods (utilizing survey research) and…

In order to examine the implications of applying a teaching strategy that integrates a systems approach and project-based learning (PBL), it was implemented in two courses. The objective of the first course was to train preservice teachers to teach the subject of "Science and Technology to All" (mandatory subject in all of Israel's…

Researchers studied current and projected needs for engineering technicians in the United Kingdom, the match between training supply and demand, and trends in direct recruitment to Level 3 engineering training in order to identify models of best practice for promoting the uptake of engineering technician training. The following data collection…

Although more women than men participate in higher education in the United States, the same is not true when it comes to pursuing careers in science and engineering. To Recruit and Advance: Women Students and Faculty in Science and Engineering identifies and discusses better practices for recruitment, retention, and promotion for women scientists…

For the first time in the 30-year history of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, the organization is focusing on the nurturing of scientific talent in preschoolers and very young children. SACNAS, whose mission is to encourage Chicano/Latino and American Indian students to pursue graduate education and advanced…

In the current economic situation, most academic institutions would like to plan new courses to increase enrollment. Often, these changes do not follow with a proportional increase in cost or staff numbers to the institution. For cost-efficiency reasons, a reduction in student contact hours is most desirable, providing that this can maintain the…