The advantages of having a pediatrician, under the supervision of the program director, as member of a family medicine faculty are discussed. That academic role is outlined, and because it is a stopgap position, cautions regarding the future of a pediatric-family-medicine faculty member are offered. (JMD)

Patient-centered, clinical-research-demonstration programs for teams of students, preceptors, and faculty members from six disciplines who provided patient care in a long-term rehabilitation setting are described. Questions are raised concerning the effect of clinical teams on the quality of patient care, cost-effectiveness, etc. (Author/MLW)

The Clinical Behavioral Sciences Program at McMaster University, an interdisciplinary approach to mental health education, deemphasizes the acquisition of new credentials and selects students with baccalaureate degrees who are professionally qualified and employed in mental health fields. Students' work-related issues and problems are used in this…

Initial efforts at the University of North Carolina to develop a social science curriculum that is relevant to medical practice are reported. Descriptions of course content, format, teaching strategies, and course evaluation are included with a focus on the question of relevance. (Author/JMD)

Describes a high school interdisciplinary program based on the theories that reading that is related to a student's life is the most meaningful, that students who have vocational reading skills will be more effective in their careers, and that students who have good self-concepts and healthy bodies will learn better. (FL)

Describes how focus groups comprised of speech-language professionals, paraprofessionals, general and special education teachers, and parents in Iowa were used to conduct a needs assessment of issues in staff development and use of paraprofessional personnel and to design job-relevant personnel development programs. An attached chart lists themes…

Describes an interdisciplinary course team taught by instructors from the sociology and drama departments. The course used dramatic literature to complement and illustrate sociological works examining such basic concepts as economic dislocation, racism, and deviance. Includes a table of the sociological works and their dramatic counterparts. (MJP)

Identifies cultural universals as general categories of traits that all cultures possess, the delineation of which can distinguish one culture from another. These include, material culture, social organization, and economic organization. Discusses teaching strategies for exploring these phenomena. Includes a sample lesson and related World Wide…

Describes the Critical Issues Forum, a multidisciplinary program designed to encompass computer technology, current global issues, and effective teaching and learning practices. Features open-ended, collaborative activities that deal with current, real-world issues. Discusses analysis of the issues and integrating technology. (JRH)

Sixth-grade teachers from diverse content areas and specialized fields came together as teacher-researchers to infuse principles of literacy/language learning across the curriculum, targeting low-achieving students. Through reflective inquiry, they gained insights into new strategies as they revised their roles from content area teachers to…

Offers three brief articles on three teacher-initiated programs that involve collaboration with colleagues and students: in music/arts production by fourth and fifth graders; an independent study program in which middle school students wrote grant proposals; and an activity in which seventh graders mapped a timeline of Earth history and geologic…

Describes a course on social and personality development in which students wrote term papers about 10 aspects of child and adolescent development depicted in an animated film of their choice. Students had to provide two examples of each aspect from the films. Student response to the assignment was generally favorable. (MJP)

Medical school surveys in 1994-95 and 1995-96 (n=104 schools) found that PhDs accounted for 25-30% of medical school enrollments; in some institutions, it was about half. Trend is toward interdisciplinary rather than departmental degrees. Number of student supported by National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants was nearly twice that for…

Describes the development and implementation of an interdisciplinary field course in Costa Rica focused on sustainable development. The semester-long curriculum integrated sociology, political economy, and agricultural ecology. The curriculum was empirically based and involved faculty members and students working collaboratively on different…

Provides an overview of administrative issues in supporting interdisciplinary library use at large universities. Topics include information resources; cataloging and classification; library services to users, including library use education and reference services; library organization; the campus context; and the politics of interdisciplinarity.…