Contends that empirical research using laboratory experimental economics has flourished during the past decade. Discusses how two practitioners of experimental economics integrated their research interests into undergraduate economics education. Describes three computerized exercises and includes samples of student handouts and activities. (CFR)

Examines the structure of pedagogical knowledge housed in the memory of an experienced teacher educator and the influence of this knowledge on changes in the pedagogical knowledge structures of prospective teachers. The study involved teachers enrolled in one of three different sections of the same teaching methods course. (GLR)

An undergraduate degree in public administration is neither needed nor a desirable educational goal for the fields of public administration and public policy. Undergraduate public-administration education should focus only on macrosocietal issues such as the substantive role of the citizenry in democracy; the nature of public interest; and…

Raises the question of what elementary and secondary teachers need to know to teach mathematics and science. Outlines the kind of subject matter knowledge teachers need to learn during their higher education years in mathematics and science. Contains 44 references. (DDR)

Describes origins and activities of the Central American Program for Undergraduate Scholarships at the University of Louisville (Kentucky), funded by the United States Information Agency to host talented, financially needy students for upper-division study. The university has been aided by internationalization of the economy, increased immigration…

Describes two George Mason University (Virginia) initiatives to illustrate and analyze the strengths and challenges of alternative approaches that have been designed to better meet the changing needs of the students and communities that they serve. Discusses the environment, faculty/student interaction, intense collaboration, and technology…

Focuses on how a culture that values the work of teaching undergraduates might be fostered, suggesting in particular how the institutional culture, academic program, the core curriculum, and Freshman Seminar at Mount Saint Mary's College (Maryland) supports the teaching of first-year students, making it an enjoyable challenge rather than drudgery.…

Examines the benefits of introducing finite element methods into the curriculum of undergraduate courses. Analyzes the structure of the computer-assisted-design module and the extent to which it fulfills its main objectives. Discusses the efficiency of modern teaching and learning techniques used to develop skills for solving engineering problems;…

Profiles a course that engages preservice teachers in action research focused on drawing, for learners from early childhood to adolescence. Discusses a number of activities incorporated into the class including literature reviews, reflective journals, research questions and activities, and instructional strategies. (MJP)

Discusses the research design for an educational evaluation of the Alexandria Digital Earth ProtoType (ADEPT), a digital library of geo-referenced information resources. Reviews the deployment of digital libraries in educational settings, the role of information technology in developing students' scientific thinking, and evaluation of digital…

Reports on an action research project evaluating the application of distance learning approaches in a new undergraduate degree program in the United Kingdom. Examines the integration of e-mail, computer conferencing, video conferencing, and satellite broadcasts with written module material and work-based learning. (Author/LRW)

Examines differences between undergraduate distance-learning students and traditional students in terms of their motivation, wants, and what they receive from their educational experience. The differences between the two groups was found to be small. The major difference was that distance-learning students are more satisfied with what they receive…

Describes an introductory undergraduate astronomy course in which the large-lecture format was moved to one in which students were immersed in a technologically-rich, inquiry-based, participatory learning environment. Finds that virtual reality can be used effectively in regular undergraduate university courses as a tool through which students can…

Examines how undergraduate students used four search engines--Alta Vista, Excite, Infoseek, and Lycos--to retrieve information for their studies or personal interests and how they evaluated the interaction and search results retrieved by the four engines. Measures were based on five evaluation criteria: relevance, efficiency, utility, user…

Americans are increasingly drawn to their own version of "muddling through," and are likely to view the process of reasoning from intellectual or moral principles with grave suspicion, if not outright hostility, as a form of undemocratic confinement. One sees this with especial clarity in today's institutions of higher education, in…