Addresses the use of fiction to teach undergraduate students about sociological theories and concepts. Discusses how "A Thousand Acres" (Jane Smiley) was used in a sociology of families course. Includes descriptions of the plot and themes in the book and the group work and paper assigned in conjunction with Smiley's novel. (CMK)

Describes a course for first-year college students that focuses on the Silk Road. Discusses the problems that occurs in such a course, types of resources used, basic strategies and tactics taken, and the focus on mapmaking in the beginning of the course. Includes an annotated bibliography. (CMK)

Discusses instructional design for distance education and suggests a systematic process. Topics include planning; learners; course content; teaching strategies; selection of media; learning environments; technology; resources; and evaluation, including learner assessment and instruction evaluation. (LRW)

Maintains that by developing a history-based website, teachers can utilize the Internet in their classroom to inspire a love of history in their students. Describes the benefits a history website offers, while also providing the necessary guidelines and knowledge needed to create a website. (CMK)

Discusses issues involved in teaching a master's degree course online via the World Wide Web. Highlights include distance education; course construction; content; basing online courses on existing traditional courses; interaction among students and with the instructor; and the importance of timely communication. (LRW)

Describes a development in high school psychology called the Psychology of Partnerships Project (P3). Addresses the creation of national teaching standards in psychology and considers the uses of computer technology. Advocates a new national survey to evaluate high school psychology education. (CMK)

Explores a team of college educators' experience with creating an electronic classroom. Addresses the different technology problems that were confronted and considers how history teachers can be convinced to use technology in their courses. Describes the undergraduate U.S. history survey course focusing on the uses of technology. Includes the…

Examines whether students who enroll in courses that receive poor average class ratings are more likely to leave their university. Finds that enrollment in both poorly rated and top-rated courses, in contrast to mid-rated courses, reduces the probability of retention in the university. (CMK)

Describes the content of a course on material culture for undergraduate students that was separated into two sections: (1) first students read books and analyzed artifacts; and (2) then the class explored the Centennial Exhibition held in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) in 1876, applying material culture methods and constructing a Web site from their…

Explains the theory and educational utility of field-based instruction. Discusses an effective field-course structure, focusing on the planning process, pre- and post-trip meetings, and student activities and assignments. Describes a field course on resource management in national parks based at Oklahoma State University. (CMK)

Describes a transformative experience in an interdisciplinary course on multicultural families and the xenophobia they experience. The course was created in collaboration with students in order to achieve a more authentic teaching-learning experience. Four pedagogical implications are offered regarding interdisciplinary perspectives, collaborative…

In this new feature of the "Academe" journal, work by faculty members is highlighted who are mobilizing in support of academic freedom on their campuses and beyond. This September-October issue of the journal includes the following brief reflections from faculty all relating to the central theme of "fighting back": "Free…

In the early days of online courses, a widespread production model was to provide faculty members with release time and/or stipends in return for developing and delivering their own courses. These early online courses were developed by a cadre of faculty "zealots" who believed that information technology could transform learning. Such faculty…

This paper develops a conceptual basis for a model on the teaching of socio-scientific controversial issues for secondary or high school students. I argue that the teaching of controversial issues needs a stronger theoretical base. Drawing on a liberal democratic conception of possible sources of conflict, three strands are developed that provide…

Models play an important role in science education. However, previous research has revealed that science teachers' content knowledge, curricular knowledge, and pedagogical content knowledge on models and modelling are often incomplete or inadequate. From this perspective, a research project was designed which aimed at the development of beginning…