The aim of this study was to investigate the nature of tutor and student online communication and collaboration activities in a blended learning course. The hypothesis that these activities are related to student learning performance (exam results) was tested based on the number of messages posted, as well as the nature of these messages (type of…

The findings of a study that examined the impact of peace studies courses at the college and university level upon students is reported. The study involved 260 undergraduate students at 3 midwestern universities. At the beginning of each course, students filled out a questionnaire; at the end of the course, students were given identical…

The undergraduate course in agricultural ethics has been under development at Texas A&M University for four years. The course that has evolved is the result of discussion between the philosophy and agriculture departments. The course attempts to incorporate basic economic principles that affect agriculture as well as to tie these principles to…

The current debate about social studies education is the focus of this paper, and the questions and the charges raised by recent surveys and reports are addressed. Survey results from the Ravitch and Finn, the Chandler, and the National Catholic Educational Association studies reflecting student ignorance of social studies knowledge are discussed.…

Claims that most instruction dealing with genetics is limited to sex education and personal hygiene. Suggests that the biology curriculum should begin to deal with other issues related to genetics, including genetic normality, prenatal diagnoses, race, and intelligence. Predicts these topics will begin to appear in British examination programs.…

Claims that undergraduate curricula show a tension between a commitment to diversity and a commitment to coherence. Argues that the issues of "minority" students--including Blacks, homosexuals, and women--must be included to teach the value of encountering, listening to, and establishing a connection with different lifestyles and…

Asserts that global education has two interrelated dimensions: (1) a substantive, or knowledge of the world and how it works; and (2) a perceptual, or an orientation or world view. Contends that global education can provide a powerful focus for improving educational quality and help students cope with emerging global realities. (CFR)

There are few studies of the impact of ubiquitous computing on high school science, and the majority of studies of ubiquitous computing report only on the early stages of implementation. The present study presents data on 3 high schools with carefully elaborated ubiquitous computing systems that have gone through at least one "obsolescence cycle"…

Recent trends in general education focus on integrating liberal studies considered intellectual, but not practical, and professional fields, which are "viewed as practical but, for that very reason, inherently illiberal." The trend toward capstone experiences in liberal studies assists the integration of general education components with…

Software-engineering education programs are intended to prepare students for a field that involves rapidly changing conditions and expectations. Thus, there is always a danger that the skills and the knowledge provided may soon become obsolete. This paper describes results and draws on experiences from the implementation of a computer…

Teaching about the Holocaust is a deeply sensitive and controversial topic in the Republic of Latvia. Due to a Soviet-imposed silence on the topic and the developing nature of democratic education in Latvia, many schools cover this history superficially, if it is covered at all. This study examines a cross-cultural curriculum development project…

Instructors have been using small group learning for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Appearing under a variety of names, including, most prominently, collaborative learning and cooperative learning, it is, in essence, "the instructional use of small groups so that students work together to maximize their own and each other's…

The principles of magnetism are a common topic in most introductory physics courses, yet curricular materials exploring the behavior of permanent magnets and magnetic materials are surprisingly rare in the literature. We reviewed the literature to see how magnetism is typically covered in introductory textbooks and curricula. We found that while…

Service-learning projects are a useful method for students to learn both the practice and value of statistical methods. Effective service learning, however, depends on several factors and can be implemented according to a variety of models. In this article, different models for incorporating service-learning in statistics courses are presented…

Philosophers of education disagree on how the question of the moral status of homosexual acts should be tackled in the classroom. Some argue that the question should be taught as a controversial issue, that we should present rival moral positions as even-handedly as possible; others maintain that we should actively promote the view that homosexual…