Presents a broad overview of the current state-of-the-art, as well as the historical development of writing university histories. Identifies seminal and representative works from the earliest writings on university history to the present. Discusses genres, trends, and controversies and their differing developments in Europe and the United States.…

Examines, in detail, the changing nature of the composition of the student body at the University of Birmingham, England. Discusses the institutional changes that occurred as the small provincial science college grew into a major state-supported university. Provides extensive data and interpretation as well as statistical tables and graphs. (MJP)

Discusses the potential of design and technology as an environment for collaborative problem solving based on experiences in England and Wales with the National Curriculum. Topics include sociocultural approaches to learning and planning, situated learning, authenticity, interpersonal aspects, peer interaction, cognitive strategies and social…

Describes and compares five major types of college learning-community curricular models: linked courses; learning clusters; freshman interest groups; federated learning communities; and coordinated studies. Characteristics of each model are outlined concerning institution size, basic unit of instruction, number of students involved, faculty roles,…

Describes an online college course and student perceptions of the virtual-classroom experience. Students appreciated course flexibility and convenience and found it conducive to thoughtful analysis of class questions and commentary. However, they felt isolated from peers and instructor, and lack of face-to-face interaction hindered communication.…

This study of graduate students examined the process and outcomes of novice and expert teachers who learned a classroom-observation coding system through a hypermedia learning environment. The training program was designed as a modular, skills-based approach that allowed user-controlled access to tutorials, guided practice, and independent…

Investigates the teaching, research, and management entailed in four new degree programs--physics, agricultural engineering, agricultural food-processing technology, and pharmacy courses--at Spain's University of Santiago de Compostela. Reports students' opinions of reforms in these courses, revealing dissatisfaction with facilities for practical…

Discusses the integration of technology into the learning environment and considers how best to equip the teacher of the future to accommodate such changes. Summarizes the findings of student and teacher reactions to online Web-based courses at the University of Central Florida and suggests further research. (Author/LRW)

Reports the result of a study on faculty perceptions of reasons for student attrition. Describes the implementation of recommended strategies for reducing attrition at a community college, including seeking to know the students, tackling non-academic factors (such as scheduling), addressing academic and affective barriers, identifying student…

Discusses how teaming, attaching a group of students to a block of teachers for an extended period of time, can provide a supportive environment that facilitates middle school students in their developmental tasks. Describes how one middle school in Utah uses this strategy. Includes discussion of stage theory and its impact on teaching practices.…

Examination of the workplace as a learning environment reveals it is far from ideal and poses unique challenges to the practicum supervisor, especially when that role is assumed by a workplace supervisor. Specific interests of student and employee may not coincide, and the interests of both diverge from those of organizations and owners. (MSE)

An academician explores major issues in higher education labor law during the 1990s: union organizing by graduate teaching assistants, bargaining and workload issues, developments concerning grievance arbitration, and rights of individual faculty members within unions. Issues likely to arise in the next decade include alternatives to tenure,…

Daily contacts between teachers and students, reviewing students' work, student-to-student interactions, and faculty members' availability to students can leave an indelible impression on students. However, higher education may be moving toward an atmosphere much less conducive to student-college connections. This is due to distance learning,…

Provides a historical background on the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and queer/questioning (GLBTQ) legal turf, describing legal tools available for challenging school violence and harassment. Discusses the related legal work on behalf of GLBTQ teachers in public schools and addresses the legal defense of student groups, which play a…

Investigated factors associated with academic success and coping of low-income, urban, minority adolescents transitioning from 8th to 9th grade. Interviews with high- and low-performing students indicated that the transition brought challenges related to school, friends, and family. High-performing students coped more actively and had a wider…