Integrating advanced biological techniques into instruction at non-R1 institutions can prove to be a challenge. Here, we report the creation of a model for the introduction of gene expression microarray technology into a research laboratory. A student assessment tool was used to evaluate: (1) technical skill development; (2) cross-disciplinary…

The purpose of this study was to use Fink's (2003) taxonomy of significant learning to redesign courses and assess student learning. Significant improvements were found across the semester for students in the six courses, but there were differences in which taxa showed improvement in each course. The meta-analysis showed significant, positive…

2008 marks the fifth year of publication for the Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation (JMDE). The growth of JMDE, whether measured in terms of readership or in the evolution of ideas, reflects the increasing importance of evaluation, not as a separate process, but more as the development of an evaluative state of mind. Just in terms of…

This paper documents the relationships between pedagogy and e-assessment in two nursing courses offered at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. The courses are designed to build the academic, numeracy and technological attributes student nurses need if they are to succeed at the university and in the nursing profession. The paper…

This article surveys historical scholarship on science education over the last 15 years and lays out a map of the different approaches to writing about this topic found in a variety of disciplines and fields. The hope is to provide scholars interested in science education past and present a better understanding of how this enterprise has…

There has been much research that has identified an increased prevalence of Dementia in adults with Down's syndrome when compared with the general population. Neuropathological changes associated with Alzheimer's dementia in the brain have been found in most people with Down's syndrome who die over the age of 35 years. Given the limitations of…

Project-based learning is a pedagogy that involves students in applying and developing theories, skills, and techniques to solve real world problems. Three faculty members used project-based learning to involve graduate students in an interdisciplinary seminar on sustainable development in Appalachian Ohio, which was convened under the auspices of…

In this paper, we examine the current state of educational research through the framework of "use-inspired" knowledge. Previous discussions regarding the nature of educational research have disproportionately focused on the soft/applied nature of knowledge in the discipline or a need for methodological priority. After acknowledging these…

Scholars in teaching and learning value student research and program assessment as strategies to promote excellence in undergraduate education. Yet, in practice, each can be complex and difficult to sustain. This case study demonstrates how undergraduate research, mentoring of junior faculty, and assessment can be integrated in ways that enrich…

The University of California has struggled for many years to build fair and workable policies and programs to develop the English literacy of its highly diverse student population. Considering past, present, and future, this essay describes how the UC's largest campus, UC Davis, with 50% of its 33,000 students L2 writers, has built a network of…

This paper examines the professional implications for teachers and managers in new and evolving forms of professional development using Web 2.0 tools in a European context. Research findings are presented from the "Creative Use of Media" learning event developed through a European eTwinning Learning Lab initiative in spring of 2009. The…

The Office of Indian Education (OIE) in the U.S. Department of Education funds competitive grants for Native American school leadership preparation programs in order to improve the education of disadvantaged students identified under the 2001 "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) reauthorization of "Elementary and Secondary Education…

Disproportionality, the over- or underrepresentation of a particular group compared to its presence in a population, in special education is a long-standing issue (Dunn, 1968; U.S. Department of Education, 2006; Waitoller, Artiles, & Cheney, 2010). Some scholars have proposed group or universal screening for emotional and behavioral risk in…

Policymakers and industry leaders are calling for a 21st century education that is more interdisciplinary in nature, including the ability to solve problems and think creatively. Traditional teaching practices that present subjects as separate and distinct disciplines do not encourage students to make connections between subjects in school and in…

Background/Context: One of several challenges to fusing reading and science instruction through the use of reflective practice arises from recent claims that it is questionable whether anyone can "make" preservice teachers into reflective practitioners. This challenge has implications for researchers and teacher educators in general, especially if…