Research-based learning (RBL) is a model for merging research and undergraduate education. To link RBL with a curriculum across the institution, the authors used discipline-specific RBL strands, each of which is a set of interconnected course options that couple out-of-class research experiences with an established curriculum. Student learning is…

Examines the reading behavior of education students and the pedagogical theories dealt with during their studies. Reports that pre-test findings indicate that the pedagogical literature read by education students is largely determined by the different courses of study (i.e., elementary or secondary education), and less so by a common disciplinary…

David Whisnant describes his contribution to Appalachian studies as a synthesis of cultural knowledge from folklorists and political economy from left-wing scholars to create the concept of cultural intervention. He discusses the formative years of Appalachian studies, its strengths, the split between organizers and academics, and progress made in…

Looks at American foreign language education from the standpoint of an outsider and compares it with foreign language education and teacher preparation in Russia. Discusses teacher education and language teaching and theories. Suggests both systems have advantages that are rooted in intellectual traditions and are unlikely to change. (Author/VWL)

Suggests a method that allows searchers to analytically compare the Boolean and probabilistic information retrieval approaches. Sample performance figures are provided for queries using the Boolean strategy, and for probabilistic systems. The variation of performance across sublanguages and queries is examined, as well as the performance of models…

Interest in women's issues in India has grown since 1975, when a report on the status of women raised concern about women's equality. Women's studies entered India's university curriculum only in 1986 but with little encouragement from the emerging women's movement. In India, women's studies looks to the West for research methods and ideas and is…

Presents a case study of an experienced professor's comments on a design report in a first-year engineering class. Compares these comments with the commenting styles of technical-writing teachers. Finds the comments are highly directive and at odds with the preference for facilitative comments prevailing in composition studies. Notes that…

A study of 160 undergraduate journalism students trained to design projects (stacks) using HyperCard on Macintosh computers determined that right-brain dominant subjects outperformed left-brain and mixed-brain dominant subjects, whereas left-brain dominant subjects out performed mixed-brain dominant subjects in several areas. Recommends future…

Focuses on Subject-Pair Analysis, a technique for comparing examinations in different subjects, to demonstrate that reliance on statistical comparisons of standards between subjects is misplaced. Explicates the fundamental assumptions underlying the Subject-Pair Analysis. Argues that this and related analyses are inappropriate for dealing with the…

Technology can contribute to increased learning productivity by offering economies of scale and mass customization, enabling faculty to accommodate individual differences and students to progress at their own pace. The areas that can profit most from technology-based strategies are those that have a high volume of students, a standardized…

A study compared the teaching behaviors of University of Tel Aviv (Israel) physics and chemistry faculty over two consecutive years, at mid- and end-semester. Findings indicate a high degree of stability in behaviors over time, with no clear-cut improvement during a semester except for faculty undertaking special instructional improvement…

Describes one Japanese university's program to train English-as-a-Second-Language teachers in content-based language instruction methodology. Drawing on four years' experience, authors make a number of suggestions for addressing challenges of implementing a content-based approach in higher education. (Author/MSE)

Although the first doctoral program in women's studies was established in 1969, it wasn't until the 1990s that mainstream institutions began creating such programs. Since then, a number of universities have developed both programs and separate departments. Some scholars worry that choosing such a nontraditional field will limit students' career…

Presents initial results from research on structural changes in the school system of the Soviet Occupation Zone and East Germany from 1945 to 1989. Focuses on the development of three academic tracks introduced in 1946 as a form of internal differentiation in upper secondary schools, and subsequent moves toward standardization. (DSK)

A study found college students majoring in "pure" disciplines were less likely than those in applied fields to hold naive beliefs in simple knowledge, quick learning, and certain knowledge. Gender, age, grade point average were also related to beliefs. Results suggest students' beliefs about the nature of knowledge and learning are related to…