Described is a graduate course in sociology intended to facilitate the transition from the role of student to the role of professional sociologist. Topics discussed in the course include departmental policies and politics, teaching techniques, preparation of vitae, research proposals and scholarly papers. Course evaluation indicates that student…

Describes a grand jury investigation into a school's purchase of allegedly objectionable and obscene materials and the inservice course on "Writing Rationales for Teaching Potentially Controversial Literature" resulting from the investigation. (DD)

This paper describes how two "American Dream" courses were created--one was a senior seminar in Fall 2001 that developed after the tragic events of that September and the other, its offspring, was a Fall 2002 class in the American Novel, which was planned deliberately. The paper first looks at how 9/11 changed the senior seminar by…

In this paper, the author discusses possibilities for teaching online. As an online instructor using readily accessible techniques, the author has been privileged to work with many communities of learning and to share their discoveries of themselves and others. An overview of what the author has found to be effective ways of delivering content…

An instructor of an adolescent literature course wanted to give the students an opportunity to study some novels not specifically written for an adolescent audience. Examples of such novels were: Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird," J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye," and Jamaica Kincaid's "Annie John." Including…

This paper contends that it is essential that broadcast journalism courses possess a roughly equal balance between hands-on radio, television, and electronic news gathering assignments and analytical term papers. The importance of students writing and analyzing mass communication issues and personalities cannot be overstated in a highly…

A pilot for "Cornerstone," a new core curriculum at Samford University that aims for a more deliberate inclusion and consistent coverage of communication competence, was launched to coincide with the university's sesquicentennial celebration in 1992. The Cultural Legacies component of Cornerstone dealt with instruction in speech…

One of the main problems faced by an organizational communication instructor at Southern Methodist University was how to incorporate experiential learning into her survey course without jeopardizing precious class time. After careful consideration, she came up with a course design that she felt would not only provide students with experiential…

After deciding which criteria a capstone course in a speech communication department should meet, faculty at West Texas A&M University decided to designate SCOM 401, Introduction to Rhetorical Criticism, as the capstone course. It is offered fall semester every year for juniors or seniors, and students are required to present their final…

This paper addresses nontraditional methods and issues involved in presenting a productive undergraduate political science course that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to aid good citizenship and a variety of career choices. This educators incorporated team teaching, cross training, original research, and small group work, and invited…

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) requires that students demonstrate communication competency. It is up to the institution to demonstrate how these competencies are achieved. Broward Community College (Florida) chose to identify competencies using the National Communication Association (NCA) Sophomore Exit Level Speaking and…

This paper discusses a first-year, second-semester composition course that develops thinking, reading, and writing skills both on an individual and on a group level; it is designed to enhance research and writing skills developed in the first-semester course. With this and the departmental course requirements in mind, according to the paper, the…

This paper describes a workshop that aims to change adult students' attitudes toward early number work in order to give them a different perspective and help them make mathematics their own so that they will no longer be looking for the teacher's approval to tell them whether what they have done is correct. (ASK)

This paper focuses upon three recently revised preservice, content-specific methods courses: "Teaching of Middle School Mathematics,""Computing Technology in Secondary School Mathematics," and "Teaching of Secondary School Mathematics." Changes in these methods courses better address and build upon preservice teacher…

Discusses experience of conducting a project designed to interest and train women in physics, involving student recruitment, course design, laboratory work planning, and counseling services. Included are surveyed faculty and graduate student comments and participants' attitudes toward the project. (CC)