Up to this point, university education has largely remained unaffected by the developments of novel approaches to web-based learning. The paper presents a principled approach to the design of problem-oriented, web-based learning at the university level. The principles include providing authentic contexts with multimedia, supporting collaborative…

This volume is a detailed and up-to-date reference work providing an authoritative overview of the main issues in higher education around the world today. Consisting of newly commissioned chapters and impressive journal articles, it surveys the state of the discipline and includes the examination and discussion of emerging, controversial and…

This volume presents 47 papers addressing various aspects of community-oriented education; lists relevant and current books, articles and papers; and provides basic information about the international non-governmental organization, the Network of Community-Oriented Educational Institutions for Health Sciences. The papers are grouped into the…

A new problem-based course in molecular biology, genetics, and cancer for first-year veterinary students was developed at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University (New York). The course was developed out of a desire to foster student-centered and lifelong learning and to integrate basic and clinical science knowledge despite a lack…

Outdoor education, a general term describing the use of resources outside the classroom, has long been considered a method to improve student learning. This book aims to create a bridge between current school reform efforts and the field of outdoor education. Chapter 1 introduces the idea of outdoor education and relates several recent educational…

This paper is a critique of problem-based learning and focuses on, first, the concept of life as problem-governed and professional practice as problem-solving; and, second, the utility of problem-based learning as a pedagogical approach in pre-professional training. The paper suggests that a problem-based approach to professional education is…

In a climate of rapid change, increasing innovation, and proliferating knowledge, lifelong learning is an important educational objective. Lifelong learning skills need to be developed if educators intend for their students to stay current in their fields. Staying abreast of new innovations, research, techniques, and information is a prerequisite…

This paper reflects on the author's participation in two government-sponsored educational software development projects that used a holistic design paradigm in which classroom formative assessment and teacher input played a critical role in the development process. The two project were: R-WISE (Reading and Writing in a Supportive Environment)--a…

Interactive multimedia (IMM) and problem-based learning (PBL) are both promoted in response to the current need to offer authentic and effective professional education. An emphasis on collaborative work in PBL contexts may have discouraged the application of IMM, more commonly designed for individual use. This paper describes preliminary…

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional approach that has been used successfully for over 30 years and continues to gain acceptance in multiple disciplines. It is an instructional (and curricular) learner-centered approach that empowers learners to conduct research, integrate theory and practice, and apply knowledge and skills to develop…

Taking advantage of user-friendly technology, Audience Response Systems (ARS) facilitates greater interaction with participants engaged in a variety of group activities. Each participant has an input device that permits them to express a view in complete anonymity, and the composite view of the total group appears on a public screen. ARS can then…

The focus of this research paper is on the role of teachers and the teaching strategies used in classrooms. The premise is that teachers are now realizing that they need to reach beyond traditional ways of teaching in order to assist their students in acquiring a deeper understanding of the topics being studied while developing critical thinking…

This paper describes the initiation of curricular change in the undergraduate nursing program at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, in light of significant changes in the health care delivery system. In 1995, the program's Administrative Council adopted a Facilitated Deliberative Inquiry consensus model to manage a review of the curriculum and…

Contemporary constructivist views of mathematical learning have encouraged curriculum developers to devise instructional materials that help students build their own understanding and procedures for doing rational number computations, solving proportions, and applying those skills to real and whimsical problems. The Connected Mathematics Project…

These two newsletters from the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (NRC/GT) contain the following articles: (1) "NRC/GT: Professional Development--Not an Event" (E. Jean Gubbins), discusses NRC/GT research-based principles related to professional development and the importance of ongoing professional development; (2)…