Demand for the skill of critical thinking is extensive in both higher education and in the workforce. The purpose of the current research is to examine the relationship between critical thinking educational efforts (e.g., programs incorporating high impact practices) and higher education student outcomes. For this study, student outcomes were…

In recent years, employers have expressed concerns that Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) graduates, though proficient in their academic disciplines, lack the critical skills necessary for success in the workplace (Karimi & Pina, 2021). Additionally, many non-STEM majors do not develop the basic STEM competencies that…

Experimental archaeology is a vibrant and fascinating field that offers great opportunities for hands-on student learning in history. Although it is typically taught by archaeologists and anthropologists, it is certainly accessible and easily adapted to history courses. In addition to teaching "Introduction to Experimental Archaeology"…

The intentional scaffolding of research practices and experiences across a 4-year curriculum provides a developmental and sustainable model to guide students to greater independence and ownership of their learning and offers a supportive framework for advancing equity of opportunity and outcomes. Curricular transformation can be a daunting…

This paper begins with a discussion of a program of work to map and embed Indigenous perspectives at RMIT University, outlines issues relating to the uptake of its guiding principles and actions, and then proposes a rethinking of the work. The authors argue that non-Indigenous educators are often ill equipped to undertake curriculum deconstruction…

Critical thinking is a common and important learning outcome in college curricula. Case-based and problem-based learning can be used to assess and foster critical thinking skills. HNF 250--Contemporary Issues in Human Nutrition is a critical thinking course developed during the redesign of a nutritional sciences major program. Course assignments…

The Learner Experience Design (LXD) framework enables educators to create engaging and relevant learning experiences by considering students' backgrounds, motivations, challenges, frustrations, emotions, and needs, alongside their interactions with faculty, staff, and peers. The LXD methodology involves three steps: research, design, and…

In recent years, there has been an explosion in the demand for personnel with analytics skills. Given that the demand for this skill set cuts across so many disciplines, it is a useful addition to any major and an ideal candidate as an academic minor. Furthermore, as the underlying analytics tools and techniques used by data analysts emerged…

Building a technology-driven world appears to be the main motivational force behind students choosing to undertake engineering studies. The first year of engineering education plays a significant role in demonstrating sufficient mathematical and scientific rigor to satisfy these motivational factors. The common applied mechanics courses play a…

This article presents an instrumental case study of how community college faculty engages in academic planning in the wake of curricular policy reform, and tensions between the perspectives of faculty from 2- and 4-year institutions. Implications of these dynamics are discussed with a focus on advice for those leading curricular change projects in…

The following paper argues for a critical creative paedagogy as a means of meaningfully engaging with Indigenous and decolonial philosophies. We showcase our critical frameworks and pathways for teaching a decolonial and Indigenous university course where philosophy and arts meet to engage with complex colonial, racial and epistemological…

Integration of learning has emerged as a central concept in research about learning and curriculum in higher education. While the term is frequently used, integration of learning is taken up in a variety of ways in higher education contexts, disciplinary and professional fields. This qualitative synthesis asks: what deeper insights and new…

As higher education seeks to define and justify itself in a "post-pandemic" world, it is important to understand the role of centripetal and centrifugal forces. The centrifugal approach suggests engagement facing outward and away from the classroom, from curricula, and from campus in favor of service learning, internships, political…

"Resolving the Crisis in Higher Education: The Key Role of Business Continuity Planning" asks and answers probing questions affecting higher education in the post-COVID-19 educational landscape. The book examines whether private universities, particularly liberal arts colleges, have viable business models and discusses the risk posed by…

This open access book critiques real world learning across both the curriculum and extracurricular activities. Drawing on disciplines as diverse as business, health, fashion, sociology and geography, the editors and authors employ a cross-disciplinary approach to examine how this concept is being applied in higher education. Divided into three…