A method for carrying out the Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of cyclopentanone to [delta]-valerolactone in a large-section introductory organic chemistry laboratory course is reported. The oxidizing agent is trifluoroperoxyacetic acid generated in situ from trifluoroacetic acid and household sodium percarbonate such as OxiClean, Oxi Magic, or…

This paper seeks to improve our understanding of the emotional and political dynamics that are generated (and too often avoided) in action learning. The idea at the centre of the paper is a distinction between "learning-in-action" and "learning inaction". The phrase "learning-in-action" represents the value of action…

The authors examined the relation between infants' motor skills and attention to objects features in events in which a hand acted on an object (e.g., squeezed it) that then produced a sound (e.g., squeaking). In this study, 6- to 7-month-old infants (N = 41) were habituated to a single event and then tested with changes in appearance and action.…

Over the summer, ten students participated in a ten day Wilderness Education Association backpacking course set in Wyoming and the Grand Tetons. This field experience course was a supplemental class that would apply all leadership, climbing skills and risk management knowledge that Parks and Recreation Management (PRM) students learn in the…

This article describes how a New York institution gives its students a hands-on education in courtroom wrangling. Unlike medical students, who work in teaching hospitals and clinics as they learn, most law students don't set foot in a courtroom until their third and final year, when they have the option of participating in legal clinics. The Touro…

Environmentalists talk about the natural world and dream of spaces that belong to nature and should be entered, like hiking in the woods, on nature's terms. Another natural space, the garden, is a familiar place tamed by humans to serve social purposes such as growing food. But it has the potential to bring young children into meaningful contact…

Since a number of his special needs students have been in his class for three years, the author tries to continually create new activities that will challenge them. This article describes an activity wherein the author and his students design their own game with their own instructions. This activity encouraged students to learn about designing,…

This paper presents a study of a series of band rehearsals run by five young people as they practised for a gig together: preparing new songs as well as developing their existing sets. The analysis specifically explores the ways in which the band members collectively develop and evaluate their musical "works in progress." Their interactions were…

Leadership theories are continuously evolving. Leadership is an indefinable concept that may be interpreted as an art. This study explores the complexity of leadership and the superintendency. The purpose of this study was to describe and explain the perspective of a superintendent and his journey through several educational leadership roles and…

Product life cycle (PLC) stages and diagrams are briefly and dispassionately covered in the standard marketing textbook format with little attention to the social-psychological experiences of those actually participating. This qualitative study used process drama as a teaching tool and a research instrument to probe the PLC phenomenon in a…

Our aim is to describe open-ended case studies for learning real-life problem solving skills, and relate this approach to conventional, closed-ended decision case studies. Teaching methods are open-ended cases in agroecology, an alternative to traditional strategies that lead students through prepared materials and structured discussions to…

The Student Placements for Entrepreneurs in Education (SPEED) project ran in 12 higher education institutes in the UK between 2006 and 2008, providing an innovative, action learning-based route that enabled students to start new business ventures as self-started work experience, and has influenced successor programmes. The paper addresses three…

It would seem that most policies to promote the use of APEL as a certification method parallel to that offered by formal education and training systems are based on the belief that it is a less costly and shorter method, which is more attractive. Few countries, however, have convincing surveys or observations of the real advantages of APEL for…

This article describes a learning experience designed for teachers of children in primary classrooms (K-3) who are taking graduate courses. The learning experience offers new insights into the different ways young children encounter math in their natural, playful environment. Through a hands-on workshop approach, the students engaged in firsthand…

What does a newcomer to the library industry bring, at nearly fifty? What does she find? Reflecting on her experience and a recent study tour, the author describes the barely-skilled-although-nominally-qualified challenge; and discusses current cross-cultural provision. She muses on the interplay between a new librarian's fresh eyes, experience…