Online degree programs are continuing to gain popularity among institutions of higher education as indicated by "U.S. News" who recently listed 263 accredited online graduate degree programs on its Web site (U. S. News and World Report, U.S. News Online, n.d.) As the access afforded by distance education increases the number of students…

Reflective thinking is important to young adolescents as they develop their thinking skills. Various instructional methods have been recommended to support reflective thinking, yet the nature of the underlying factors in these methods is unclear. Exploratory factor analysis was used to determine the factors prompting reflective thinking. Results…

The proliferation of information in electronic format does not guarantee its accessibility. The fact that many Web sites are not accessible to large segments of the disabled community has created a digital divide. Web accessibility is especially important in University communities, since the Internet and the digitization of information have…

The purpose of the following article is to discuss the integration of computer mediated communication into a French writing course and to report on the assessment methodology used in order to gather students' perspectives. The online course component was introduced in the Fall of 2003 in order to enhance students' learning by introducing…

Online learning courses are generally text-based. Particularly for students who are learning multimedia skills, these courses can be problematic because demonstration and hands-on activities are important in the field of multimedia authoring. This study uses action research techniques and describes the application of onscreen-action-capture…

Recent explosion of online teaching has brought unique challenges for libraries as they strive to provide access to necessary resources and services for distance learners. These challenges are increased by the desire to provide the same level of library services to distance learners as to their on-campus counterparts. In response, many libraries…

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) documents dimensions of quality in undergraduate education and provides information and assistance to colleges, universities, and other organizations to improve student learning. Its primary activity is annually surveying college students to assess the extent to which they engage in educational…

The earth sciences is an evolving set of disciplines encompassing more than 30 specialties; however, earth scientists continue to be trained within the traditional disciplinary structure. Earth science education should focus not only on student acquisition and retention of factual knowledge, but also on the development of higher-order skills…

Australian school students' views regarding their learning from paid and unpaid work in the workplace were examined. The data sources were as follows: (1) a questionnaire administered in 13 schools in New South Wales and South Australia to students in years 10, 11, and 12; (2) school and locality-based case studies; and (3) interviews with…

The Women's Experiences in College Engineering (WECE) project is the first cross-institutional, longitudinal examination of undergraduate women's experiences and persistence in engineering majors. The study was funded by both the National Science Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and conducted by Goodman Research Group, Inc. (GRG), a…

The Women's Experiences in College Engineering (WECE) project is the first cross-institutional, longitudinal examination of undergraduate women's experiences and persistence in engineering majors. The study was funded by both the National Science Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and conducted by Goodman Research Group, Inc. (GRG), a…

This paper provides an overview of common sampling methods (both the good and the bad) likely to be used in community college self-evaluations and presents the results from several simulated trials. The report begins by reviewing various survey techniques, discussing the negative and positive aspects of each method. The increased accuracy and…

This book reports on the Youth Development Study, which followed young people for more than a decade in St. Paul, MN, focusing on work experiences during high school. Chapter one, "Should Adolescents Work" discusses historical and contemporary studies, gender differences, controversies, and the cases for and against adolescent work.…

This report presents findings on a series of surveys conducted from 1998 through 2002. The findings: (1) Parents, teachers, and students believe that setting standards and enforcing them promotes learning; (2) standards and promotion policies have changed in recent years, and attitudes about local schools have improved; (3) the majority of parents…

The purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed description of the Monitoring the Future research design, including sampling, data collection procedures, measurement content, and questionnaire format. Monitoring the Future is designed to assess the changing lifestyles, values, and preferences of American youth on a continuing basis. Since the…