Describes the Multiple Intelligence search (used by the author with 6th and 9th graders) based on Ken Macrorie's "I-Search" and Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. Describes the process as students conducted a search using library resources and technology; became experts on topics they are passionate about; created a professional…

Characterizes a history course at Texas A&M University-Kingsville entitled "Methods of Historical Research" that focuses on the philosophy of history, research methods, and computer technology. Reveals how the philosophy of history and research methods aspects are intertwined and discusses the changes in the course due to advances in…

Examines the World Wide Web as a tool for encouraging collaborative group work in two teaching environments (high school and graduate school). Finds that the Web environment provided: (1) separations between individual contributions; (2) a structure for participation; (3) access to others contributions; (4) individual work space; and (5) equal…

Poster presentations are one way scientists present their latest research findings at professional meetings. This format also works well in the classroom and gives students the opportunity to communicate the results of their experiments (perhaps the most critical portion of their studies). In a performance-based task such as a poster session,…

This work describes outcomes of a research-driven advanced microbiology laboratory and literature research course intended to enhance undergraduate preparation for and contributions to original research. The laboratory section was designed to teach fundamental biochemistry and molecular biology techniques in the context of an original research…

In this article, I describe how I used a portfolio assignment to facilitate learning and provide a useful resource for future research experiences. Forty-eight students from 2 introductory methods and statistics courses compiled a portfolio that reflected their individual approach to understanding the major topics of the class. The portfolio…

Numerous studies have found a host of factors that are likely to result in more successful applications to graduate schools. This study was a retrospective examination of the variables that distinguish graduate students who believed they were better prepared for graduate school. We examined several of these factors, including variables associated…

The Experience Sampling Method (ESM; Larson & Csikszentmihalyi, 1983) is a means to investigate the subjective experiences of individuals as they go about their daily lives. Students from 2 Adolescent Psychology courses used the ESM in a required "beeper project." Student research teams investigated a typical week in the life of an adolescent by…

The model organism, "Caenorhabditis elegans," in addition to being well suited to genetics and cell biology teaching applications, can also be useful in the physiology laboratory. In this article, the author describes how students in a junior level college Comparative Physiology course have made use of "C. elegans" in semester-long,…

The East Gobi Basin (EGB), which covers over 1.5 million square kilometers in southeastern Mongolia, is one of several basins in eastern China and Mongolia that was formed by extension and intracontinental rifting during the late Mesozoic. For reasons that are poorly understood, the continental lithosphere covering areas that are now known as…

In this study, I examined the hypothesis that undergraduate research enhances the educational experience of science undergraduates, attracts and retains talented students to careers in science, and acts as a pathway for minority students into science careers. Undergraduates from 41 institutions participated in an online survey on the benefits of…

This article describes how preservice teachers accomplish and write up action research projects as part of their teacher preparation at one university in the United States. The paper is divided into four major sections. In the first section, the instructor describes how teacher research is introduced to teacher education students and how they are…

An action research project, managed by a graduate student, resulted in the development of an academic website as an effective internal and external communication tool. The main focus of the investigation was to uncover the tacit knowledge held by staff in the Department of Management Communication through a series of in-depth interviews, a focus…

Faculty and administrators at many research-intensive institutions are concerned about effectively introducing students to the research culture that sets research institutions apart from technical and junior colleges. The first-year seminar with academic content might accomplish this objective because it can be focused on students' own research…

This paper explores motivational factors underpinning undergraduates' learning of research skills through individual research projects with collaborative tutorials. Research has long pointed to group support, positive affect and scaffolding as important for motivating and facilitating learning. Furthermore, UK government priorities have placed an…