In a national survey, members from the American School Counselor Association were asked to rate the importance of graduate-level training for 24 course content areas. Analysis indicated that there were similarities and significant differences between elementary school counselors and secondary school counselors on their perception of the importance…

Syllabi can be useful in engaging students and creating an effective classroom atmosphere, yet discussions of their effective use rarely appear. In light of current research and theory on syllabi, we review their typical uses (structural, motivational, and evidentiary), commonly included components, and attributes that positively impact the…

Science controversy has the potential to reinforce students' understanding of important biological concepts as well as helping students forge connections between concepts they may have previously seen disparate. Science controversy has the potential to help students make cross-disciplinary connections and therefore it should become an integral…

This study investigated the educational value of research participation by assessing the accuracy of student perceptions regarding the scientific status and methodology of psychology at 3 times during a semester: during the first week, following introductory and methodology lectures, and at the end of the term. Students' understanding of…

During the last century, appreciation courses and theatre departments have gained a place in community colleges. An examination of current textbooks reveals that pedagogical approaches to introductory theatre courses have focused on fostering an understanding of the history and the "poetics" of theatre. While this avenue is useful, I propose that…

Objective: To field questions from a room of students simulating a press conference. Type of speech: Impromptu. Point value: 10 participation points. To receive all 10 points, students must (1) address three questions from the lectern and ask three questions from their seat (3 points), (2) respond thoroughly to each question by providing a…

The term curriculum is familiar in school education, but more ambiguous in its usage in a higher education context. Although it is frequently used in academic staff discussions, policy and planning documents, and to describe advisory bodies, its usage is inconsistent and multifarious. This article reports a phenomenographic study of the ways in…

Discussing controversial topics such as stem cell research is a great way for students to build scientific understanding, enhance communication skills, and develop an appreciation for civic decision making. Tackling a topic such as stem cells at the middle level, however, can be a challenge because most young adolescents see the world in black and…

Professional programmers need common coding conventions to assure co-operation and a degree of quality of the software. Novice programmers, however, easily forget issues of programming style in their programming coursework. In particular with large classes, students may pass several courses without learning elements of programming style. This is…

The introduction of compulsory citizenship education in England's schools, following the Crick Report's recommendations of 1998, has proved controversial and, according to a growing body of evidence, largely unsuccessful in its implementation. If citizenship education is to play an effective role in democratic renewal this article argues that its…

The arrangement of course information in a logical sequence for molecular life science (MLS) courses remains a matter of some controversy, even within a single subdiscipline such as biochemistry. This is due to the explosion of knowledge, the latest bioinformatic revelations, and the observation that new discoveries sometimes reveal specific…

In recent years, different researchers and research agencies, teacher associations, national education organizations, and the U.S. Department of Education have published lists of the characteristics of effective professional development to guide school leaders in their improvement efforts. This study analyzed 13 of the better known of these lists…

Recent events in the United States have brought anti-evolution efforts into the forefront of the media's coverage of science education, and it makes press in Canadian outlets as well. Canadians can be regularly heard scoffing at American debacles such as the controversy regarding the denigration of evolution in Kansas's science standards, the…

In this article, the author relates how he uses media literacy activities in his classroom when discussing issues involving the Middle East countries. He relates how this strategy helps him to teach accurate information about the most challenging and controversial aspects of the contemporary Middle East. He shares that through media analysis,…

Exposing students to content outside of the classroom encourages them to take control of their learning. This article describes three methods for redesigning courses to create more class time for the development of higher-order skills. The combination of in-and out-of-class activities improves student learning without sacrificing course content.…