A study of the relationship between anxiety, academic achievement, and students' preferred learning style and instructional climate found two kinds of dispositional stress. One, characterized by lack of self-confidence, was not conducive to social learning environments, and the other, similar to Type A behavior, was conducive to learning. (MSE)

Results of a study of test anxiety among community college students are reported, and their implications for intervention are discussed. It is suggested that evaluation anxiety be reduced by reducing emotional arousal, modifying the learning environment, developing a cognitive task orientation, and involving the college staff in cooperating for…

College instructors can design discussion classes so that students use the concepts and processes of the discipline to evaluate facts and move toward reliable conclusions. Described are: discussion as a cycle of inquiry; creating tension around ideas; seeking causal relationships; scanning the factual base, etc. (MLW)

Many universities seeking to upgrade their faculties are willing to offer educational assistance scholarships, loans, and grants to current faculty. This permits a university to retain and upgrade desirable faculty while encouraging them to increase their academic credentials. Ways to minimize the tax consequences are explored.(MLW)

Student volunteers arrange themselves according to height, weight, and grade point average, and in 15 to 20 minutes, a number of statistical concepts are introduced and worked with in an introductory statistics course. (MLW)

Shared laughter is a powerful way to reinforce learning, and it helps to make tasks less laborious and threatening. Humor, retention, anxiety; engaging in spontaneous and planned humor; concerns about humor use; and personal humor growth and integration with instruction are discussed. (MLW)

The most popular liberal arts elective offered during "Interim," a three-week intensive study semester given at the Fashion Institute of Technology, is described. Course origin, concept and format, course instructor, department coordinator, and course modifications are described. (MLW)

A course at the University of Georgia is described that helps students acquire problem-solving skills so that ultimately the entire remedial program would be improved, giving students with major deficiencies in basic skills a better chance to succeed in their regular university courses. (MLW)

Techniques for providing variety and effectiveness within the lecture format are described, including the oral essay, participatory lecture, problem-solving approach, alternating mini-lectures and discussions, modeling analytical skills, debate, simulation and role-playing, and the affective/emotional media lecture. (MSE)

Two surveys are reported: one of social science and liberal arts deans concerning the place of writing about teaching among their institutions' social scientists, and one of an examination of the author academic rank/institutional affiliation and article type in scholarly journals concerned with teaching. (MSE)

Techniques for developing a faculty recruitment and selection procedure, including establishing congruent goals, preparing the committee for screening and interviewing, and conducting the search, and for building collegiality within the committee are outlined. (MSE)

Howard University's one-day faculty conference on writing consisted of two concurrent sessions in which local professionals outside academe discussed their daily need for good writing skills. The conference resulted in faculty enthusiasm for finding ways to help students become better writers. (MSE)

The use of instructor-prepared notes covering 90 percent of the lecture information in one large-group human sexuality course was enthusiastically received by the students, and anecdotal evidence suggests an increase in correct test responses. (MSE)

The role of self-perception and other personal characteristics in women's leadership abilities and acceptance of leadership roles is discussed. The importance of replenishing one's emotional and physical resources to function at high professional and personal levels is emphasized. (MSE)

The use of self-hypnosis techniques to overcome barriers to writing freely is illustrated in the experiences of several writers who successfully used the method. (MSE)