Few would disagree that grade inflation is a major problem at colleges and universities across the country. In this article, the author argues that a significant contributing factor-perhaps the single most important factor has been the institution of the now almost universal practice of administering anonymous, multiple-choice student evaluations…

In a large general education class where students demonstrate their personal creativity, a self-grading system was used during one semester and a conventional teacher-evaluation system was used during the second semester. The purpose was to gauge whether the self-grading system was appropriate. Students adapted well to the procedures used, and…

Because students in online distance courses use e-mail (a hot medium) to communicate, their messages often are filled with emotion, causing problems for teachers. This article describes the kinds of messages that men and women write and suggests strategies for course design to help defuse some of the emotion.

This case study of a team-taught learning community that integrates American history and literature focuses on student team presentations. We argue for the need to train students to learn actively, and we describe strategies for teaching students how to prepare for and present interdisciplinary team presentations. One finding is that training…

Of the many available options, instructors should choose "appropriate technology" that meets pedagogical goals with minimum disruption. Student journal assignments follow many teaching "best practices" but consume time and energy; we recommend e-mail as the most appropriate choice for journal assignments. E-mail encourages fast and personalized…

Collaborative teaching is used in many college and university programs to foster student enthusiasm and inquiry and to promote interdisciplinary learning. A literature review reveals benefits and pitfalls, but it lacks sufficient information for instructing team teachers in planning collaborative courses. In this article, we outline suggestions…

Journal clubs have been used to advance students' scientific skills beyond basic knowledge and comprehension, but students often view the traditional format of analyzing reported data and experimental design as laborious and intimidating. As such, the traditional approach can diminish student engagement and enthusiasm for the value of…

Textbooks are required in most introductory college science courses, but students may not be benefitting from the textbooks as much as their instructors might hope. Word use in the textbooks may influence textbook effectiveness. I tested whether either the amount of technical vocabulary or the readability had a significant effect on students'…

Proper hand hygiene accompanied with environmental surface disinfection provides a comprehensive approach to control and prevent respiratory and gastrointestinal illness in schools, hospitals, work environments, and the home. The persistent non-pathogenic Nora virus common in "Drosophila melanogaster" provides a horizontally transmitted…

A disorienting dilemma is a catalyst for change in perspective that may culminate in transformative learning. The authors analyze three activities in higher education that created disorienting dilemmas--a field trip, a service-learning experience, and study abroad. Results indicate that a disorienting dilemma can prompt students and faculty to…

Despite increased attention to diversity in higher education, educators are often unaware of the hidden cultural assumptions they bring to the classroom that impact the epistemological and pedagogical frameworks from which they operate. The disparity between our worldviews and those of our students can erect barriers to student performance. The…

The author explores how student learning can be enhanced through the appropriate development of teaching skills. In his review of elements of best practice drawn from the literature, conference material, and action research, the concept of "connectivity" emerged as a recurring, implicit term. From this evolved the concept of "connection learning,"…

It is crucial for teachers to communicate effectively about educational objectives to students, colleagues, and others in education. In 1956, Bloom developed a cognitive learning taxonomy to enhance communication between college examiners. The Bloom taxonomy consists of 6 hierarchical levels of learning (knowledge, comprehension, application,…

The authors redesigned a Lifespan Development course using Fink's (2003) taxonomy of significant learning and measured changes across his six domains: Knowledge, Application, Integration, Human Dimension, Caring, and Learning How to Learn. Using case studies and group work, 151 undergraduates completed identical pre- and post-tests that measured…

This study reveals that first-year college students are more impacted by the process of learning to learn than by the content of what they are learning. Specifically, adapting to college-level academic expectations, adopting successful study habits, and coping with the tendency to procrastinate were found to be critical to students' academic…