This paper deals with a course intended to teach individuals a method of convergent thinking, or "idea focusing", in seeking inventive solutions to problems and designing innovative artefacts. The course participants (mathematics, science, or technology teachers) learned a range of "inventive principles" often used for problem-solving in…

The central argument of this paper is that adopting some of the techniques practised by stand-up comedians can help teachers in higher education challenge students in ways that will ultimately improve the student learning experience overall. It will suggest that developing co-dependent relationships and over-engaging with students is disabling…

Prospective teachers enrolling for teacher education programmes often bring with them fixed images and beliefs about the roles they see themselves fulfilling in the teaching profession. The aim of this research was to uncover, firstly, "beginning student teachers' initial perceptions of the roles that they see themselves performing," and secondly,…

The twenty-first century demands not only that we learn new forms of social engagement but also that we "unlearn" habits that have been useful in the past but may no longer be valuable to the future. Teachers have "un-learned" the role of "Sage-on-the-stage" as the dominent model of teaching, and the shift to "Guide-on-the-side" has served an…

In the paper we attempt to address principal issues of political history as part of the political science curriculum today, ranging from "what to teach" to "how to teach." Assuming the necessity in contemporary information society of selecting information rather than only accessing it, we propose approaches, such as topics networking, to create…

This paper describes the development of a business simulation combining a computer application with real experts to provide university students with an immersive experience in business management. It introduces a methodology that involves students in a process of interaction with other participants as well as benefiting from valuable feedback from…

This paper outlines McGill University's responses to the challenges of teaching and learning with information systems and technologies; it also gives a description of the underlying philosophy that is guiding these actions. The context at McGill is briefly outlined, with a discussion of the importance of planning and the relevance of these issues…

Improvements in technology and the increasing bandwidth of Internet access have led to an increasing popularity for synchronous solutions for instruction. Not only do they provide savings in terms of time and cost, in many situations they can also outperform both asynchronous online instruction and traditional face-to-face education. However,…

This paper focuses on two increasingly important issues in teacher education: the design of more skill-based education and the involvement of students by means of peer assessment. Ninety-three student teachers were trained in one important peer-assessment skill, namely 'defining performance criteria'. This training, which consisted of four…

It has long been acknowledged that the beliefs of university teachers can have a significant impact on the success of flexible learning innovations in tertiary settings (Errington, 1985, 2001; McDiarmid, 1990; Pajares, 1992; Calderhead, 1996; Richardson, 1996; Hofer & Pintrich, 1997; Tatto, 1998). The infrastructure for the adoption or rejection…