The peer-reviewed and psychometrically validated Test of Scientific Literacy Skills developed by Gormally et al. was used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of a general education natural science program. By comparing the scores of students who had already taken at least one course in this area with the scores of those who had not, and by…

This study is grounded in the theoretical and conceptual frameworks that postulate diversity and collegiate experiences as triggers for the cognitive disequilibrium that fosters critical thinking (CT). With the assumption that CT is both a general and a discipline-specific facility, this longitudinal, single-institution study of 447 students…

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) is a postbaccalaureate comprehensive university in the Midwest. In 2005, SIUE embarked on a challenging journey of general education reform. A review of the current general education program revealed that it is possible for a student to graduate from SIUE without taking a quantitative course. Hence,…

General education requirements are a cornerstone of the U.S. system of higher education, making up approximately 30 percent of the average undergraduate degree program (Brint, Proctor, Murphy, Turk-Bicakci, & Hanneman, 2009). While there appears to be a consensus among U.S. educators and employers that general education is a valuable component of…

This research sought to investigate student success using psychological sense of community as a guiding theory with the intention of providing information that could be applied in a university setting. Policy makers, researchers, and practitioners involved with higher education need programs for student success that are both efficient and…

As far as the authors are aware, there is no published information that assesses the beliefs of students regarding global health issues. The purpose of this study was twofold: first, to assess students' baseline knowledge and beliefs regarding issues in global health and second, to evaluate the effectiveness of a new global health course by…

This study assesses whether Tufts University's campus culture was successful at infusing civic-mindedness in all undergraduates. A structural equation model was developed, and findings revealed that the campus environment had a significant positive impact on civic values and beliefs and a positive indirect effect on civic engagement activities.…

Many universities positively impact student retention rates by aligning state competencies and undergraduate coursework with specific learning outcomes known to contribute to success. Faculty from teaching and nursing conducted interdisciplinary focus group research to gather student perceptions concerning whether skills obtained through core…

There is little discussion as to the involvement of military students in higher education and their benefit to the classroom in the form of civic development and learning outcomes. The study suggests that all students benefit from these engagements but special considerations should be undertaken by creating positive learning environments.…

This investigation uses student course evaluations to examine the relationship between class size and perceived student learning, after student effort and instructor quality have been taken into account. This study found that despite the efforts by students and instructors, class size had a significant negative relationship with perceived student…

The study presents an analysis of student papers at the end of a problem-based course designed to create an active learning environment and encourage a deep approach to learning. It explores the achievement and participation characteristics of students claiming to have "learned nothing" and suggests the impact of student resistance. (Contains 3…

This study examined whether participation in collaborative learning activities during class meetings played a role in the students' academic learning and in their satisfaction with the course in general and with these activities in particular. The research demonstrated that group activities and class discussions are effective in fostering student…

Higher education, as well as the larger society appears to be experiencing a serious decline in civility. In this article the author presents the case for introducing civility education in first-year general education courses. After citing some of the research documenting both faculty and student perceptions of incivility in the university and…

The original grounded theory was derived from a sample of junior and senior science and engineering majors. The current study tested the original grounded theory with a new set of juniors and seniors who were, in contrast to the original sample, primarily studying the liberal arts. In this qualitative analysis, the authors sought to determine if…

Two studies were conducted regarding the achievement goal orientations of college students within two contexts: coursework in all courses and in general education courses. Interactions were detected for achievement goals by class level and context. Findings raise concern about student attitudes toward general education, despite its importance to…