This article seeks to inspire humanities and social science faculty to explore ways of utilizing existing scholarly online communities to engage students in the process of academic inquiry. The author discusses her own experience using a discipline-specific listserv, shares successful assignments, examples of student postings and a grading rubric.…

Those who teach research methods courses may struggle to engage students who are anxious or apprehensive about taking the course. Thus, it becomes the obligation of the instructor to develop innovative approaches so that students overcome their apprehension, learn the material, and, it is hoped, develop a passion for research. The authors present…

This qualitative study examines the career strategies of 17 professors at a major research university who are noted by key colleagues and former students for taking their teaching seriously. The author discusses two career strategies--applying career design principles and acting resourcefully about teaching development--that help these professors,…

Traditional teaching models based on linear approaches to instruction arguably are of limited value in preparing students to handle complex, dynamic real-world problems. As such, they are undergoing increased scrutiny by scholars in various disciplines. The author argues that nonlinear approaches to higher education such as those founded on…

Presents a catalog of active-learning techniques aimed at fostering student learning in the context of a lecture course. Activities range from listening practices to short writing exercises to complex group exercises. Barriers to implementing active learning, and some solutions, are explored and personal experience with the techniques are…

Describes a teaching method based on the need to identify important learning outcomes and integrate them throughout all stages of the teaching-learning cycle. Stages include pretesting, classroom instruction, outcomes, and long-term impacts. A fundamental principle is that students know what outcomes are expected and that teachers and students…

Describes one college-faculty member's research project based on the experiences of five college students involved in service learning with children's organizations. Students served as participant-observers at an international conference on children's issues and their field reports yielded a solid profile of ideal environments for children…

Goals for undergraduate English courses typically include increasing students' critical reading, thinking, and research skills, providing literary-aesthetic experiences, and encouraging students to express themselves analytically on complex topics. Authors describe experiences in two advanced writing classes and a core literature course using…

Research with 96 undergraduates investigated interpretations of a global-evaluation item common to student evaluation forms. Through narratives and semistructured interviews, students described classroom experiences, beliefs about good teaching, and aspects of the evaluation process that influencing their ratings. The item produced multiple…

Describes principles underlying an emerging model for Internet-intensive undergraduate instruction at Miami University (Ohio) in which students learn by creating online materials themselves; faculty facilitate active learning; student intellectual exchanges are enriched; and the seminar sensibility is extended. Four applications are examined: a…

Describes application of collaborative learning in a German business school, focusing on use of self-managed learning and examining the cultural implications for student-directed pedagogies. Strategies for dealing with student resistance are offered, including not taking students' resistant behavior personally, designing many process options,…

Describes the development of an instructional model encouraging collaborative learning in graduate business education. The approach evolved from a survey of professionals concerning the interpersonal and individual skills needed for effectiveness in graduate school, the job market, and society, and resulted in a revised curriculum. (MSE)

After preparing their own teaching portfolios, four Georgia Southern University instructors designed a study to investigate what happens when neither follow-up workshops nor mentoring are provided by the institution. Results indicate that without institutional support, especially mentoring, faculty use teaching portfolios primarily for tenure and…

Outlines a method college teachers can use to create a course mission statement by considering the course in terms of desired processes and outcomes. The method serves both to help instructors and students work toward the same goals and as a tool for evaluating the effectiveness of particular pedagogies and content. A case study illustrates the…

Describes the college-level use of written reading reactions structured assignments requiring students to describe and react in writing to assigned reading, followed by classroom discussion in which all students must select and share ideas. The method is found to encourage on-time reading of assignments, broader student participation, higher…