In this experiment we evaluate phonetic training as a tool for language learning. Specifically, we take a group of native speakers (NS) of English (n = 24) currently enrolled in Arabic classes at American universities, and evaluate the effectiveness of a high variability phonetic training program (HVPT) to improve their perception of a difficult…

The impact of teacher observations in alignment with professional development (PD) on teacher efficacy was quantified for 292 schools in 110 districts within 27 U.S. States. Teacher observations conducted by school leaders or designated internal coaches were coordinated with PD offerings aligned with intended teacher improvements. The PD involved…

Following on from my state-of-the-art article on "Language Awareness and language learning" (Svalberg 2007), in this paper I will discuss specific research tasks which are centrally concerned with different aspects of language awareness (LA): "explicit knowledge about language, and conscious perception and sensitivity in language learning,…

Because of their global clinical utility, phonemic fluency tests are frequently incorporated into neuropsychological assessment batteries. However, in heterogeneous societies their use is complicated by the lack of careful attention to using letters of equivalent difficulty across languages, and the paucity of norms stratified by relevant…

The authors adapted a measure of apathy previously used with Japanese college students to investigate relations between this construct and personality traits among U.S. college students. Males and females reported similar levels of apathy, and both were significantly lower than those obtained from Japanese college students. Analyses demonstrate…

Cellular respiration, the central component of cellular metabolism, can be a difficult concept for many students to fully understand. In this interrupted, problem-based case study, students explore the purpose of cellular respiration as they play the role of medical examiner, analyzing autopsy evidence to determine the mysterious cause of death…

Although the causes of achievement are many and varied, it is widely assumed that "motivation" and "self-regulation" are crucial determinants of academic performance. Substantial evidence indicates that students who focus on learning and understanding course material are more likely to perform well academically (Dweck and Leggett, 1988).…

The historic and current case to retain a focused clinical nursing identity within an academic context is explicit; however there is tension between the need for excellence in teaching and research, and obligation to maintain a credible clinical identity. Nursing is politically and vocationally advanced but, arguably, weaker academically.…

The study examined variation in the prediction of adjustment in Taiwanese students by ethnic density. A total of 155 Taiwanese students were assessed via survey pre-departure and three times post-arrival in the United States. Hierarchical regression analysis showed students on campuses with fewer other Taiwanese peers formed more friendships with…

This four-part handbook, developed by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), is intended for use by two-year institutions under review, members of evaluation teams, and others concerned with good practice in two-year institutions. Part I reviews the purposes of…

Volume II of a national needs assessment of science education in two-year colleges, consists of six appendices which provide supporting material and supplementary tabulations of data related to the study described in Volume I (SE 033 603). Appendices A, B, and C consist of descriptions of the following in subsequent order: sample design and the…

With the new European framework, as EAP lecturers in an engineering college, we are reappraising our teaching and the position of our courses. From the perspective of engineering education in the 21st century, we believe that EAP teaching can focus not only on language and communication needs, but also on developing critical thinking about science…

This article focuses on curriculum-based learning communities (LCs). In these LCs, manipulation of the curriculum is intentional and often innovative, with the overarching goals of developing meaningful connections among students, between students and faculty, and between students and their coursework. The variety of curriculum-based models…

Anyone who fixates on graduation rates has little understanding not only of the rich mission and value of community colleges, but also how deeply flawed and inadequate those rates are as a principal assessment tool for the performance of community colleges. In this article, the author discusses what is wrong with the use of graduation rates as the…

The junior college is examined from three aspects: institutional characteristics, student characteristics, and prediction of student academic success. Each of these topics is documented by several research articles. Measures of 36 college characteristics were intercorrelated for 581 junior colleges, and the geographical distribution of…