National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) student-athletes represent a unique subculture on college campuses, and the athlete must balance the rigors of coursework, athletics, and the non-traditional dynamics associated with being an athlete, which include "dumb jock" stereotypes, isolation, negative criticism, and the fear…

Applied learning includes a variety of curricular and co-curricular experiences within higher education, including student internships, undergraduate research, cooperative learning, capstone experiences, and independent/directed study. While research has shown the benefits of applied learning experiences related to student outcomes, how to…

Wagner College's academic program emphasizes interdisciplinary study, experiential learning, and reflection on theory and practice. The curriculum is enhanced by a rich array of opportunities in New York City. In the course of their undergraduate studies, students enroll in three learning communities, two of which include experiential learning and…

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has required faculty and students to adapt to an unprecedented challenge and rapidly transition from traditional face-to-face instruction to distance learning formats through virtual classrooms. While most campuses trained faculty to ensure quality and maintenance of the curriculum through virtual classrooms,…

Drawing on challenges I experienced when teaching a political communication course, I designed an upper-level undergraduate course with the objective of developing students' civic competence and democratic engagement. The major class assignment, which is the focal point of this best practices essay, was a four-step collaborative voter mobilization…

This paper examines the roles that 52 university Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students play in an Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Partnership that connects several middle schools, high schools, institutions of higher learning, businesses, and community institutions. It also examines the support these students…

In this article, we discuss three cross-cultural memoirs used in three different university courses that introduced students to the complex identities that form both inside and outside of language classrooms. In arguing for the value of using such memoirs as content in university courses, we provide a detailed thematic analysis of Peter Hessler's…

It is now common for students to carry mobile learning technology (MLT; e.g,. tablet, smartphone, etc.) wherever they go -- including to school and the classroom. Although these MLT devices are a distraction to learning in many classroom environments, they have the potential to be used as a positive learning tool in physical education (PE) courses…

The use of Creative Writing methodologies and techniques in university Composition classes has recently become an element of contention, namely questioning whether or not creativity for composition and rhetoric curriculum is detrimental or productive for student learning. This essay discusses the beneficial aspects of using Creative Writing form,…

There is a widening college access gap in the United States. The ever-rising cost of higher education, coupled with diminished government financial support and growing income inequality, have put college out of reach for many at a critical juncture when postsecondary education is essential for enhancing career prospects. The situation has been…

We present a short, inquiry-based learning course on concepts and methods underlying ordinary least squares (OLS), least absolute deviation (LAD), and quantile regression (QR). Students investigate squared, absolute, and weighted absolute distance functions (metrics) as location measures. Using differential calculus and properties of convex…

Peer educators have a critical role to play in the delivery of a wide variety of important programs on college campuses. Nowhere is this more evident than in learning assistance programs. These programs, typically housed in a learning center or learning assistance office, include tutoring and mentoring and often take the form of individual and…

The development of Web 2.0 technologies has made a multitude of educational innovations possible in language classrooms. The aim of this inquiry is to explore advanced English language learners' perceptions, motivation and confidence along with their perceived strengths and weaknesses of learning academic writing through blog-assisted language…

The United States (US) has since its inception considered the education of its citizens as critical for preserving democracy. The recent attractiveness of autocratic leaders, not only in the US but across the world, raises questions about the dominant educational model now in place. We argue that the authoritarian and business-oriented structure…

Over the past two decades, writing studies scholars have continually stressed the importance of fostering the development of student metacognition in the writing classroom. Not only does the development of a metacognitive awareness of the writing process help students to become stronger writers, it also allows them to more successfully transfer…