This article considers how theories of instructional scaffolding--which call for a skilled expert to teach a novice a new task by breaking it into smaller pieces--might be employed in graduate-level qualitative methods courses. The author discusses how she used instructional scaffolding in the design and delivery of a qualitative methods course…

The authors describe the service-learning component of two intermediate Spanish-language courses and present the findings of a qualitative study that examined the nexus between language learning and cultural understanding. The service-learning component was designed to enrich the curriculum and enhance academic learning while providing significant…

The authors examined the relationship between specific learning styles and stress and coping in a sample of female college students (N = 246). Participants in the study were assessed on the three variables by completing several self-report instruments measuring learning styles, life stress level, and coping skills. There were significant…

This study reveals that first-year college students are more impacted by the process of learning to learn than by the content of what they are learning. Specifically, adapting to college-level academic expectations, adopting successful study habits, and coping with the tendency to procrastinate were found to be critical to students' academic…

Improvisational techniques derived from the experiences in improvisational theatre can be adapted for the college classroom to leverage the characteristics of the Net Generation, their multiple intelligences and learning styles, and the variety of collaborative learning activities already in place in a learner-centered environment. When…

The authors describe the implementation of a teaching strategy combining case-based instruction (CBI) and asynchronous online discussions in two large educational psychology classes. Based on previous use of case studies and on recommendations developed through previous research on asynchronous online discussions, they predicted that students…

The author examines the effectiveness of a curriculum aimed to raise awareness of prospective English teachers and writers while studying the psychological and sociological impact of language use. Action research tested whether students already knew how to argue and think critically when they came to a 200-level undergraduate course. Finding that…

The authors describe an original and unique series of classroom group-work activities organized as a competitive game called "Project Psychology," which was implemented in an Introduction to Psychology course. The project goals included increasing student participation, interest, content comprehension, and motivation. Fostering…

The authors examine the interaction of teaching and culture as it relates to students' perceptions of course difficulty. Course content was found to be the most important factor in students' views of courses. For a difficult course, "study hard" was rated as most important to the students' perception of course success by all ethnic groups. In…

In a reflective essay about experiential learning in the classroom, the author discusses a spontaneous student protest movement and how embracing student resistance as engagement can enhance the learning experience and foster a critical pedagogy. Students in an anthropology class attempted to organize a boycott of a scheduled quiz and, in doing…

In order to encourage students to be self-motivated, engaged, critical thinkers, instructors must shift away from the traditional teacher-centered class to one that allows students to take responsibility for their own learning. Instructors may be hesitant to change classroom power relationships due to students' resistance to assuming more…

Research examining the influence of collaborative learning experiences on students' intellectual development has been somewhat inconclusive and largely based on samples of white, traditional-aged college students. Using data from the College Student Experiences Questionnaire (Pace, 1990), the author examines this relationship for a random sample…

Asperger Syndrome (AS) is a developmental disorder characterized by poor social skills and restricted interests, but also by extensive knowledge in specific areas and an extensive vocabulary, thereby giving college students with AS specific abilities that are desirable in academe. In fact, young individuals with AS are often referred to as "little…

The author reviews research indicating that discipline specialists and novices acquire knowledge differently. He argues that teaching professionals need to help students learn how to learn within general knowledge domains. The developmental/sociocultural perspectives of Vygotsky, Bakhtin, Luria, and others, which emphasize the inter/intrapersonal,…

The quality of student learning is a subject of considerable attention in higher education institutions around the world. One emerging pedagogy that addresses this issue for both higher education and the professional workplace is action learning. One concern, however, is that the definitions and conceptions of action learning vary widely. The…