Two collaborative learning programs for beginning college students are examined: the University of Washington's Freshman Interest Group and the Coordinated Studies Program at Seattle Central Community College (Washington). The study looks at whether and how such programs are effective. The programs appear effective in promoting commuter student…

The ethos of a college or university is a belief system widely shared by faculty, students, administrators, and others. Colleges with an ethos of learning share three themes: (1) a holistic institutional philosophy of learning; (2) an involving campus culture; and (3) a climate encouraging free expression. A learning ethos must be cultivated…

The use of a learning community approach to college curriculum design is explored, and examples are drawn from the following Temple University (Pennsylvania) and the following Washington colleges: Evergreen State College, North Seattle and Seattle Central Community College, Tacoma Community College, and Lower Columbia College. Contacts for further…

Problems and considerations in developing interdisciplinary programs in higher education are examined, and the evolution of several new programs linking humanities and teacher education is discussed. Programs at Georgia Southern University, Salem College (North Carolina), and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee are highlighted. (MSE)

A new program at Madonna University (Michigan) builds on the institution's existing emphasis on the humanities in teacher education by creating faculty development activities that promote an interdisciplinary learning community and developing courses to forge formal curricular links between key humanities general education courses and required…

This article describes an interdisciplinary seminar for college faculty which focuses on the process of discovering and crossing disciplinary boundaries to work with colleagues on developing and teaching general education programs. Participants were interdisciplinary teams from different institutions. (MSE)

The process by which an interdisciplinary faculty team from California State University-Northridge developed an interdisciplinary program of upperdivision linked courses is described. Short- and long-term changes in the curriculum and practical considerations in making those changes are highlighted. (MSE)

Philosophical origins and evolution of a Brooklyn College (New York) early childhood/elementary teacher education curriculum that integrates studies in liberal arts/sciences and teacher education are described. The curriculum includes a humanities, social sciences, and mathematics/sciences strand. It was developed in response to local realities…

This paper contends that liberal education is a critical foundation for development of clinical judgment skills required for professional nursing practice, that nursing students need to see human experience from more than one point of view, and that incorporation of professional education in a liberal arts university enriches all students. (MSE)

This paper contends that trends in business (restructuring, downsizing, decentralization, managerial empowerment, internationalization) strongly imply a need to reorganize the college curriculum to provide future professionals with the skills and intellect to meet multiple economic and organizational challenges. This means a new learning model and…

Development of a more integrated and globally focused curriculum at Earlham College (Indiana) is chronicled, focusing on development of interdisciplinary cooperation; internationalization of the curriculum; use of visiting scholars; and redesign of study-abroad programs to incorporate predeparture orientation, a structured ethnographic or…

A faculty member's experiences with service learning programs at Rutgers University (New Jersey) and Providence College (Rhode Island) illustrate how college student involvement in community service causes them to consider their membership in diverse communities and develop critical thinking skills. Service learning is felt to connect issues of…

A participant in a conference on interdisciplinary general education at the college level highlights some of the issues addressed there: institutional limitations and opportunities; interdisciplinarity versus the power of deep disciplinary inquiry; cross-disciplinary linkages versus interdisciplinary inquiry; and the role of student development…

A general education reform initiative, emphasizing an interdisciplinary approach, is being developed at the State University of New York-Geneseo by a team of faculty and administrators as the result of a national conference. Emphasis is placed on the process by which the initiative evolved, team membership, the role of the conference, and timing.…

A week-long conference on "Campus Leadership and American Pluralism" is summarized. The gathering of senior-level college administrators and faculty with institutionwide curricular interests focused on planning for diversity in the college curriculum, in the departments, and on campus. (MSE)