Compulsory Schooling‐‐the Critical Dimension to Work and Learning in the New Millennium

This article discusses the need to better match education to the needs of redefined work. It considers some of the attitudes and personal characteristics required in the new millennium and holds that these should be imparted through compulsory schooling. It further considers the appropriateness of skills training, vocational education, and employment strategies in the changing arena of business; the impact on the Twenty‐First Century learner of internationalization and globalization; and current as well as potential innovative learning experiences and opportunities. International business and learning examples are cited.     

American Indian Females and Stereotypes: Warriors,Leaders, Healers,Feminists; Not Drudges,Princesses, Prostitutes

This article is written by a Native female author. It delves into the historical stereotypes of Native females as drudges, princesses, and prostitutes perpetrated by media, movies, and literature. The author reviews research on the traditional and modern roles of Native females, including roles as warriors, leaders, and healers. Current literature and research on Critical Indigenous Feminist Theory is reviewed.     

The effects of cognitive style and course content on classroom social behavior

This study of the effects of course content and cognitive style on students' classroom social behavior utilized 29 boys experiencing academic difficulties. After completing the Embedded Figures Test, each subject was assigned to either field-dependent (FD) or field-independent (FI) groups. Systematic observations of the two groups' classroom behaviors in French and mathematics classes were compared using ANOVA techniques. Results showed that the social behavior profiles of the two groups were the same on 18 behavioral categories. However, consistent with previous findings, FI subjects were more disruptive than FD subjects. Variance in social behavior was due principally to course content. The interactive effects of cognitive and task characteristics on social behavior are discussed within a cognitive-behavioral perspective.     

A Strategic University-Wide Initiative to Introduce Programs of Study Using Flexible Delivery Methods

In 1997, the University of Queensland (http://www.uq.edu.au) made a commitment to move to flexible modes of delivery of programs of study from a largely face-to-face model of delivery. This change was linked to the opening of a new campus, as well as recognition of a need for change in current teaching practice. This led to a university-wide response to reassess current practice in order to be able to develop, implement, and deliver services and programs of study more effectively and appropriately to the students. This paper reports the process of implementing a university-wide response for flexible delivery that includes discipline-specific faculty development, design, development, and production of flexible learning materials, and the development of administrative and student-support services to meet the different requirements of the students.     

Social stratification and life chances: An interactive learning strategy for criminal justice classes

Social class is an important issue that must be taken into consideration when examining crime and criminal behavior in the United States. Social class is often viewed as a critical factor that influences the motivation to commit criminal activities. This article describes an interactive exercise that helps students better understand how social class may influence deviant and/or criminal behavior as a response to wanting to maintain status quo (particularly those in middle to upper class levels), economic hardships (that may occur at various class levels), the lack of social power, income inequality, or the lack of resources.     

The Impact of an Inquiry-Based Geoscience Field Course on Pre-service Teachers

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine the effects of a field-based, inquiry-focused course on pre-service teachers?? geoscience content knowledge, attitude toward science, confidence in teaching science, and inquiry understanding and skills. The field-based course was designed to provide students with opportunities to observe, compare, and investigate geological structures in their natural environment and to gain an understanding of inquiry via hands-on learning activities designed to immerse students in authentic scientific investigation. ANCOVA and MANCOVA analyses examining differences in outcome measures between students in the field experience (n?=?25) and education students enrolled in the traditional, classroom-based course (n?=?37) showed that students in the field course generally had significantly higher scores. Results provide evidence of the value of the field and inquiry-based approach in helping pre-service teachers develop the needed skills and knowledge to create effective inquiry-based science lessons.