Proactive Outreach to Adult Students: A Department and Library Collaborative Effort

The number of adult learners in institutions of higher education is increasing, and these students' reasons for attending, ways of learning, challenges, and methods for overcoming challenges often differ from those of traditional-age students. Faculty and library personnel can support these students in their research efforts using several collaborative endeavors. One department and university library recognized the struggles of many of their adult students as they sought to conduct research for coursework, as well as theses or dissertations. Collaborative activities proved effective in reducing students’ anxieties and frustrations with using the library and its resources.     

Leadership in Distance Education: Qualities and Qualifications Sought by Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

This article presents the results of an investigation into the qualities and qualifications sought in distance education leaders by institutions of higher education in the United States. The researchers examined 191 distance education leadership position announcements posted by online sources between 1997 and 2010. Content analysis of these announcements suggests that distance education leadership in higher education requires preparation at the graduate level and a variety of academic and administrative experiences and skills including leadership, program evaluation, technical expertise, teaching, and course development. Leadership responsibilities are equally broad within a range of strategic, operational, and instructional areas.     

Gender Differences in High‐school Students’ Views about Science

This study examined gender differences in 79 high‐school students’ attitudes towards their science classes, their perceptions of science and scientists, and their views about majoring in science. The study identified some of the subtleties underlying females’ low participation in, and interest in, science documented in previous research. Four themes emerged from responses on the rating scales and questionnaire. First, even when females planned to major in science, they were more interested than males in the people‐oriented aspects of their planned majors. Second, biology was the one exception to females’ low interest in science. Third, females often planned a science major mainly because they needed a science background in order to enter a health profession such as medicine or physical therapy. Fourth, females generally found science uninteresting and the scientific lifestyle (as perceived by them) unattractive. Implications for teaching science were discussed.     

The Role of Initial Learning,Problem Features,Prior Knowledge,and Pattern Recognition on Transfer Success

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that transfer ability (positive and negative) varies depending on the nature of the problems, using the knowledge transfer matrix, as well as being dependent on the individual differences of the learner. A total of 178 participants from the United States and New Zealand completed measures of prior knowledge, pattern recognition, a positive transfer problem, and a negative transfer problem. Nearly 11% of participants could not successfully solve the base problem after the initial learning phase. The problem condition was a significant predictor of positive transfer success, while no significant differences were found for negative transfer, although, there was ample evidence of negative transfer. Furthermore, prior knowledge was only a significant predictor for problems in which the structural features between the problems were different. Future directions are discussed in regard to the initial learning phase, differences in transfer success, and the need for measures of negative transfer.     

Re-presenting the ‘forgotten estate’: participatory theatre,place and community identity

In this article, we discuss the work undertaken in the first phase of a participatory theatre project which took place on a council housing estate in the Midlands of England, in which residents were invited to share their memories for a production which would present the history of the estate. This community is often characterised as deficient, ageing, welfare-oriented, low in educational attainment and aspiration. Interviews and field notes suggest that there was not a great amount of hope within the community for the success of a participatory arts project such as this. However, the performance attracted a large number of participants who performed to full houses over five nights. Using a place-based approach, we argue that a model of open participation led to the presentation of alternative, more positive, narratives of this community as a place to live.     

New Faculty Roles in Learning Outcomes Education: The Experiences of Four Models and Institutions

Innovative models that focus on learning outcomes engage faculty in new ways of facilitating and assessing learning, while their institutions seek to support and reward their participation. Innovators from four different institutions provide an overview of their approaches to implementing principles of outcomes-based education, compare their models, and explore the changes that are precipitated in the roles, rewards, resources, structures, and models. While the four institutions and models differ on several significant variables, the innovators identify common key elements and issues that the academy must address in order to transform the educational experience and culture to a more learning-centered enterprise.