December 2006

Using Discussion Boards for One-on-One Student–Instructor Interaction
In a face-to-face class, students have many opportunities to interact individually with the instructor before, during, and after class. This interaction can be an important factor in a students’ success. Opportunities for interaction online can be plentiful as well, provided you design and facilitate your course to bring about one-on-one interaction.

Student Engagement: A Different Perspective
The reasons why students need to be involved and engaged when they attend college are well established. Engagement can be the difference between persisting to degree completion and dropping out. Research has sought to identify what makes student involvement more likely. Factors like student-faculty interaction, active and collaborative learning experiences, involvement in extracurricular activities, and residency on campus have all been shown to make a difference.

Where the Girls Are
By Thomas R. McDaniel, PhD
Last month, John McDaniel (my twin brother) addressed the “new event” in higher education: declining male enrolment and disappearing men’s colleges. Where are the boys? he asked. He noted that there are now only three four-year all-male colleges in the United States. He and I graduated from one, Hampden-Sydney, whose bumper sticker reads: “Where Men are Men and Women are Guests.” We also taught in an all-male public high school and in rival all-male prep…

Take the Poll!
Last month's poll question was, "Is your institution doing anything special to recruit male students?"