In order to improve the quality of classroom discussion, Group Interaction Analysis (GIA) is suggested as a means of increasing an individual's awareness of the role he assumes in group discussions. GIA is a systemized technique involving the observation of both beneficial and non-beneficial discussion activities. These activities are: (1) fact…

This article presents a brief overview of Gestalt theory, the group interventions utilized to experiment with interpersonal contact in a conference workshop along with their theory base, an evaluation of the workshop, and some experimental ideas and recommended activities that group leaders may want to incorporate into similar interpersonal…

Explains an exercise useful for basic speech course instruction designed to facilitate interaction with strangers. (MH)

Indicates a periodic structure in the distribution of between-turn silences in two-party conversation, a finding that is inconsistent with current stochastic or signaling models, which view social interaction as an exchange of stimuli and responses. Finds that social interaction is fundamentally a collaborative activity. (JD)

Presents S. Jackson's and S. Jacobs' theory of conversational argument and demonstrates flaws in the representational validity of their research from the perspective of face-to-face interaction. Describes characteristics of a "paradigm case" of interactional argument that extends Jackson's and Jacobs' ideas about argumentation in…

Shows that among the qualities of interaction present in peer learning are the negotiation of teaching and collaborative roles, attention-focusing, showing and pointing, and informative messages. (FL)

Describes a perspective designed to examine the structure, function, and process of interpersonal communication to locate the major sources of problems in particular interactions. States assumptions of the perspective, defines the elements and processes of interpersonal communication, suggests ways to use the framework, and describes current…

Examines the impact of communication apprehension (CA) and interaction structure on participants' perceptions and behavior during initial interactions. Finds that high and low CA males perceived their female interaction partners differently, while females reported less satisfying interactions in the structured versus unstructured condition. (SR)

Attempts to demonstrate that the discourse strategies of high-involved and low-involved communicators exhibit the same systematic pattern in managing pragmatic resources in conversation as previously demonstrated for the management of textual resources in conversation. (MS)

Children with mental retardation (n=32) and their younger nonretarded siblings were observed interacting in the home setting. Interactions were characterized by accentuated role asymmetries that favored the younger sibling. Competence of the mentally retarded child reliably predicted sibling role asymmetries. Gender differences in roles and…

In this article, we propose a framework for Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) employing dynamic groups, where at different stages students work independently, interact with each other in pairs, and conduct joint work in larger groups with varying numbers of participants. A Dynamic Group Environment for Collaborative Learning…

This paper discusses research on a Partner Classroom pilot program that was implemented over a two-year period to provide "high quality," "targeted" field experiences in a senior-level elementary literacy methods course. The aim was to shift the focus from passive watching and engagement in routine classroom tasks to emphasize guided observations,…

For many years, face-to-face peer mentoring has been a feature of learning support provided to first-year undergraduate students at one university in the UK. Building on the success of these initiatives, a scheme has been developed at this institution in which first-year undergraduates are mentored by second- and third-year students through a…

This article reports the third phase of the Froebel Research Fellowship Project: "The Voice of the Child: ownership and autonomy in early learning". Building on the first and second phases of this study, this phase examined early years practitioners' experiences of supporting young children's thinking in relation to the personal…

The need to collaborate in the fields of business, health care, and technology is not a new concept. Educational institutions, however, have been slow to recognize the need to teach collaboration skills (Brownell & Walther-Thomas, 2002; Jackson, 2004). This article focuses on the development of the Collaboration Self-Assessment Tool (CSAT). The…