Suggests some social conflict dilemmas, such as war, which might be analyzed in the classroom. (SJL)

Civility can encourage educational debate, but it does not assure that the debate itself is of great intellectual value. (LH)

Presents for classroom discussion the tension between communication ethics and freedom of speech issues through the case of the 1991 public "outing" of a closeted homosexual. Presents questions for student discussion that provide an opportunity to explore a multilayered ethical problem concerning First Amendment rights and the…

Interviews with 19 nursing students (from a cohort of 135) indicated that they liked reflective groups for support but there was little evidence of a theory-practice link or stimulation of reflection-on-action. Practice discussions tended to emphasize dramatic and emotionally charged situations. There was a need for understanding about the…

Argues that family literacy programs can use children's literature as a vehicle for adults to explore their experiences, to develop a tolerance for different points of view, and to find time to engage in personal reflection. (SR)

Discusses the process of debriefing following a simulation game and the role of the facilitator in debriefing. Guidelines, including specific activities and questions the facilitator might ask, are suggested for the three phases of debriefing--description, analogy/analysis, and application. (MES)

Presents methodology and results of the focus group interviews with 21 people from elementary and secondary schools and 17 people from institutions serving adults which were conducted as part of an evaluation of the Career Information System of Iowa. Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of focus groups and additional applications to career…

Describes the features of questions which are "honest." Relates the process of learning to ask honest questions and efforts to help others learn them as well. (PRA)

Asserts that citizenship is actualized through curriculum and instruction that emphasize learning as a process of discovery rather than a transmittal of information. Describes how a presentation which involved a flag-burning stimulated shared inquiry. Offers a detailed method that uses chaos in the interpretation of literature to increase…

Explains listservs (services to which subscribers may send communications for distribution to all other subscribers to the listserv) that are available through e-mail on the Internet; how they differ from newsgroups; how to host your own list; different types of lists, including open lists, controlled lists, and moderated lists; and how to…

Suggests several novels for educators' summer reading enjoyment, including classics by Robert Pirsig, Robertson Davies, John Steinbeck, Albert Camus, and Charles Dickens. Educators might also read Alex Kotlowitz's "There Are No Children Here" (Doubleday, 1991) and Sharon Quint's "Schooling Homeless Children" (Teachers College Press, 1994) to gain…

Describes an experimental mathematics course involving an interpretive discussion approach in which students and instructors work together to develop questions about the meaning of mathematical, philosophical, and musical texts. Appendix contains a cluster of questions for Euclid's proof of the infinity of prime numbers. (MKR)

Analysis of three Web discussion forums concerned with social change (Znet, Youth Forum Online, Commie Love) identified factors conducive to online learning communities. Interaction was higher when discussion involved peers and the host acted as an equal. Online discussion might benefit groups that face obstacles to communication. (SK)

Describes an experimental Web site that was developed to facilitate the discussion of large texts. Explains the template which enables discussion participants to enter comments at the paragraph level and to view all relevant information while commenting, and considers potential applications for higher education. (LRW)

Sets forth the nine major steps of problem solving in a proactive, future-focused, and vision-oriented way: defining the problem, identifying the contributing factors, stating why this is a problem, stating the preferred scenario, brainstorming possible alternatives, evaluating pros and cons of the alternatives, choosing an alternative, developing…