The development of technologies enables us to create online learning environments. As online learning is expanding its role in higher education, it becomes one of fundamental issues how to create online learning environments to facilitate online interaction. One of the methods is using a discussion board where learners can interact with other…

This bulletin brings together the concepts of parent networking and the Internet. The document highlights key free or low cost features of the Internet which have proven to be useful tools in linking together networks of parents. It addresses the following six questions: (1) What if I don't have a computer? (2) How can I get Web access? (3) How do…

These classroom guides, designed to accompany the daily CNN (Cable News Network) Newsroom broadcasts for the month of April 2002, provide program rundowns, suggestions for class activities and discussion, student handouts, and a list of related news terms. Top stories include: Israeli soldiers attack Yasser Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah,…

This book describes an inquiry-oriented form of professional development--the New Teacher Group--which provides teachers with opportunities to engage in discussions with their peers about problems experienced in their professional lives. Blending school psychology and teacher education, the book adapts a consultee-centered consultation model…

Proponents of computer-mediated education suggest that the reflectivity, interactivity, and collaboration of online discussion provide an egalitarian learning environment for men and women. Others suggest that on-line discussion contains the same gender bias as face-to-face classroom communication. This study analyzed the 456 discussion postings…

Maruno-Kato Discussion Inventory (MKDI) is an inventory which consists of self-rating scales measuring discussion skills and related personality traits. Previously, we demonstrated that the MKDI has adequate qualities as psychometric tests. However, to show the effectiveness or validity of the inventory further, we need to demonstrate how well…

There is a growing interest among organizations in identifying and nurturing Communities of Practice. Delineating what is and what is not a Community of Practice (CoP) is not a clear-cut task. One specific area of difficulty is distinguishing between a team and a CoP. Because there are strong similarities between the two, it is often helpful to…

What do principals discuss when they get together to "talk shop?" This paper offers some answers and discusses implications for the preparation and professional development of school leaders. The activities reported in the paper were undertaken as part of the Cognitive Approaches to School Leadership (CASL) Project. In the broadest terms…

Networked multimedia is described as a tool for collaborative learning, focusing on learning through discussion. It is proposed that multimedia may be used to structure and enhance communication, thereby promoting learning. The background and application of collaborative learning is outlined. Several dimensions of media which influence the…

Many students in grades 3-5 may be reluctant to participate in literature discussion groups because they are accustomed to round-robin reading and whole-class discussions followed by individual workbook exercises. These children may require extensive instructional support to learn to participate in more independent discussions. This book describes…

The main objectives of teaching ethics in the Communication Training and Development class are to encourage students to think in ethical terms, and to simulate experiences that reflect the choices and consequences of ethical and unethical behavior. This paper outlines an evolutionary classroom process with eight separate teaching components. The…

This manual addresses whether schools and classroom spaces enhance or detract from the learning process and provides school assessment guidelines for communities anticipating the expansion of existing schools or the construction of new ones. It is a collection of survey and discussion tools that encourage stakeholders to discover and reflect upon…

This teaching guide for "Where the Lilies Bloom" provides an introduction, a plot summary, and a conclusion as background information. The guide furnishes questions for discussion which focus on plot, point of view, setting, characters, interpretation and symbolism, ethical questions, and conclusion. (NKA)

Groupwork carried out via computer mediated communication (CMC) is now a fact of life in the the workplace. This study investigates the effects of group membership and task experience on asynchronous computer-mediated groupwork. Groups acquiring task experience as groups during weeks one and two performed better on the final task at week three…

This paper develops a moral approach to educational controversy, examining a collaborative research project that promotes reconciliation between diverse perspectives and laying out the foundations of a reconciliatory discourse. Section 1 discusses problems in education that contribute to unproductive discourse (conflict of educational purposes,…