Describes the use of learning cells to facilitate Socratic-like discussion and discusses how they can be adapted to the Internet. (EV)

Focuses on adolescent students' perceptions of their own actions, thoughts, and motives related to classroom talk about texts. Finds that students are aware of the conditions they believe to be conducive to good discussions, knowledgeable about the different tasks and topics that influence their participation in discussions, and cognizant of how…

Discusses three electronic conferencing tools that apprentice novice learners and encourage them to interact and grapple with alternative perspectives. Technical details of each tool are described, along with 1 instance where all 3 technologies were united, resulting in a highly interactive conversation shared by over 30 people at 4 different…

Describes how a community college teacher of an essay-level developmental writing class improved the quality of writing groups in the class. Discusses how she researched writing groups and cooperative learning; developed lesson plans for several class meetings; revised the structure of the groups after observations and feedback from students; and…

Describes establishment and activities of a support group for hard of hearing secondary students, who may not define themselves as either deaf or hearing. Examples of discussion topics include definitions, dealing with insensitivity, student advocacy, assistive devices, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and self-exploration. (DB)

Describes a group counseling and team-building session, using the results of a career interest inventory to stimulate debate. Offers suggestions for conducting the session and developing an agenda, logistical procedures, and tips on practical administrative techniques. Most of the article addresses the development of a histogram. (RJM)

Analyzes four middle schools' experiences with interdisciplinary teams. Although teaming is often considered a vehicle for developing community in schools, it may also present tensions for developing cohesiveness across teams. Too little time may be devoted to discussing important whole-school issues. The demands of teacher empowerment within the…

Presents four short articles submitted by teachers that discuss a realistic approach to a developmental reading curriculum for college students, K-W-L (know, want, learn) learning journals for college students, using a combination of poetry and writing with middle school students, and abbreviations for notetaking. (SR)

In 1995, Public Agenda and the Institute for Educational Leadership joined forces to develop a means for citizens, community leaders, and educators to hold public conversations on issues facing America's schools. Conversations help community members build common ground for improving schools. Success hinges on credible local sponsors, group…

Describes a study of doctoral program students that investigated whether more frequent instructor-initiated emails would result in more favorable student perceptions of the student-faculty relationship, higher student ratings of perceives sense of online community, higher degree of satisfaction with the learning experience, and higher levels of…

Presents the methodology, results, and difficulties encountered in the development and delivery of a course through the Internet at a university in Rio de Janeiro. Provides a model for group work, including group discussions; and shows how a Web-based environment can be used to provide support and to facilitate cooperative learning. (Author/LRW)

Describes a classroom game called the prisoner's dilemma that illustrates the conflict between social incentives to cooperate and private incentives to defect. Explains that it is a simple card game involving a large number of students. States that the students should be introduced to the real-world applications of the game. (CMK)

Discusses the quality of teacher-pupil dialogue in the guided reading session of the Literacy Hour and its relationship to pupils' powers of comprehension. Suggests that talk in this context is teacher-dominated. Argues that there is a case for making time available during the guided reading session for a period of discussion in which pupils are…

Describes the outcomes of recent research on children's talk while engaged in joint literacy activities in primary school. Uses the results to discuss the value of classroom talk and computer-based activities for promoting children's literacy development. Shows how group discussion can help children's literacy development. (SG)

Investigates use of oral narratives by a Mexican-born girl (Isabela) participating in small group literature discussions in a bilingual second-grade classroom in the U.S. over a year. Examines both the role of narratives in Isabela's discussions of texts and the role of context in shaping her talk. Suggests a notion of achievement that departs…