Understanding how students develop learning opportunities through peer-to-peer interaction is vital for advancing research and practice on collaborative learning environments. This study investigated the discourse practices middle grade students utilized to resolve conflict in ways that promoted or inhibited learning opportunities. Seventy-seven…

This study compared the effectiveness and efficiency of using a small-group massed-trial instructional format to an individually administered distributed-trial format, both using the constant time delay procedure, in teaching eight preschool children (including three with developmental disabilities) to name pictures. Although all subjects acquired…

Effective instructional strategies used to teach language skills to 24 elementary aged students with autism or moderate mental retardation included the use of choral responding; the use of student-to-student responding; the frequent rotation of materials while teaching 2 to 3 concepts; and the use of random, unpredictable trials for student…

A progressive time delay procedure used in a small group instructional arrangement was successful in teaching four high school students with severe handicaps to read community-referenced words. Two of the students learned additional words by observing their peers. (Author/DB)

Five children (27 to 47 months old) with mild to borderline levels of mental retardation were given a milieu language intervention program of 3 or 4 small group training sessions weekly. Results indicated the training had a clear facilitative effect on the acquisition and generalized use of common nouns and verbs by four of the subjects.…

Two studies compared the performance of students (total n=66 and ages 5-21) with autism or developmental disabilities in one-to-one instruction to performance of those transitioned to small groups. Results indicated successful transition to small group formats across curriculum areas including language, math, readiness, and shopping. (Author/DB)

Reports the results of five contrasts between small-group learning and a more teacher-centered instructional style employed in junior high, high school, and college mathematics classes. In no case did the small-group class perform more poorly than the one led by a teacher; in one case, measuring long-term retention, the small-group class performed…

A format is proposed for use in systematic instructional designs where small group activities are planned. The format includes descriptive categories of activity identification; instructional objectives; role, task, and reward structures; evaluation procedures; and support system. Examples are given of how the format can be used. (Author/MBR)

Describes several facets of small-group instruction including teacher, group, and individual behaviors and use of time. Observational data were supplemented by teacher interviews concerning student groupings. Grouping practice appeared to result from decisions teachers made primarily on the basis of three factors: the teacher, the students, and…

Discusses efforts to bring a multicultural perspective to a 200-level course on the sociology of health and aging as a means of addressing broader multicultural curriculum transformation issues. The course is constructed around students' examination of four basic questions concerning their own experiences with exclusion and entitlement. (MJP)

Reports on a study conducted by a university geography department and its school of education. They divided a World Regional Geography class into two groups. One utilized the traditional lecture method; the other implemented a collaborative learning approach. No significant gain was realized at the conclusion of the study. (MJP)

This final report of the Group Errorless Teaching Strategies Research Project is organized by the project objectives and covers planned and actual activities and outcomes. Objective 1 involved a review of the literature related to teaching students with mild and moderate mental handicaps in group settings and resulted in three articles which…

Provides a series of guidelines for overcoming resistance and problems with cooperative projects in an introductory sociology course. These include coordinating common interests and common free time between team members, requiring allocation of various roles (presider, scribe, coordinator), and ongoing monitoring of the research teams. (MJP)

Maintains that cooperative learning produces higher achievement, more positive relationships among students, and healthier psychological adjustment than do competitive or individualistic experiences. Describes a cooperative learning core module complete with course content and assessment strategies. Discusses advantages, disadvantages, and student…

Discusses the development and implementation of small group work focusing on seminar presentations and term papers in a microclimatology class. The class utilized peer- and self-assessment strategies developed in conjunction with a university department of education. Responses both from teachers and students were positive. (MJP)