Based on an individual interest theory as a sensitising theory, empirical data are used to gain social interest concepts, as there are situated collective interest and interest-dense situation. These concepts serve as a basis for a social extension of a psychological interest theory. Its construction combines social interactions, the dynamic of…

A model that depicts communication as a dynamic ongoing phenomenon is presented in this paper. The key elements of the described model are: environmental factors, actor/auditor, image, perception, messages, channels, intrapersonal feedback, and consensus of meaning. An axiomatic basis is provided for each variable to serve as rules of…

A demonstration preschool program based on Piagetian principles and integrating handicapped children with their normal peers is described. Findings on the behavior styles of the children are cited based on the Coping Analysis Schedule for Educational Settings. It is explained that as groups, the non-handicapped and handicapped Ss exhibit similar…

The authors claim that the principal contribution of research on teacher thinking is enrichment of understanding of what teachers know and what teaching entails. Studies of teacher planning, decision making, knowledge, and theorizing can be used to provide prospective teachers with a realistically complex picture of the cognitive aspects of…

The theory of the coordinated management of meaning (CMM) describes the structural relationship between a conversation as it appears in a verbatim transcript and as it appears in the meaning-system of the participants. The five essential features of CMM theory are: a set of four propositions about the nature of communication and human behavior, a…

SYMLOG, a method for capturing group members' perceptions of their interactions, is a useful research methodology which can also be used to teach group competencies. Drawing from social psychology, management, and communication disciplines, researchers using SYMLOG have captured issues of leadership, cohesion, and group processes over time. Using…

According to the cognitive development theory of Lev Vygotsky, learning is formed, and thinking is transformed as a result of participation in purposeful activity with others. Through joint activity, social problem solving is learned and eventually internalized into intrapsychological processes. This paper describes an experimental teacher…

This paper is an account of the theoretical and practical underpinnings of the Decision-Proposal Modification Coding System (DPM), which allows researchers to study more accurately the many aspects of group decision making in organizations. Following an introduction that reviews and supports arguments for process-oriented research on decision…

The paper describes an observation instrument originally developed as a research tool to assess both the special setting and the regular classroom. The instrument can also be used in determining appropriate placement for students with learning disabilities and for programming the transfer of skills learned in the special setting to the regular…

A conversational skills training program for persons who admitted discomfort in most interpersonal situations and who found it difficult to initiate and maintain conversation was designed to teach these conversational behaviors: asking questions, expressing disagreement and agreement, paraphrasing, initiating conversations, giving compliments, and…

One of the main advantages of the naturalistic approach to classroom research is that the observations are of natural phenomena, occuring in circumstances which the researcher ultimately hopes to generalize. Some problem areas are associated with this approach, however. Observers must obtain complete and accurate records of classroom activities…

This paper presents a means to analyze the interactions that take place during a supervisory conference between a student teacher and the college supervisor. The theoretical perspective is described and transcripts of conferences for the Michigan State University Multiple Perspectives Teacher Education program are used as examples. Following…

This paper explores the habits of isolation that teacher educators bring from previous lives as teachers, administrators, and students who have been part of typically individualistic and competitive K-12, undergraduate, and graduate schooling. The paper also addresses the lack of communication inside teacher education programs that isolates the…

The premise of this presentation is that clinical experiences are superior to many traditional kinds of field placements. Four types of clinical experiences are described: participant observation in special education classrooms; a team planned cooperative teaching experience; participation in the activities of a college reading clinic; and…

The purpose of this paper is threefold: (1) to discuss issues related to the design of interaction on the World Wide Web using models of interaction developed for distance education; (2) to examine several techniques for the analysis of interactions and the quality of the learning experience in a computer-mediated group conference; and (3) to…