Previous studies have confirmed the benefits of small group sizes in asynchronous online discussions. However, there is no consistency in which small group size is the optimal option for maximizing students' discussion performance. Moreover, few researchers attempted to apply the smallest group size (i.e., one-on-one) to online discussions and…

This article describes how clickers (student response systems) may be used to assess and support the development of productive process skills and discourse patterns within student teams during class periods. Clicker questions may poll the class about specific features of the internal workings of teams, such as role rotation, helpful or distracting…

This paper examines obstacles faced by Japanese students learning English, noting that many such students are highly competent in reading, writing, and listening, but not in speaking. It suggests that students are worried about making oral mistakes, which cannot be erased once uttered, and that oral activities completed in English class are often…