The cognitive and performance benefits of group work in undergraduate courses depend on understanding how to structure groups to promote communication and comfort while also promoting diversity and reducing conflict. The current study utilized social network analysis combined with self-reported survey data from 555 students in 155 groups to…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the value of social learning from group work that emulates a professional community of practice. Design/methodology/approach: A thought piece that first, examines the role of group-work projects as part of social learning, then outlines key arguments for social learning based upon applying a…

This research combines the idea of cake format dynamic assessment defined by Sternberg and Grigorenko (2001) and the "graduated prompt approach" proposed by (Campione and Brown, 1985) and (Campione and Brown, 1987) to develop a multiple-choice Web-based dynamic assessment system. This research adopts a quasi-experimental design to…

The learning sequence (TLS) is an adaptable, dynamic framework for designing any learning experience. TLS consists of seven steps (sense of each other, sense of place, group norms, relevance, the experience itself, reflection, transfer) that provide a foundation, a reference point to return to when an unexpected situation arises, and a common…

Learning is a metaphoric function in which the individual confirms or reorders his sense of reality by relating previous experiences with present ones. Outward Bound, an experiential learning approach, incorporates this insight in its theoretical foundations. The effectiveness of the metaphor is dependent on the extent to which the experience is…

Analyzed all interventions made by trainers in two unstructured small groups (N=19) and examined their contributions to members' learning. Results indicated that participants in small groups with an experiential focus tend to learn most when they are taught directly. (LLL)

Describes a sequential approach to learning that matches levels and types of activities to the developmental level of a group at any given stage of the learning process. Emphasizes the importance of facilitators encouraging participants to reflect on learning experiences through debriefing, processing, and transfer. Includes suggestions for…

Describes a group activity that uses a tree as a metaphor to reflect both group and personal growth during adventure activities. The tree's roots represent the group's formation, the branches and leaves represent the group's diversity and capabilities, and the seeds represent the personal learning and growth that took place within the group.…

Describes a collaborative effort between a professor and a group of high school teachers pursuing an M.A. in education as they model practices for problem solving in the school climate. Addresses the theory that teachers who feel supported in their own ongoing learning and classroom practices are more committed to teaching. (Contains six…

Designed to guide teachers through a 20-day sequence of preschool orientation activities, the manual presents a numbered sequence of topics with related objectives and explanations, preparation and planning needs, and specific activities for children. Section I is entitled "All Around Us" and focuses on guiding preschool children and…

Describes the two-day experiential, adventure-based orientation for a teacher-education program focused on developing teaching skills for collaborative learning and leadership within diverse learning communities. Participants established expectations, concerns, and ground rules before experiencing discrimination and collaboration through group…

This article explores relationships between feedback, group learning, and performance. It considers how feedback to individuals and the group as a whole supports continuous group learning. Feedback source, purpose, clarity, and valence may affect perceptions, processing, and outcomes of feedback. How feedback is processed and used may be…

Evidence suggests that the usual classroom practices don't work and must be replaced by something more active and involving. Group-inquiry, an untraditional approach to the classroom, is described. Small groups examine central problems of the subjects under study, then a consensus is reported to the class. (MLW)

This paper describes a project implemented in one first grade classroom to incorporate learning strategies in the process of group development of curriculum planning and development of instructional activities. The teacher used dialogue, coaching, modeling, questioning, and reinforcement with the students to make prominent the language and…

This study examined kindergarten teachers' perceptions of the impact of changes in group-size policy on 3- and 4-year-old children in New Zealand's Wellington Region Free Kindergarten Association. Data were collected through a series of interviews of Wellington kindergarten teachers from 54 kindergartens and focused mainly on the perceived effects…