Peer tutoring in Higher Education is being used with increasing frequency to aid in student learning, motivation, and empowerment. Although an extensive body of research documents the efficacy of such programs, it exhibits a surprising lack of awareness of the social dynamics involved. This study focuses on peer tutors and students as they…

Explores the unique speech communication classroom environment which often encourages both vulnerability and growth potential and suggests that such an environment demands consideration of student's interpersonal rights. Presents a class activity and a sample 'bill of rights' for speech communication students. (MH)

This study examined the type of change that occurs in student-faculty relationships. The events perceived by the students as creating change in the relationship were considered "turning point events." Through a process of interviewing 45 senior students and then applying content analysis to the interview data, the researchers were able to…

Examination of student behavior in the college classroom led to the conclusion that the following organizational features promote a lack of student involvement in the classroom: (1) responsibility consolidation (a small percentage of students do the talking); (2) the tendency by instructors to avoid calling upon specific students; (3) infrequent…

Results of this study reveal that well-trained observers report significantly lower levels of cognitive activity on all measures than raters who had no training or only moderate training. Consequently, interpretations of cognitive components of environmental and teacher evaluation scales must be questioned unless generated by trained student…

A study was conducted to analyze the role that nonverbal communication plays in classroom climate. A 40-item classroom communication climate questionnaire was developed, and administered to 76 students and 8 teachers to determine its reliability and validity. After several changes and deletions, the final version of the questionnaire was…

The author offers reasons and suggestions for using interaction analysis systems for facilitating student interest and learning in music classes. He suggests that conductors are too often authoritarian. The Rehearsal Interaction Observation System is included. (KC)

Reported are the results of a study testing dominance and subordination among the spatially central and peripheral in 14 college classrooms. Differences in the defense of territory, upon invasion, between spatially central and spatially peripheral humans were investigated. (BT)

Former candidate for U.S. Assistant Attorney General Lani Guinier is attempting to make law school and the legal profession more welcoming to women, in part by rejecting use of the Socratic method in classroom discussion, which she feels is intimidating, combative, and discriminates against women. Others say the Socratic approach encourages men…

This protocol materials unit, based on the interaction component of instruction, is designed to help prospective teachers better understand verbal behaviors as related to fair (positive feedback) and unfair (negative feedback) responses. Fair verbal behavior is defined as following a standard of equal treatment toward all students and as free from…

Assessed relationship between cohesion and dimensions of self-disclosure in classroom setting versus therapy groups and intimate relationships. Determined that unintentional and positive disclosures rather than self-disclosure were associated with high classroom cohesion. (Author/CM)

Discusses the reaction of Vietnamese students to the spontaneous interaction and exchange that occurs in US classrooms. The article argues that teachers' lack of knowledge about their immigrant students' learning styles and strategies may result in teachers making inaccurate judgments about these students' classroom interaction behavior. (two…

An overview is presented of classroom observation instruments which have been created and refined since 1962. The components of teacher-pupil transactions measured by different observation methods are listed, and the complexities and difficulties encountered when using the instruments are discussed. A description is given of the Coping Analysis…

This study sought to demonstrate how an interactive model can be used as a "semiotic" tool to reconcile contrasting views of the role of the college professor. The study used concepts of group dynamics to study classroom leadership, climate, and expectations and a social-psychological perspective was used to analyze group interaction patterns as…

Ways in which a publication on sex discrimination has been used by colleges and universities are described. The publication is entitled "The Classroom Climate: A Chilly One for Women?" In addition to identifying over 35 kinds of behaviors by which faculty may treat men and women students differently, the publication discussed in this document…