Social media has become an important part of learning due to the advancement of technology and the importance of asynchronous interaction. The ability to learn anywhere at any time is especially supported by Facebook groups, which provide a private means of interaction with others who share the same interests. In such groups, sharing information…

This paper provides a critical examination of inclusion as a pedagogic principle through a practice-based interrogation of contemporary 'good practice' strategies for encouraging inclusion in small-group teaching. The analysis emerges from our experiences of delivering four classroom exercises that are frequently proposed as strategies for…

This study developed a framework that can be used to build a forum environment, referred to as a Collaborative Interaction Management System (CIMS) that incorporates an automated method of assessing student's individual contributions and group collaborative learning. The framework was fine-tuned by conducting a survey that identified 20 major…

To increase the number of students who read the text before class and to promote student interaction centering on text material, I developed an online discussion assignment as a required component of a cognitive psychology course. Across 2 studies, this assignment had a limited effect on examination performance, but students completing online…

This article reports on the use of blogs in an online course over multiple semesters and analyzes the participation and meaning making between course participants. The authors used a combination of social network analyses and discourse analysis to show the patterns of participation and the types of meaning making over two iterations of the course.…

Recent empirical evidence suggests that the updated DeLone and McLean's information systems (D&M IS) model can identify the determinants of success of online communities in terms of member loyalty (Lin and Lee 2006). This study is similarly concerned with the challenge of identifying the determinants of success of online communities, but it…

A common problem in an "experiential class" is the lack of attention devoted to group closure at the end of the course. Toward the end of the semester, students working in small groups in organizational behavior classes often experience anxiety over losing the support and identity that they enjoyed as members of a small learning group. A final…

This guide deals with specific questions and answers concerning discussions and how to lead them. Instructions for group leaders explain effective seating arrangements, group size, and moderating procedures. Benefits of group discussion include increased self-expression, critical-thinking skills, tolerance of others' views, and realization of the…

A personalized learning strategy (PLS) was successfully employed in the small group discussion unit of a basic speech communication course. This document describes the rationale behind PLS and discusses ways to implement it. An outline of the small group discussion unit in which PLS was used matches the necessary learning experiences to the…

A study of the effects of variation in student preparation and leadership (emergent vs. assigned) in discussion groups found that both factors influenced verbal inactivity. The leadership effects were explained in terms of interaction-expectation theory and behavior modelling. (MSE)

Describes a Teaching Discussion Group in the University of Northern Iowa's Mathematics Department; the group is designed to facilitate discussion among faculty about teaching techniques. Discusses the group's rationale, formation, structure, benefits, challenges, and lessons for other such programs. (EV)

Presents study results examining social pressure within sexually homogenous groups. Explains that cohesiveness, based on common beliefs, was established in half of the sample while prevented in the remainder. Reports that groups were required to reach consensus after conflict was introduced. Concludes that low cohesion groups showed the greatest…

The benefits of a study group to help faculty develop their competencies and expand their awareness of professional issues are described. Specifically, the Fargo Study Group, which included seven physicians interested in improving their instructional capabilities, is considered. The participants were responsible for teaching medical students in…

Relates a study designed to measure the extent to which trust-destroying communication affects verbal fluency of members in small group discussions. (MH)