Builds on previous research with this detailed analysis of multiple decision sequences in two sets of groups: students performing a ranking task and physicians performing a program planning task. Finds support for the Multiple Sequence Descriptive System and isolates types of conflict and idea development patterns. (PD)

Presents a guide, derived from the Situational Leadership model, which describes the process that should be used in facilitating a group discussion. The process includes preparation, assessment, diagnosis, prescription, development, reinforcement, and follow-up. Three figures depict the Situational Leadership model, the facilitation process, and…

Supports the hypothesis that interaction processes connected with the Valence Distribution Model mediated the effect of decision schemes on group decisions. Substantiates the assumptions that interaction is a crucial factor in group decision making. Although input conditions may also have an impact on decision outcomes, they are mediated by…

Discusses the dominant paradigm for analyzing interactions, Conversation Analysis (CA), pointing out that the paradigm does not include participant intention in its analysis. Notes that CA practitioners focus on empirical investigations of what the participants are doing and how they are doing it and that the understanding of an utterance is…

This paper reviews the authors' attempts to find appropriate interaction analysis/content analysis techniques to assist in examining the negotiation of meaning and co-construction of knowledge in collaborative learning environments facilitated by computer conferencing. This study was undertaken in order to find appropriate interaction analysis…

Develops a multidimensional framework for analyzing an extended physics classroom interaction to understand the resources participants use, alignments they form, and meanings and context they construct. Considers how participants negotiate their positions, focusing on one resistant student and why she remains unconvinced by others' arguments and…

In a sociolinguistic study of five transcripts of high school discussions, two analyses were conducted. The first was a detailed qualitative analysis of the data, which combined paralinguistic features with three perspectives: a speech act analysis, a conversation analysis, and an interaction analysis. In the second, more quantitative analysis,…

This study recorded and analyzed 96 student discussion groups to identify successful dialogue strategies; to highlight difficulties deriving from group characteristics; and to examine how students behave, what they gain, and which students benefit most. A model of a successful discussion is outlined and study findings considered. (Author/SJL)

This study attempted to describe and interpret informal staff development among 23 first grade and kindergarten teachers, and a counselor working together to create a new language arts curriculum. This report of the research includes data from 11 participants. The paper begins with a review of relevant literature covering research on staff…

This document reports on a conference focused on speech problems. The main objective of these discussions was to facilitate a deeper understanding of human communication through interaction of conference participants with colleagues in other disciplines. Topics discussed included speech production, feedback, speech perception, and development of…

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Media Project was developed to determine whether (1) the gap between the producer and the user of educational innovations could be bridged; (2) a meaningful way to present the results of educational research to the user could be designed; and (3) the integrated and functional use…