Consensus is important in the making of a policy decision. If a decision is reached without consensus, morale and unit satisfaction may both suffer. With genuine consensus, a unit tends to willingly support and implement the new policy. After analyzing how observed small groups had actually reached consensus, the following ten techniques were…

Illustrates how self-management procedures can be employed in school settings with small groups of students. Describes some guidelines and the benefits to be derived from such an application. Outlines how self-management groups have been carried out. (Author)

This paper discusses "Guided Design," a method for teaching course content which engages students in group decision-making, where problems are solved or issues are resolved in a step-by-step process using instructions and feedbacks especially prepared to make students think for themselves about subject matter rather than depend on the…

Three large, unstructured workshops (500-800 people) demonstrated how large groups of people can participate together and collectively choose ways of action aimed at satisfying all. Particular significance given to participants' shift away from looking for outside sources of answers, values and standards to discovery of strengths and answers…

Participatory decision-making strategies have been suggested as effective in groups with the task of solving unstructured problems or creating innovations. Concerned about evaluating children's affective growth in open classrooms, eight educators in a large metropolitan area agreed to meet regularly after school hours to develop an instrument to…

This resource manual presents guidelines and effective techniques for people who want to acquire group facilitation skills. It is a valuable resource for anyone planning or presenting a workshop; trainers or teachers interested in innovative classroom techniques; and anyone involved in a group as leader, facilitator, or participant. The manual…

This document includes a final report and curriculum manual from a project to help adult educators teach team training by developing a curriculum for use in teaching teamwork skills in work force literacy programs and by providing two half-day seminars to assist adult educators with effectively using the curriculum. The manual for work force…

"Teachers and students play games quite as much as lovers, diplomats, husbands, and wives. Teachers come to class equipped with 'Threat' cards and students with 'Mischief' and 'Defiance' cards." Exercises in this book can help people, including teachers, students, administrators, and community groups, to overcome their reliance on "game-playing".…