THE PURPOSES OF THE STUDY WERE TO COMPARE (1) CONVENTIONAL LECTURE, PROGRAM-DISCUSSION, AND PROGRAM-PROBLEM METHODS OF INSTRUCTION, (2) STUDENT PERFORMANCE WITH AND WITHOUT CONFIDENCE IN PROGRAMED INSTRUCTION, AND (3) ACHIEVEMENT ON THE BASIS OF TEST SCORES ON THE FIRST ONE-THIRD OF THE CONVENTIONAL COURSE. TWO EXPERIMENTS WERE CONDUCTED IN…

Trigger films are an audience involvement media designed to achieve attitude and behavior modification. They are brief (under four minutes), high impact vignettes which portray specific problem situations, focusing upon the agent's motivations, and structured so as to trigger an emotional response by the viewer and to act as a catalyst for…

The relative and combined effects of short-term group brainstorming practice and video-tape training sessions on brainstorming performance were explored. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) under group and individual conditions, performance should improve with the use of a model of a well trained and experienced brainstorming group, group performance…

This study investigated the use of various forms of computer-mediated communication (CMC) to support the formation of a knowledge-building community (KBC) in teacher education. A KBC involves students working in small and large groups to solve "real world" problems, and in the process develop skills of negotiation, communication, and…

An exercise was devised at the Middlesex Hospital Medical School, London, to facilitate medical students' ability to discuss death and dying with cancer patients. Students begin with a written situation to problem-solve and then move into pairs and groups to reach a consensus and discuss the problem. A videotaped simulation is also used. (JMD)

Describes the Philosophy for Children program in critical thinking, its pedagogical approach involving the community of inquiry, and the sociocognitive learning theories upon which it is based. Suggests it can be used as a pedagogical model for developing collaborative learning approaches in art education, especially aesthetics. (KM)

Total Quality uses group methods to identify and collectively prevent or solve specific problems related to consumer satisfaction and quality issues in business. This article integrates social influencing strategies with developmental group processes for facilitating consumer satisfaction and problem-solving in total quality groups. A case study…

Investigates the patterns of intertextual linking as learners engaged in problem solving when using hypermedia. Learners were observed in their synthesized discourse in six cases using Perseus, a Greek culture database. Discusses themes that emerged from learners' on-line protocols and interactions and implications for instructional designers.…

Describes three therapeutic group activities used with adolescents, adults, or families in adventure- and experiential-education settings. Includes target group, group size, time and space requirements, activity level, props needed, instructions, and ideas for post-activity group processing and reflection. Activities involve moving beyond…

Using a brief experiential group activity called "Choosing a Color Exercise" as an introductory measure, this paper explains the basics of group dynamics and reviews the major theoretical relationships between the group's structure, the dynamics of maintenance and task behaviors, and effective individual performances. The types of functional and…

This booklet is a collection of stories by people who have facilitated Personal Futures Planning groups. The groups provide an individualized, structured approach to life planning for people with developmental or other disabilities and have been implemented since 1988 in Minnesota. Introductory material describes the process, which starts when a…

This document focuses on four children in a small group, solving word problems aloud. Different aspects of how children in small groups approach problems were revealed; certain characteristics of their attempts to solve problems suggest a variety of questions for further research. These pupils were part of a project that involved six groups of…

Instructor skills which are useful in facilitating classroom discussion are described. Suggestions are made for organizing the group (optimal size being 5 to 7 students), establishing agenda and procedures, and identifying responsibilities. Specific techniques are given for managing the flow of ideas, encouraging students to freely exchange ideas…

A study was made to determine client system leadership expectations in individual and group problem situations. A questionnaire was developed, and validated by a panel, which asked respondents to rank three solution approach alternatives for individual and group problems--individual, group or key person nature. It was mailed to 190 community…

The second research report in a continuing investigation of group communication via computer networks describes a series of field tests designed to identify the basic parameters of human interaction in computer-based teleconferencing. The method used in the tests is described, and the research approach used in analyzing the tests is outlined. Ten…