An experiment in problem-solving was conducted in which one group of students used computer conferencing for continual public exchanges of ideas through asynchronous meetings, and another group used class discussion groups, while attempting to solve a legal problem in a course in consumer law. Student success rates for solving the assigned problem…

A need exists in schools for conflict resolution programs to help young people deal with differences. This booklet describes the Educators for Social Responsibility (ESR) conflict resolution program. The program follows nine key concepts: (1) conflict is a part of life; (2) many conflict situations can achieve "win-win" solutions; (3)…

Business case studies, descriptions of management problems or decisions that require students to analyze and decide on an appropriate course of action, are suitable for classroom study of commercial language because the technique emphasizes situational analysis and communicative activities such as role playing. The principles underlying the case…

An analysis of informal reasoning and examination of teaching practices looks at ways to improve reasoning skills in college students. Teaching students to reason more effectively is an important but difficult goal of higher education. Reasoning consists of complex skills which must be taught. Effective instruction is based on two key features:…

This description of a process used in a social studies methods course presents an experiential approach to helping students learn power sharing and decision-making skills. By leaving students alone with instructions to decide cooperatively on desired class changes, type of evaluation, and leadership, students gain experience in negotiation and…

This study was designed to determine if there were certain aspects of cognitive/personality style that affected prospective teachers' choice of problem-solving paradigm and presentation of inquiry. Fifty-six undergraduate elementary education majors were given the Paragraph Completion Test, which measures conceptual level, and the Group Embedded…

Describes an ongoing project involving 23 second grade teachers who are teaching all mathematics, including computation, through small-group problem solving and whole class discussion. The authors suggest that teachers are generally successful in creating a "problem-solving atmosphere" and consequently the children persist in attempting…

To be successful, the law-related curriculum must help students develop decision making skills, develop empathy, and make ethical judgments. Teaching strategies that can be used in kindergarten and the elementary grades are suggested. (RM)

To create an effective plan and marketing strategy, administrators, faculty members, trustees, alumni, and students need to be involved. Each group needs to understand that it must subordinate individual and departmental concerns to those of the college. (MLW)

This paper discusses how the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) can be adapted for use in online instruction. The four basic stages of the NGT (listing, recording, collating, and prioritizing) are described, and modifications for online delivery are detailed, including: (1) the instructor posts the Socratic question or problem to be posed; (2) students…

Support for this research was provided by The University Research Committee of the University of Alabama.

Eleven specific thinking skills are discussed, along with activities to help teachers develop each skill in their students. The skills are: (1) observing; (2) comparing; (3) classifying; (4) imagining; (5) hypothesizing; (6) looking for assumptions; (7) collecting and organizing data; (8) summarizing; (9) interpreting; (10) problem solving; and…

Proposes the use of the oral activity "pyramid discussion," involving students in stimulating small-group problem-solving tasks that encourage the practice of both listening and speaking skills, in order to increase advanced English-as-a-Second-Language students' seminar and discussion skills. (CB)

Describes three academic group activities used with children or adults in adventure-, challenge-, and experiential-education settings (including classrooms). Includes target group, group size, time and space requirements, activity level, props needed, instructions, ideas for post-activity group processing and reflection, and follow-up activities.…

Discussion of synchronous computer mediated communications over the Internet focuses on the opportunities and pitfalls of using graphical chat programs in education. Topics include two-dimensional and three-dimensional chat programs; distance education; problem solving groups; exploring cultural differences; language skill development;…