Shows how reorganizing the newspaper staff into autonomous work groups may improve individual job satisfaction. (RL)

Reviews the growth of self-help groups and the current status of the movement. Suggests ways in which counselors can draw upon such groups in their professional practicies. Includes suggestions for evaluating groups and resources on self-help groups. (Author/ABB)

In the 1970s a new form of outdoor trip programming appeared. Known as "common adventure," its best known trait is the absence of a designated leader. In 1970, Gary Grimm, the University of Oregon's first outdoor program coordinator, laid out the key principles: self-directed learning, formation of groups of people with similar interests…

Discusses historiographic issues involved in researching learning in community and gives a brief history. Describes three types: autonomous learning groups, community development groups, and community action groups. Poses critical questions for understanding the relationship between learning and community. (Contains 54 references.) (SK)

Teacher support groups can promote professional development by encouraging ownership of the professional agenda, enhancing collegial interaction, and reducing program fragmentation. A survey revealed that teacher groups formed by teachers enabled members to find personal and professional support within the group, while groups sponsored by the…

Discusses four modes in which computer assisted learning can be provided and analyzes the relationship between these modes and the types of client groups likely to employ computer assisted learning (CAL). Prepackaged CAI/CMI, auto-elaborative CAI, personally guided small group CAI, and gated cooperatively elaborated CAI are described. (JL)

Study circles have been an inexpensive, practical method of adult education in Scandinavia since their formal introduction in Sweden in 1902. From their origins in political and union ideas, they have been developed through a network of organizations which sponsor them on all different subjects. A study circle is a group of people with a common…

Conditions under which the use of small groups in classrooms can be productive are suggested in this paper, which moves beyond the general question of small-group learning effectiveness. Part 1 offers a review of recent studies of interaction in cooperative groups, focusing on the following themes: interaction and achievement; task and…

Several years of research support a differentiated system of supervision in which teachers can choose from among four different supervision styles. With the clinical style, intense observation and feedback is conducted by a trained supervisor. Cooperative professional development consists of small teams of peers working together for their mutual…

The effective social worker or family counselor delivering health care services to the American Indian community will focus on the strengths rather than the weaknesses of the community and will recognize and use existing natural helping systems. The American Indian family network, for example, is unique in Western society and contains a variety of…

This handbook was written to review current research on multigrade instruction, to identify key issues faced by multigrade classroom teachers, and to offer novice teachers a set of resource guides for improving instructional quality. The first chapter reviews previous research on multigrade instruction. It addresses questions regarding the effect…

A questionnaire on use of cooperative learning was distributed to all faculty (76 respondents) in the College of Technical Careers at Southern Illinois-Carbondale (SIUC) and a sample of the membership (66 respondents) of the American Technical Education Association (ATEA). For both samples, the main use of groupwork was with laboratory…

Presents findings of a study designed to identify the background and process factors that influence the success of groupwork with computers. The multisite case study involved mixed-sex mixed-ability pupils, aged 9-12, who undertook mathematics tasks using LOGO or a database. The discussion includes the impact of organizational styles and patterns…

This paper presents a framework for understanding and facilitating teacher self learning in the school organization at the individual and group levels. It focuses on how individual teachers and their groups acquire self learning and self renewal while managing their work. The paper also discusses implications of the framework for teacher…