Study circles such as the National Issues Forums encourage members to reflect upon and discuss community and social issues and foster reasoned advocacy and informed choices. (SK)

Compares training of self-directed work teams in business with the potential of interdisciplinary teams in geriatrics. Possible pitfalls in conforming to the health care culture, obtaining management commitment, and dealing with the diversity and independence of health care professionals reflect the need for deep commitment to team development.…

Suggests innovative solutions for mutual benefits for self-help groups and the professionals. Through a derivative paradigm the role of the professional helper within self-help groups is presented. (Author/BL)

Six principles of critical practice in adult education are derived from the conceptualization of adult education advanced in this article. They concern voluntary participation, respect for self worth, adult education as collaboration, praxis, critical reflection, and the nurturing of self-directed adults. (CT)

Defines self-managed work teams as small groups of co-workers who share tasks and responsibilities of a well-defined segment of work. Discusses internal and external leadership, the role of the administrator, the coach, and the advisor, and organizational considerations. (JOW)

Describes differences between total quality management and self-directed teams in terms of job design, decision making, flexibility, supervision, labor relations, quality, customers, and training. Offers suggestions for which method to choose when. (SK)

Used correctly, teams can increase productivity, raise morale, and spur innovation. Tips for effective teams include using the right team to do the right job, creating a hierarchy of teams, building an atmosphere of trust, and addressing interpersonal issues. (SK)

The author describes an instructional model intended to enhance each learner's capacity for self-direction and intellectual responsibility. This article examines ground rules of the instructional format, theoretical bases, the experience of collaborative learning and team-building, use of panelists, and participants' evaluations of the model. (CT)

Explores the Mechanics' Institutes of nineteenth-century Britain as a voluntary movement beset by problems of social class, conflicts over the perception of educational needs, and failure to meet those needs. Draws implications for professionalism and volunteerism as part of adult education today. (SK)

The village adult education center holds the key to the success or failure of rural adult education programs. To meet the objectives of field work, new methodologies and approaches are needed, and programs must be strongly community-based. (SK)

Self-directed work teams need coaches, not managers. The process of turning middle managers into coaches involves sensitivity, negotiation, and training in adjusting to the new role. (SK)

Describes the United States Catholic Conference's "National Issues Forum in the Catholic Community" (NIFCC), a catechetical program designed to encourage Catholics to learn and exchange their views about issues of national concern (e.g., health care, abortion, day-care). Highlights responses to the forum and offers practical suggestions…

Reprints an article originally published in 1947. Discusses observations of an experimental high school classroom. Discusses six factors conducive to democratic procedures in the classroom: experience in democratic procedures, type of school activity, the teacher's skill, physical environment, administrative support, and an effective guidance…

This paper suggests methods for incorporating cooperative learning into the college classroom, including both short-term and long-term activities. It stresses the importance of self-directed work teams in the work environment and the contribution of cooperative learning in the college classroom to building team work skills. Cooperative learning is…

Self-directed teams, in which the people who do the work are responsible for managing it, are changing the practices and structures of many organizations. Self-managing teams are based on trust and empowerment, on treating workers as responsible adults. (SK)