This narrative essay describes a basic writing instructor's engagement with student confusion in a hybrid Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) course. The story examines the ways confusion can mark sites of engagement for students and teachers and how ALP courses, in particular, might mediate effective (and ineffective) forms of confusion.

In this forum piece, we respond to Karin Due's study of social dynamics in groups of students in physics class and gender issues that play out in this context. We discuss two threads that appear in Due's paper: one pertains to patterns of talk within groups and how these patterns open up possibilities for learning, the other pertains to…

In this commentary, the author reflects on four studies that have greatly expanded the knowledge base on effective interventions in mathematics, and he provides four rigorous experimental studies of approaches for students likely to experience difficulties learning mathematics over a large grade-level span (pre-K to 4th grade). All of the…

The author begins by stating that Mark Wolery has probably done more than anyone else to remind the field that teaching children is the most important thing practioners do in classrooms and that there is research on what good instruction looks like. However, the author asserts that he has a different take on the new (although it began "a…

Purpose: Professional health science educational programs have utilized numerous learning strategies including journals, practice patterns, problem-based learning (PBL), case-studies, and hypothesis-oriented algorithm for clinicians (HOAC) (Shepard et al., 2002). While, these learning strategies have found a place in the health science educational…

For millions of years, human beings evolved and then lived in small social groupings that were intergenerational, with simple divisions of labor, oriented to common tasks and values. It was a limited existence in many ways, but there was community and continuity. And now, very suddenly in evolutionary time, we have built the teeming cities and…

Describes individualized instruction and its components and describes how to set up a management system that facilitates individual or small group instruction in a vocational setting. (JOW)

Indicates the importance of interpersonal skills in the workplace and suggests that the business curricula offers many opportunities for incorporation of group activities. Offers steps for planning student group activities. (JOW)

The recent findings on the prevention and remediation of reading failure are overlooked. A multitiered approach involving high quality classroom instruction and small group interventions can substantially reduce the proportion of students who struggle to read.

Argues that both small group behavior and writing processes are involved in the writing of group reports. (SRT)

States that small-group instruction has been used for many years, but introducing cooperation into small groups of learners has given a new twist to an old strategy. Reviews the literature and research on cooperative learning in the context of mathematics instruction and explains what it is, how to implement it, and when to use it. (Author)

Small group work, which has become a standard feature of foreign language classes, lowers the stress level of students and makes them less anxious about speaking. Specific suggestions are offered for prereading, comprehension, and analytical small group activities. (Contains 12 references.) (LB)

The author outlines the learning benefits of teacher-led small group discussions. (SJL)

Small group cooperative learning can be applied with all age levels of mathematics students. A community of learners actively working together enhances each person's mathematical knowledge, proficiency, and enjoyment. Classroom procedures for cooperative mathematics lessons are outlined. (JD)

Examines the issue of whether mathematical content should influence the use of small group instruction. Concludes that the choice to use small group instruction depends not only on content, but also on the type of lesson and the dimension of learning. (PCB)