Describes the group-building process used in the Prairie Writing Project programs. Provides specific guidelines for implementing group work in inservice teacher workshops and in the classroom. Claims that preparatory group-building techniques promote more effective group work. (MM)

Approaches a writing assignment in an all-girls classroom by differentiating between what men think is funny ("guyfun") and what women think is funny ("galfun"). (NKA)

The study explored the effect of different psychopedagogical factors on the adaptation process in 365 first year students at the Pedagogical University of Cracow (Poland). Eight sessions of "creative therapy" included music, art, and discussion. (DB)

Presents a concentration improvement guide for students. Offers a procedure for effective presentation of the guide--reading and discussing the guide in small groups, followed by whole class discussion of reactions. (ARH)

Describes booktalk program at Miller Avenue School (Shoreham, New York) designed to encourage children to view reading as a pleasurable experience. Reading guidance and assistance, background information, choice of books for booktalk collection, selections by students and leaders, conducting the program, stages of transition, and key factors for…

Forecasting activity at Montgomery College in Montgomery County, Maryland, is centered in a program called "Focus on the Future." All constituencies of the college and representatives of the external community are invited to attend workshops and participate in an analysis of issues that will affect the college's future development. (MLW)

Describes the group evaluation procedure in higher education with its incorporation of unstructured and focused interviewing of small student groups, along with evaluator's and students' roles. Its theoretical basis, the clarification of data and data feedback through use of this method, and its advantages are discussed. Fifteen references are…

Orientation programs for students about to enter secondary school were the topic of discussion in this article. The needs of transfer students and suggestions for making their adjustment as pleasant as possible were considered. (RK)

Extracts from a conversation with the author of "Teaching Styles and Pupil Progress" and a group of distinguished educationists on the validity of the book's research, its effect on teachers, the implications for public policy, and some new directions for educational research. (Editor/RK)

A panel of 11 human resource development (HRD) practitioners (2 session chairs and 9 panelists) participated in an innovation session devoted to critical thinking in HRD. The session objectives were as follows: (1) share knowledge, views, and beliefs about the relevance of critical management theory and research to the HRD community; (2) provide a…

This study was designed to supporting teachers on developing teaching norms based on classroom-learning community in which students are willing to engage in discourse. A collaborative team consisting of the researcher and four second-grade teachers were set up. The collaborative community intended to generate norms of acceptable or appropriate…

This case study describes the use of World Wide Web discussion pages and examines the evaluation of online communication protocols in one graduate class. The study begins by describing the theories and grounding literature that guided the development of the online discussion site. The study also describes the process used to develop the online…

Excessive drinking creates countless personal disasters, including job losses, bankruptcies, suicides, divorces, crimes, lost friendships, and ruined family life. Nearly 1 in 10 adults meets criteria for chronic alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction, and 1 in 4 Americans feels the pain caused by alcohol problems. How can a democratic society safely…

This paper explores the role of instructional scaffolding in the development of undergraduate students' understanding of mathematical proof during a one-year discrete mathematics course. We describe here the framework adapted for the analysis of whole-class discussion and examine how the teacher scaffolded students' thinking. Results suggest that…

Creating a nonthreatening atmosphere, drawing out introverted participants, and relating the lessons of programmed activities to everyday life are a few of the challenges of quality processing (debriefing). At times, alternative methods of processing open doors when straightforward questioning does not. In some instances, alternative methods serve…