Reflects on how the author's third-grade students, experienced in literary conversation from their reading workshop, transferred the practice of literary conversation to their writing workshop. (SR)

Examines the presence of two factors, cooperative learning training and problem-solving computer-based instruction (CBI), in 23 studies which compared cooperative CBI (C-CBI) and individual CBI (I-CBI). Results provide more evidence that cooperative learning and problem-solving CBIs are important factors in increasing achievement, group…

Reports on a study in which 31 undergraduate students practiced academic argumentation by e-mail. In the two "tutored" e-mail study groups, discussion topics were selected by the tutor, while in the two self-directed "student-led" groups, selection was by the students. Results support the superiority of the student-led mode over the tutor-led mode…

Asserts that to implement successful literature groups in which students discuss their responses to a common piece of literature they have read, a teacher must consider setting an appropriate classroom environment, choosing quality literature, forming heterogeneous groups, selecting reading schedules, teaching diverse methods of responding,…

Describes how an online conference was used in a graduate poetry class with students not accustomed to using technology in their coursework. Suggests that it extended the depth and quality of discussion, opening up new areas of discourse; and that students went beyond assigned topics to create and engage in their own discourse enriched by their…

Demonstrates that the ways people reflect individually are shared across cultures, but the ways they reflect collaboratively are structured differently among cultures, examining cultural differences in communication and discussion methods and concluding that these differences have implications for teacher education. Teacher educators must be…

Describes how a teacher of a college introductory-literature course used role-playing, a talk-show format, and reader-audience participation to help students make collaborative meaning for, and to promote students' active engagement with a Flannery O'Connor short story. (SR)

Describes focus-group activities designed to generate information for use in decision making about core and elective courses in a library and information science (LIS) curriculum. Discusses how focus-group activity fits with LIS program review. Also includes questions asked and responses; and feeding opinions into a decision apparatus. (AEF)

Compares two formats for modeling how peers can critique each other's works, one that follows a traditional sequence of drafting, peer response, teacher conferences, and revision, and the other a revised version of this approach in which teacher conferences precede peer responses. Finds that training students in peer response groups during teacher…

Students in ethnically homogeneous regions often enter teacher education programs lacking opportunity to recognize or reflect on diversity. By creating spaces for critical conversations, students can extend their perspective and understanding of diversity. Both theory and examples from a multicultural teacher education course are presented.…

This study investigated the role of talking-to-learn in small- and large-group discussions about a knowledge object and writing-to-learn in individual time after collaborative reasoning and arguing. The study involved a fifth-grade class in Italy studying ecological concepts, and results show that by sharing cognition students constructed more…

Discusses how the use of a newsgroup with elementary preservice teachers enabled discussion on classroom management, course-related, and controversial issues. Using this electronic format, students also supported each other through decision-making processes and stressful situations. The electronic discussion group became a forum where students…

A small instructional group operating on the theories of group dynamics and cooperative learning can be used to effectively teach subjects in adult training programs. Describes useful techniques for developing a supportive and productive climate for adult training, focusing on group organization, group leadership, group characteristics, and…

Describes a study of first-year medical students that tested the effects of problem-based tutorial group discussion on learning new information from a text. Highlights include effects of small-group instruction on cognition; randomized experimental and control groups; recall; and results that showed the positive effects of problem-based group…

Evaluates use of BSCW (a groupware system) shared workspaces in higher education by means of a comparison of seven courses in which this environment was used. Identifies different functions for which the BSCW environment has been used and discusses the relative success of these functions across the cases. (AEF)