Looks at how Book Clubs (student-centered, literature-discussion groups where each student is reading a different, self-selected book) were structured in a particular second-grade classroom. Argues that students had opportunities for learning the academic and social content of literature while engaging in the cognitive processes and social…

Describes a method using small group and whole class discussions with guiding questions to enable teachers to construct successfully the concept of assumptions and develop a better appreciation of the nature and limitations of the process of scientific inquiry. (Author/SAH)

Describes different girls' groups and organizations and discusses how to start a girls' group in a community. Presents a sample outline of activities in a creative arts and writing group conducted at a middle school in New York City. Identifies issues to consider as a girls group develops. Includes lists of print and Internet resources. (AEF)

Evidence on the effectiveness of school-based smoking restrictions on reducing pupil smoking rates is mixed. So far, the effect of such policies has only been considered using quantitative methods and "level of enforcement" has primarily been measured according to data collected from staff. This qualitative study is based on data collected during…

This contribution examines the methodological challenges involved in defining the collaborative knowledge-building processes occurring in asynchronous discussion and proposes an approach that could advance understanding of these processes. The written protocols that are available to the analyst provide an exact record of the instructional…

This study investigated changing attitudes toward reading among elementary and secondary teacher candidates participating in in-class book group discussions in an introductory language and literacy course taught by two instructors in a medium-sized state teacher education program. Qualitative methods focused on both students' weekly self-reports…

Kathy McLellan and Tricia Suellentrop share a love of reading and a deep empathy for troubled teens, but they bring different strengths to their partnership. Suellentrop, according to McLellan, is the risk taker, the one who's "always willing to try something new and doesn't hesitate to step out there on the precipice." McLellan is the designated…

Growing numbers of school districts across North America are using study circles to build communitywide coalitions that make schools work better for everyone. Study circles are inclusive community conversations that lead directly to school or community change. They include a combination of large-group meetings and facilitated small-group…

Faculty reading groups explored the potential for creating a discussion series among departmental colleagues at a regional university. The objectives of this initiative were to enhance collegiality and to facilitate communication and consensus-building skills among peers. Two titles were read by participating faculty during sessions spanning two…

Proceedings of the 28th Annual Conference on the Teaching of Psychology: Ideas and Innovations, sponsored by the Psychology Department of Farmingdale State College. The conference theme for 2014 was:" Infusing Issues of Racial, Religious, and Sexuality Diversity Across the Undergraduate Curriculum." The Conference featured a keynote…

Background: This study was situated in Singapore, which aims to achieve engaged learning in P-12 schools with the use of educational technology. One of the foci of study among Singaporean educational researchers is a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment that emphasizes collaboration among learners for the coconstruction of…

Online dialogic communities have become a ubiquitous tool that transforms student learning and course delivery. Threaded Discussions extend classroom learning by providing an asynchronous method of communication for the exchange of meaningful ideas that promote critical thinking and develop thoughtful reflective learning. Threaded Discussions…

This study focuses on how to support students who have to work together in small groups, and who do not know each other, in performing grounding discussion. It compares two different implementations of a script, one using a structured interface, one using a textual instruction, on students' discussion behavior. The experiment involved two…

The new concepts and technologies of Web 2.0 attract researches in a variety of fields including education, business and knowledge management. However, while the Web 2.0 potential in the education discipline has been widely studied, in the management discipline the Web 2.0 business value has not been fully acknowledged. This research suggests an…

Choosing the "right" type of technology, either synchronous or asynchronous, to facilitate learning outcomes is a new challenge as the pace of emerging technologies increases and diversifies. Teachers are encouraged to design courses that require collaboration in online learning communities to facilitate the development of higher order…