One of the most successful examples of lifelong learning is the "study circles" program in Sweden, which attracts an estimated 50 percent of the population during their lifetimes. In vogue for more than 100 years, the study circle concept is firmly entrenched in Sweden and serves as a means of adult education. Study circles are…

In this grade 6 interdisciplinary language arts and social studies unit, students are required to assume the role of a team and describe their country's participation in trade along the Silk Road. Countries represented in the unit include Egypt, Italy, Iraq, India, Israel, and China. The team is asked to create a display showing artifacts, journal…

Divided into small groups in this grade 7 interdisciplinary world history and language arts unit, students are asked to examine and debate the fate of artifacts and art work removed from its original country through war and imperialism. Students are assigned roles and provided with detailed instructions on how to prepare presentations describing…

Motivation for learning is important for positive learning outcomes as well as for measured achievement levels. When students come to our classes, they bring with them learning histories in which we as individual teachers, most likely, did not have an input. Our students do not only bring with them different levels of prerequisite leanings but…

The first in a series of annual reports designed to provide new ideas for faculty at California's Los Rios Community College District, this document reviews innovative instructional techniques and presents an overview of classroom-based assessment and cooperative-collaborative learning. Following a brief introduction, the report describes (K.…

Collections of small objects have often been used in mathematics programs to develop classification and patterning skills. This book synthesizes that body of experience to create a new and original sequence of activities that build upon each other in order to draw out the greatest possible educational richness from the treasures. Treasure Boxes is…

In order to address the problems of student success, student retention, and an improved sense of community among students and faculty, Florida Community College at Jacksonville (FCCJ) implemented a three-year project of cooperative learning. The FCCJ Cooperative Learning Project, funded from 1993-1996, focused on changing the culture of the…

This module, which may be used as the basis for a workshop or as a special topic unit in adult basic education or English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) courses, addresses learning to learn. It is designed to help instructors explain and demonstrate how learning is part of life and provide a valuable opportunity for them to engage their students in…

This action research project sought to increase motivation in fifth-grade social studies students. Observations and measures of student attitudes and achievement indicated a lack of student interest in learning activities. Two categories of intervention were implemented: (1) instruction in the use of learning strategies, including graphic…

When elementary and middle level students lack effective problem-solving skills, they may make poor behavior choices in social conflicts, contributing to a negative learning and instructional environment. This action research project evaluated the impact of using social skills instruction to improve students' ability to solve problems related to…

New technology, which is eliminating the barriers of time and distance, is also challenging the existence of traditional, geographically based campuses and curriculum based on textbooks. Universities need to update curriculum to conform to changes in the teacher's role from provider of knowledge to facilitator of life-long learning. Technological…

Private and personal literacy practices of reading and writing, which have typically been regarded as less important than the more visible and public literacies used by men, are important in the lives of women because they aid the development and empowerment of the self. Qualitative interviews were conducted with six women of diverse socioeconomic…

This article describes a collaborative project between an English language class in Japan and one in the United States. The institutions involved were Tokyo International University (TIU), located in Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan, and its branch campus, Tokyo International University of America (TIUA) in Salem, Oregon. This project created an…

This paper describes a program initiated by teacher-researchers to increase the use and knowledge of appropriate social skills with junior high school students while working in academic cooperative groups. The target groups comprised sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students in a predominantly middle class community in the Midwest. The students'…

This action research project evaluated the effectiveness of a program to enhance students' social skills with peers. The targeted population was comprised of elementary and junior high school students in an economically diverse, predominantly blue collar community in central Illinois. The problem of inability to problem solve, listen actively,…