Globalization of the economy and rapid technological innovation challenge today's work force to prepare for continuous change. In response to a strong mandate from their membership, labor unions have formed partnerships to deliver the necessary worker education. Because they are in daily contact with workers and have a holistic knowledge of…

This paper describes a program designed to increase students' social skill development in order to improve positive peer interactions. The target population was elementary school students in one middle-to-upper class, rural community in central Illinois. Evidence for the existence of the problem of inappropriate social behaviors that interfere…

This book helps school systems and teacher mentors achieve a systematic approach to teacher induction and mentoring programs, offering over 60 checklists, planning guidelines, and assessment tools. Part 1, "Preparation for Mentor Training," includes (1) "From Master Teacher to Masterful Mentor," (2) "Assessing Your…

Beginning in 1987, a reform movement was heavily funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to change the teaching of calculus. Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) received seven NSF grants over an eight-year period, allowing the college to: establish a state-of-the-art calculus computer lab; purchase calculators, graphing…

This study examined the talk of 20 university level learners of Mandarin as a Second Language in three instructional modes: teacher-led (TL), unstructured group work (UGW), and structured group work using a cooperative learning technique (SGW), in this case, Jigsaw. Statistical analyses showed that more learner talk (in terms of turns and c-units)…

Collaborative learning organizes students into small groups in which they assist each other to solve problems and integrate skills and knowledge. It can be used in classrooms, laboratories, and clinical settings. Learning occurs through small group discussion, with students responsible for helping each other achieve desired learning outcomes.…

Increasingly, higher education institutions and businesses are developing distributed learning systems to provide continuing job-related and professional education. Principles and examples of distributed learning and support systems that promote individual development are outlined, considering issues of motivation, speed of program development,…

Describes an English undergraduate physical geography class that combines lecture and practice to create an integrated team project involving fieldwork, laboratory analysis, data analysis, group report writing, poster production, and presentations. The class encourages group interaction, student decision making, and the development of transferable…

Connects the personal classroom experiences of a sociology professor with the changes in teaching methods over the last 30 years. Unequivocally, supports the more interactive teaching methods such as collaborative learning, role playing, simulations, and debates. Valuable appendix includes detailed descriptions of six group activities. (MJP)

Presents a social studies lesson, Head-Smashed-In, based on inquiry and cooperative learning principles, that asks students to hypothesize about the mystery of an Indian buffalo jump. Provides clues and topographical maps for the Head-Smashed-In jump in Alberta, Canada. Objectives include understanding the relationship between physical environment…

Describes study that investigated the effects of instructional control and gender pairing arrangements on learner achievement, attitudes, and interaction during an interactive video elementary school science lesson. Cooperative learning strategies are discussed, results of statistical analyses are reported, and implications for instructional…

Current thinking of researchers from different disciplines about interaction among students in educational settings and the potential of peer interaction for learning and cognitive development is discussed. Topics of the eight papers presented include: potential outcomes of peer interaction, its nature, peer learning settings, and factors shaping…

Reports a college-school project that examined the effects of thematically integrated mathematics instruction on Mexican American middle school students' mathematics achievement, attitudes, and motivation. Students receiving thematic instruction surpassed traditionally instructed students on mathematics concepts and applications. The two programs…

Presents a narrative case study based on the use of cooperative learning in a 10th-grade global studies class. Focuses on ethnic groups and emerging issues related to national sovereignty. Describes student participation in group discussions about these topics. (CFR)

Presents a unit of study involving tangrams that integrates geometric relationships, scale drawings, graphing, patterns, and logical thinking. Provides worksheets for independent and cooperative activities to discover geometric shapes using a specified number of tangram pieces. (MDH)