Describes new methods of bibliographic instruction for the OCLC version of ERIC on CD-ROM at Lehman College of the City University of New York that were precipitated by a revision in the searching software. Librarian training is discussed and small group instruction for students is explained. (LRW)

Provides an overview of ways that various forms of talk and dialogue foster the development of classroom communities. Examines the ways that talk functions in the classroom and what teachers might do to make use of talk in facilitating a child's development as a reader. (SR)

Maintains that business writing students need to be prepared for the collaborative work and writing they will face in the workplace. Explores ethical problems with the collaborative approach in the classroom. Describes practical solutions to those problems. (SR)

A team-developed sociomatrix coding sheet was used to classify behaviors seen on videotaped small-group teaching sessions held at the end of patient-care activities. Although the sociomatrix appears to have potential to relate specific leader behavior to residents' feedback on subjective learning outcomes, the number of observations was too small…

The place of group work in three possible language classroom contexts is considered. No definitive generalizations are drawn, but a few inferences are noted: good teachers vary in organization and teaching styles; learner preferences vary; and not enough is known about group work in large classes in "difficult circumstances." (Contains 14…

Studies the effectiveness of discussion techniques (in particular a course component called an "expert panel") on students' comfort with learning and the development of skills needed to learn in a large introductory lecture class in mass communication. (SR)

Discusses the importance of including topics dealing with economics in elementary and middle school curriculum. Content standards for economics education are described, and three lessons are provided as examples of how to incorporate economics topics, including activities dealing with fiction, vocabulary, and group work. (LRW)

Argues that when a classroom provides an environment that promotes writing, students have the resources, time, and opportunity to create collaborative stories. Describes how, in a third-grade classroom, three girls unite to write a series of humorous stories through group negotiation and class prompting. (CR)

Comparison of Literacy Volunteers of America's participatory model of small group instruction with a Connecticut affiliate showed the national program emphasizes students' role in shaping the learning environment. The local program, based on Dewey's concept of growth as enhancement of experience through critical intelligence, focuses on…

Introduces a technique for developing tasks suitable for group investigation where students work from sets of numerical examples toward making generalizations. (ASK)

A study involving 18 children (ages 4-11) at a residential school for students with deafness found that children who participated in group storybook reading twice each week for 5 months performed more independently on an emergent reading task and were more interested in books than children in the control group. (Author/CR)

Discusses the need for inservice training programs for teachers that address integrating technology into the classrooms. Topics include adults as learners; delivery systems that include print and nonprint resources; conducting workshops, including experiential learning and small groups; and evaluating workshops. (LRW)

The University of South Florida has successfully delivered its Symposium Series through the Internet to the desktops of individuals unable to attend the lectures, using streaming audio and video and IP multicast technologies. What began as a proof-of-concept prototype to test technological capabilities has become a valued service at the…

Argues that the traditional lecture format is a poor mode for learning. Outlines a simple but effective approach for eliciting student participation in an intermediate-size lecture course (50-100). (CCM)

At-risk adult literacy learners (n=20) were randomly assigned to a control group or one of three treatments: counselor-teacher team support, small-group instruction with students not at risk, or one-on-one tutoring. All in the treatment groups persisted longer than controls. The small group method was most effective for retaining students. (SK)