Describes formal, intensive small group activities in large college classes, as well as initiatives to redesign courses around small-group learning. Strategies include "jigsaw," structured controversy, problem-based cooperative learning, and restructured lecture-recitation-laboratory activities. Notes basis of such strategies in constructivist…

College faculty who have successfully implemented small-group instruction address common concerns such as: reduced content coverage, reduced amount of learning, need for prerequisite learning, importance of solitary learning, colleagues' concerns, student resistance, logistics, evaluation, use of teaching assistants, and time requirements. (DB)

An introductory psychology course integrates subject content with other disciplines in multimedia presentations. Comparison of large multimedia and small lecture classes showed that multimedia instruction was effective in teaching large classes without eroding motivation, enabling students to make connections. (SK)

A study examined the effectiveness of a group instructional extension of one-to-one discrete trial teaching, which involves the overlapping of trials among students along with the use of sequential and choral group teaching. The approach was demonstrated to consistently increase the correct responding of eight preschoolers with developmental…

Compared the achievement and attitudes of student library employees trained in two different ways: by instructor-led group instruction or by Web-based self-instruction. Found that both modalities performed equally and generally responded favorably to training; there were some differences in what students believed their training emphasized based on…

Comparison of traditional hand-raising student participation and use of write-on response cards during science instruction in a fifth grade inner-city classroom found that frequency of active student response was 14 times higher with response cards than with hand raising. Additionally, students (n=22) scored higher on quizzes and tests in the…

Analyzes the results of an experimental study of a nontraditional style of teaching, a combination of lecture and group discovery methods. Concludes that students in the study performed better than those in traditional sections, their attitudes towards mathematics improved, and they were positive about the instructional approach. (Author/ASK)

Investigates the relationship of psychomotor skills instruction on student attitudes in grades 4-6 towards singing and general music instruction. Finds females have more positive attitudes, interest declines as grade-level increases, group vocal instruction may produce more positive attitudes, and a positive relationship between liking to sing in…

Describes a group work approach to the teaching of ethical issues in biotechnology and evaluates its impact on the acquisition of the key skills of working together, communication, and problem solving. Uses the Key Skills Confidence Scale (KSCS) to evaluate post-16 students' self confidence. (Contains 30 references.) (Author/YDS)

This case study of one elementary school describes an ongoing effort to close the gaps between literacy research and practice in order to promote the successful literacy transitions of all students. Jefferson Elementary School's reading program is a research-driven, school-wide program emphasizing prevention-based instruction, early…

Virtual project rooms (VPRs) may support collaborative project-based learning groups by facilitating project management, documentation and communication. In this study a set of experiments was carried out at Eindhoven University of Technology using the MS Outlook/Exchange software as a groupware platform for design-oriented group projects. The…

In her previous books, "Literacy Work Stations and Practice with Purpose," Debbie Diller showed teachers how to productively occupy the "rest of the class" while meeting with small groups. Now Debbie turns her attention to the groups themselves and the teacher's role in small-group instruction. "Making the Most of Small Groups" grapples with…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to scrutinize the transition from university to working life through different theoretical approaches. Inspired by Barnett the paper also asks: What is it to learn for an unknown future? According to Bartlett neither knowledge nor skills are sufficient to enable success in the contemporary world. What is…

Audience response systems (ARS) or clickers, as they are commonly called, offer a management tool for engaging students in the large classroom. Basic elements of the technology are discussed. These systems have been used in a variety of fields and at all levels of education. Typical goals of ARS questions are discussed, as well as methods of…

This review investigates the use of certain types of interaction in mathematics education. These types include interaction between students, interaction between teacher and students, and interaction between students and learning technology. Student-technology interactions are explained by computer programs that use problem-solving strategies and…