Presents a naturalistic study involving 112 Hong Kong Chinese college psychology students who worked in small groups. Reveals the perceived fairness of all group members receiving the same grade related positively to group cohesiveness. Also shows students' endorsement of receiving same grade depends on low contributors' personality, previous…

A straightforward method for improving second-language writing skills is described that also encourages oral discussion of grammar. Drawing on process writing principles and group activity, the method involves having students correct their peers' work. (Contains four references.) (LB)

The prevalence of large language classrooms in many parts of the world is noted. Two class activities are described for student participation: Passages for Peer Monitoring, for reading, listening, and speaking skills; and Articles for Reading and Discussion, for presentation and discussion leader skills. Evaluation forms are appended. (Contains…

This study of college freshmen learning a second language compared two instructional strategies using cooperative learning and interactive video instruction, and measured the effect of these strategies on achievement and attitudes. Recommends further research to determine how to group mature learners and how to use two-person workstations in…

Finds the most effective schools and teachers to be distinguished from moderately and less effective schools by the following: time spent in small-group reading instruction, with much teacher collaboration; coaching children in strategies to figure out unknown words as part of phonics instruction; higher-level comprehension questions; more…

Examines the role of practical activities in secondary science from an international perspective and contrasts this with a developing country perspective. In classroom studies of biology practical work, practical activities were found to be more effective in enhancing student achievement and skills than traditional didactic classroom approaches.…

Examines principles of computer-based instructional design found in performance improvement/human resources development literature and their applicability to adult learning in the workplace. Topics include learner control, feedback, screen design, use of group methods, and computer anxiety. Contains 93 references. (JMV)

Describes an interactive summer school teaching initiative in the United Kingdom that engages newly qualified secondary science teachers as mentors in the teaching of biotechnology. Highlights include course structure and format; opportunities for practical work; group work; peer assessment; course evaluation; and student attitudes. (Contains 52…

One of the most commonly used instructional methods in adult education is the small group. Small group learning is a staple of the adult education enterprise. Small groups are used in higher education, adult literacy and basic education, and many forms of training (Taylor, Marienau, & Fiddler, 2000). Some write solely about it (Brookfield…

Two project researchers worked collaboratively with 10 Year 3-5 classroom teachers across nine schools in metropolitan and country regions of South Australia to answer the question: "What teaching strategies support all students to improve their numeracy outcome through the construction of meaningful understanding?". The research…

Seven-year-olds who had difficulty understanding 1st-grade work received one of two forms of small-group instruction. Half of the children were randomly assigned to receive four months of instruction in recognizing, comprehending, and reproducing both logical and arbitrary patterns (sequences) involving numbers, letters, shapes, colors,…

This study explores how a project-based approach, based on gifted education pedagogy, was implemented in a public school program where the majority of students were from low-income families. The 2 first-grade teachers in this study were able to change their teaching practices to include more strategies commonly found in gifted programs such as…

An increasing number of online graduate study programs require students to participate in collaborative work projects. And yet, educational research examining instructional strategies that facilitate learning in small groups online is limited. This article describes findings from a qualitative research project that investigated instructor…

This document consists of a workshop presentation on active learning in the engineering classroom. Eight sessions focus on: (1) the format and purpose of the workshop, which is designed to help instructors use active learning principles in the classroom; (2) the state of instruction in the engineering sciences; (3) the stages of knowledge and…

These digests provide information for educators about the nature of cooperation and how cooperative principles can be used to restructure classrooms, administrative hierarchies, and work relationships of all types. Digest 1 describes the competitive, individual, and cooperative interaction patterns and examines the impact of cooperative learning…