Argues that role-playing activities can be a powerful tool in mathematics and science education, particularly in the new sciences of complexity (i.e., the study of complex systems). Two role-playing activities are described, each designed to help students develop better intuitions on how complex phenomena can arise from simple interactions, and…

Uses a sociometric analysis to explore the differential organization of boys' and girls' peer groups. Finds that boys structure their peer groups by creating a large central cluster composed of smaller integrated clusters, whereas girls form small clusters unrelated to one another. Nevertheless, girls are aware of and sensitive to the status of…

Reports on how a struggling first-grade reader who was neglected and ignored by his peers experienced literacy events when children were the only participants. Notes that collaborative learning is affected by participants' social status. Shows how child-initiated and child-directed literacy events did little to assist this child's reading…

The trend for a cohort of employees to participate in management education through their employer's contract with a university raises governance issues: equity between contract and open enrollment students; clash of university and corporate cultures; corporation as stakeholder; excellent employees with poor academic performance; grades used for…

Discusses the role of peer interaction in the music classroom through the observations of how sixth-grade students accomplish the "Canon no. 40" improvisation and composition assignment. Concludes that peer interaction was a key element in the students' learning and provides the lesson plan for "Canon no. 40." (CMK)

Describes use of collaborative metaphorical discussions, mind mapping, and imaginative visual thinking by the faculty of the Rider University School of Education to produce an idealistic vision of the college's future. This vision is expressed as a fanciful metaphorical drawing surrounded by a mind map and accompanied by a story connecting symbols…

A qualitative study analyzed the distribution of participation by young children (ages 3-5) in family dinnertime conversation, focusing on "backstage talk," sequences adjacent to those in which the child is involved and within his auditory range, so that the child-projected participation-role alternates between that of addressee and overhearer.…

Observed functioning of same-sex triads of middle grade children during an intimate discussion, a cooperative puzzle task, a competitive game, and free play. Found that triads of girls were more intimate, exchanged more information, and were less aggressive than triads of boys. Girls and boys expressed similar attitudes toward triadic interaction,…

Analyzes the racial politics within the women's studies course "Women of Color," taught from a sociological viewpoint. Uses Ruth Frankenberg's concepts of whiteness, power evasiveness, and race consciousness to gain insight into the racial dynamics of the classroom. Addresses the implications for teaching and proposes teaching strategies. (CMK)

Background: Self-managed learning groups are increasingly used in higher education. There is a need for more systematic investigation of university students' perceptions of the processes and outcomes of this learning method. Aims: This study aimed to identify the domains of process issues that students perceive as relevant to their participation…

Meaning matters in the way people form social ties. Adopting an unconventional analytic technique--the Galois lattice analysis--I show how network researchers can uncover relational meanings using conventional research techniques (i.e., closed-ended network surveys). Galois lattice analysis also inspires new ways of conceptualizing relational…

The organisation of students into groups (or communities) for learning purposes is an established pedagogic method in higher education. Teachers are now using group methods in networked e-learning contexts, albeit without a full understanding of the dynamics of group work in these settings. This is a new and evolving arena in higher education. In…

This study examined the influence of various conflict management mechanisms embedded into computer-supported collaborative concept mapping systems on the behaviour and learning of elementary students. Four conflict management mechanisms were compared: an assign design, in which the mapping control was designated to a particular group member; a…

Residential universities are increasingly integrating online interaction within courses in the form of synchronous online chats, asynchronous online discussions and access to interactive resources. This article evaluates the educational effectiveness of online chats within a Humanities postgraduate course and a final year Commerce course. We…

In this article I detail the conceptual trajectory of a classroom of 2nd- and 3rd-grade students as they reinvent topographical lines to represent height in a map within the constraints of an overhead perspective. In my analysis I pay special attention to the role of social interaction--and in particular the role of the teacher--in the process of…