This paper examines how teaching within a traditional classroom benefits from insights and techniques developed through online teaching. A critical assumption underlining it is that much online instruction would be performed by faculty members who also teach, as part of their work load, traditional face-to-face classes. The format of the paper…

Experiences from a distance course conducted during 1996-97 for high-school teachers in Sweden and reports from other experiments have yielded the conclusion that collaborating via electronic conferencing systems demands new communication patterns. This paper uses theories about communication, group processes, and shared symbolic order and social…

Examines the idea of organizational communication competence and describes how behavioral, cognitive, and performance objectives can be developed for a simulation course. Explains how the course works using small groups, organizational problems, and problem-solving discussions. Includes a sample syllabus with evaluation forms, a discussion of…

This study recorded and analyzed 96 student discussion groups to identify successful dialogue strategies; to highlight difficulties deriving from group characteristics; and to examine how students behave, what they gain, and which students benefit most. A model of a successful discussion is outlined and study findings considered. (Author/SJL)

The amount and cognitive level of teacher questions and student discussion in small clinical discussion groups were studied. The "process" of how small group interaction related to certain outcomes, such as the students' critical thinking and their performance on the examinations of the National Board of Medical Examiners is examined.…

Presents an analysis of faculty dynamics in nursing curriculum situations based on the social theories of conflict, community power, and interest-group to form a political model representing stages in policy development. These stages are applied to curriculum change examples to show how social conflict and power plays cause problems. (MF)

Discusses the nature of social interaction in the school setting as it relates to the child's moral development. The ideal setting is one in which the student is a full participant in the educational process, including discipline. Teachers must respect the child and allow him/her to interact with his/her peers. (JAC)

In the first of a three-part series, the authors examine the origin of the organizational development movement, instrumented team learning seminars for managers, their experimental programs for industry at various locations, the development of the "managerial grid," management by objectives, behavior modification, and other approaches to…

Three large, unstructured workshops (500-800 people) demonstrated how large groups of people can participate together and collectively choose ways of action aimed at satisfying all. Particular significance given to participants' shift away from looking for outside sources of answers, values and standards to discovery of strengths and answers…

Because of the complexity of large-scale projects, teams of experts have become the new designers of the built environment, with clients, decision makers, and buildings' users demanding inclusion in these teams. The Grand Frame Game is described as a technique for including people in decision making. (MLW)

The study was designed to provide an informal, structured, off-campus retreat to enable college students to gain knowledge about one another and themselves as a means of developing improved cooperation with and concern for each other in their college methods classes. Data indicated positive group feelings after the retreat. (Author)

Presents the results of an experiment that examined the extent to which a single provocative incident can exacerbate negative feelings toward a group as a whole. After hearing an audiotaped interview where a Latvian student criticized U.S. college students, the U.S. students responded differently to slides showing Latvians. (MJP)

A study investigated electronic mail use in three groups of freshman biology students: learning team members with laptop computers and e-mail support provided; learning team members without personal computers but with e-mail support; and students not in learning teams, with no personal computers. Results indicate e-mail use promoted cohesiveness…

Examines a model for measuring children's verbal interactions in small heterogeneous or homogeneous cooperative groups using computers. Considers research design, type of task, and data collection and analysis. Concludes that a model incorporating cognitively oriented and socially oriented talk will expand understanding of the nature of children's…

Describes four social styles (amiable, analytical, driver, and expressive) and strengths and weaknesses associated with each. Suggests that administrative team building can be enhanced by considering individual styles. Discusses the importance of style flex, or interacting within others' comfort zones without compromising one's own style. A social…