Limitations in communication modality and interactivity influence the use of language in an online environment, and conversely, language may be adapted to compensate for the online constraints. This is significant for participants in online learning environments (OLEs) who rely on written verbalization to achieve their educational objectives.…

One fruitful line of research has been to explore the local linguistic as well as global rhetorical patterns of particular genres in order to identify their recognizable structural identity, or what Bhatia (1999: 22) calls "generic integrity". In terms of methodology, to date most genre-based studies have employed one or the other of Swales'…

This paper presents empirical results from an analysis of English and German conversational fillers produced by bilinguals. They reveal that even accomplished bilinguals do not display an overall native-like realization of conversational fillers in their second language (L2). Along with the findings of L2 studies showing that the comprehension and…

This five month qualitative study explored, over time and across literacy events, the ways in which a second grade teacher, Ms. Wilson, and her students built a shared frame of reference, or shared mental context, for viewing reading. Data sources included: field notes, video and audiotaped records, artifacts, and teacher and student interviews.…

Current debate on higher education in Britain is focused on its instrumental functions and largely ignores its social and cultural value. This paper considers the "idea of the university" in an historical perspective and critically examines current policy discourse while identifying robust alternatives to the utilitarian argument. It…

Despite burgeoning interests in "the body" as a topic of sociological interest and analysis in recent decades, with few notable exceptions, the sociology of education has not taken as seriously as it might how "embodied subjectivities" both shape and are framed by contexts of teaching and learning. There are processes of formal…

This article is concerned with the violence done in and to education. It does not address physical violence in schools, but is interested in cultural, emotional and psychological violence in schools and education systems. It asks three questions: is education inherently violent? If so, how serious a problem is this? How should spiritual education…

This article explores the inclusion of narrative and performance theory and practice in a communication studies classroom. In using their own classroom discourse as a running narrative, students apply theoretical narratives in exploring a complex Middle East story. They deconstruct, reconstruct, and apply theoretical principles to practice using a…

Recent turbulence in the corporate world resulting from cross-border mergers and acquisitions and advances in communication technology has meant major changes for internal communication in multinational companies. For example, in Finnish-Swedish mergers the common corporate language is increasingly English even though Swedish has traditionally…

In the two decades since Audre Lorde (1984) pointed out that we have no patterns for relating across our differences as equals (p. 115), struggles to transform higher education have come to focus on communication about and across differences. Despite these efforts, conversations in higher education about group difference and equity too often…

The notion of competence has received sustained and ongoing critical attention. Despite this, many important matters remain unclear. This article argues that much of the confusion can be traced to both proponents and opponents of competence variously sharing highly questionable assumptions about learning that revolve around viewing it as a…

This study focuses on the characteristics of discourse between Latino immigrant children and their teacher during science instruction. Peer interaction was analyzed to identify the use and importance of the native language (L1) for the development of content knowledge during group collaboration. In addition, the interaction between teacher and…

Background: Existing research suggests that one of the challenges for teachers in persisting with innovative inquiry curricula is their difficulty scaffolding students' transitions into technology-supported and open-ended activities. The question of whether students can effectively scaffold one another's transitions has not been previously…

A related study found a number of changes in the reflective stance of preservice teachers using a video case curriculum in a mathematics methods course. These included a higher level of reflection, an increased use of evidence, a shift from affective to pedagogical concerns, and increased attention to student thinking (Stockero, 2006). The…

Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) are increasingly used by Higher Education Institutions to manage and enhance teaching and learning, and research. Discussion, chat, scheduling, and other collaboration tools make VLEs especially useful systems for designing and managing complex group projects. In the spring semester of 2006, students at the…