Describes how students working in small, cooperative learning can effectively explore the issue of gender communication. Emphasizes that cooperative small groups--along with guidance in discussion, materials, writings, and projects--provide students an opportunity to view gender issues as thought-provoking and exciting. (MM)

Describes the Philosophy for Children program in critical thinking, its pedagogical approach involving the community of inquiry, and the sociocognitive learning theories upon which it is based. Suggests it can be used as a pedagogical model for developing collaborative learning approaches in art education, especially aesthetics. (KM)

Discussion of drug education for fifth grade students focuses on a computer simulation in which students role-play adolescents encountering various situations where there is drug or alcohol involvement. Activities in the simulation are explained, and discussion groups that occur following the simulation are described. (LRW)

Discusses the value of using photographs and pictures as a way to give meaning to facts for all students. Points out that photographs are most successfully used when accompanied by proper questions in an appropriate sequence. Gives examples of such questions and provides a sample lesson. (KO)

Suggests steps for approaching discussion of controversial issues in the classroom, using the scandal of Canadian Olympian sprinter Ben Johnson as an example. Recommends the reflective inquiry approach, which necessitates framing the problem in relationship to student age, and with attention to the information available about the problem. (LS)

To assess the effects of discussion on vocabulary learning, 38 children in two intact fifth-grade classes were divided into three subgroups and taught science vocabulary on three successive days. The discussion subgroup outperformed a non-discussion subgroup and a subgroup that anticipated involvement in discussion but was instructed without…

Provides activities to be used when teaching novels, including reading aloud to students, using student-generated questions for discussion, having students write on key words selected from the text, having students brainstorm together on butcher-block paper before writing an essay, and playing bingo with students to help them recall the…

Three teachers (one university professor, one secondary teacher, and one K-12 language arts coordinator) formed a writing group to generate texts about the phenomenon of student autobiographical writing in the classroom. The paper discusses the benefits of autobiographical writing to students and describes teachers' experiences with student…

Discusses the use of cooperative learning principles in bibliographic instruction at the University of Minnesota. Topics include changing the role of the instructor to relinquish some control and have an open attitude, and increasing student participation and control of the discussion for a more interactive environment. (LRW)

Discusses puzzling statements by second graders in a classroom literature discussion. Argues that, by considering children's sociocultural backgrounds in examining their responses to stories, teachers can better understand and appreciate their students' critical thinking dispositions and abilities in the classroom setting. (SR)

Explores links between science education and current developments in environmental education that take account of the concept of sustainability and the impact of local action on global issues. Uses the greenhouse effect as a case-study example with 16-year-old students. Reports that students learned more effectively using a discussion-based…

Examines the influence of conversational interaction on language change. Described two experiments that contrast language coordination between speakers who interacted with the same partner and speakers who interacted with different partners in a maze game context. Suggests that the experiments illustrate how a community affects language change as…

This paper explores the role of voice quality in the teaching of pronunciation and argues that, since voice quality encompasses many aspects of phonology, it provides a useful point of departure for pronunciation work. (11 references) (JL)

Total Quality uses group methods to identify and collectively prevent or solve specific problems related to consumer satisfaction and quality issues in business. This article integrates social influencing strategies with developmental group processes for facilitating consumer satisfaction and problem-solving in total quality groups. A case study…

Managing the psychological depth of responses to adventure activities calls for the leader to attend to own language and language of group participants. Describes eight levels of psychological depth occurring during group discussion and interaction. Addresses the need to stay at or above the agreed-upon level and avoid moving into psychotherapy.…