A teacher educator describes an oral form of case study that makes shared experiences between teachers and students the raw material for crafting cases. Collaborative classroom discussion promotes the development of a more reality-based view of teaching. His greatest successes have been in crafting cases from his own pedagogical failings. (SM)

Presents two exercises designed to demonstrate the influence of two Adlerian principles on personality. Includes exercises dealing with birth order and earliest recollection. Concludes that the exercises actively demonstrate major concepts for counseling courses in Adlerian psychotherapy. Reports that students rated both exercises highly, with…

The "Educational Researcher" is a forum for extended conversation among researchers about their common endeavors. Articles are models for reasoning about educational issues as well as arguments for particular conclusions. A call is issued for articles that present diverse perspectives and challenging critiques of topics of interest. (SLD)

A computer-based group decision support system (GDSS) to increase collaborative group productivity and creativity is explained. Various roles for the computer are identified, and implementation of GDSS systems at the University of Mississippi and International Business Machines are described. The GDSS is seen as fostering productivity through…

A Texas A & M University study found that using a series of short films and weekly discussions of medical ethics issues was an effective way of improving medical students' moral reasoning skills and that students with longer exposure to the course (n=37) developed better skills than those with shorter exposure (n=48). (Author/MSE)

Defines wait time as the length of time teachers wait for answers from students after asking a question. Maintains that increasing wait time can stimulate reflective thinking and student involvement. Reviews the research literature on wait time studies in science education. Finds that student responses improve and participation expands with…

A class discussion activity intended for freshman courses helps students explore some issues in the design of a personal study philosophy, including the real reasons for studying and the obstacles to studying effectively. Results of field testing the approach with a class of 22 students are reported. (MSE)

The Medical College of Georgia's third-year medicine clerkship includes a one-month ambulatory care block rotation in internal medicine, medicine, and dermatology. Students present topics and participate in case discussions in daily and weekly conferences. Program success is resulting in expansion. (MSE)

If college faculty were encouraged by leadership to share their teaching experiences and insights, good teaching could flourish. Useful conversation topics include critical moments in teaching and learning; the human condition of teachers and learners; metaphors and images of the teaching process; and autobiographical reflection on great teachers.…

This study compared the effects of drama and drawing planning activities with a traditional planning activity (discussion) on the quality of second and third graders' narrative writing. After 15 sessions, researchers found that drama and drawing were effective forms of rehearsal for narrative writing and more successful than discussion. (SM)

Provides guidelines for classroom discussions of bioethical issues. Equipped with an ethical reasoning model, teachers can help to prepare students to make responsible decisions about science-related issues. (ZWH)

Describes the use of concept cartoons as a teaching strategy. The cartoons represent scientific ideas in everyday situations and use published research to identify common areas of misunderstanding which then provide a focus for the concept cartoons. Cartoons provide teachers with good access to children's ideas, promote conceptual change,…

A color-blind approach often signifies that an educator has not considered what racial/ethnic identity means to youngsters. Students want to find themselves reflected in the faces of teachers and other students. Color-conscious teachers seek out materials that positively reflect students' identities and initiate discussions about race and racism.…

Investigates the patterns of intertextual linking as learners engaged in problem solving when using hypermedia. Learners were observed in their synthesized discourse in six cases using Perseus, a Greek culture database. Discusses themes that emerged from learners' on-line protocols and interactions and implications for instructional designers.…

Constructivist-based discussions in the science classroom were elicited through the application of an intervention model for effective whole-class discussion based on the "Philosophy for Children" program. Pre- and post-test measures indicate that the experimental class experienced significantly greater gains in scientific reasoning than…