Reports an investigation into pupil-talk in small groups during a computer simulation. The role of language as a communication and understanding aid is considered, along with the microcomputer's potential as a stimulus to and generator of discussion. The contents of participants' conversations, at and away from the microcomputer, are analyzed.…

Five years ago, an introductory chemistry course for chemists and chemical engineers was redesigned to stress the scientific method, problem-solving, and reasoning skills. Describes: (1) changes made in the course; (2) impacts on student achievement; and (3) student ratings of the course. (JN)

Classroom-tested strategies for implementing mainstreaming in the secondary social studies classroom are described. These included textbook and lecture strategies; discussion, role-play, and debate strategies; and map, globe, and art projects. (RM)

Presents arguments to researching response to poetry that attempts to track the process as it occurs. Describes procedures designed to ensure that the responses that are recorded come close to representing the process by which adolescent readers go about making sense of a poem. (EL)

Proposes use of criteria-based scales, which prescribe levels of writing performance for a particular mode of discourse, as a way to teach and test student writing skills. Pre- and posttesting, teaching for the test utilizing the criteria-based scale, and why this method is successful are also discussed. (MBR)

Designers who are charged with creating online environments that support students' problem-solving efforts and instructors who are searching for instructional strategies to support students' asynchronous problem-solving efforts will find this paper useful. The paper describes a systematic approach for using computer-mediated bulletin boards to…

Over the past several years, education reformers have increasingly invested in the development of communities within schools as a central strategy to improve teaching and student learning. These communities come in various guises, including small schools, small learning communities, and teacher teams. Two assumptions about how these communities…

The author provides staff developers and educational leaders with tools needed to facilitate a workshop or study group, designed around his book. It gives chapter-by chapter activities focused on moral purpose and why it plays such a critical role in changing the context of school leadership. This guide explores in depth: (1) "Changing the…

The author describes her experiences teaching a computer-enhanced Modern Poetry course. The author argues that using computers enhances the concept of the classroom as learning community. It was the author's experience that students' postings on the discussion board created an atmosphere that encouraged student involvement, as opposed to the…

The Key Stage 3 National Strategy and the National Association for the Teaching of English worked in partnership to provide this publication of a resource designed to support teachers of English. The resource consists of classroom materials for three short units of work in years 7, 8, and 9. These are intended to foster and develop independent…

This paper summarizes the experiences of an instructor and teaching assistant who introduced online communication strategies in a graduate seminar. This paper drew on the findings of a previous paper (Schwier & Balbar, 2002), and examined how to construct structured discussions of content using synchronous and asynchronous communication in…

In traditional face-to-face classrooms, teachers lead their students through discussions using strategies that promote reflection and further exploration of issues and topics. The same holds true in the online class. There are specific techniques and strategies used in facilitating learning through discussion in both types of classes. The…

This collection is intended to help teachers encourage active learning by involving students in classroom learning and to encourage teachers to cultivate critical thinking through thought-provoking questions. The readings include: (1) "The Dreaded Discussion: Ten Ways To Start" (Peter Frederick); (2) "Classroom Structures Which Encourage Student…

This paper presents a rationale and a conceptual framework for a wider research project dealing with mathematical communication, and in particular with actions performed by interlocutors whenever they wish to clarify their use of a symbol, a word or an expression. The aim of such actions is often to repair a communicational breach resulting from…

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the activities of collective learning structures. Drawing from ecological-complexity theory it elaborates on a theoretical framework for observing and acting upon collective learning. To interpret the relation between individual action, social interaction and the collective cognitive domain we adopt the…