By using exercises to increase classroom community and journal assignments rather than tests, teachers can help empower students in the public speaking classroom. To create a sense of community in public speaking classrooms and to increase opportunities for dialogue on a personal level, an ungraded speaking assignment is used that begins the first…

Major issues that must be addressed by colleges and universities that offer Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs on a distance basis are discussed. Three distance MBAs programs currently in operation are also compared: those of Deakin University in Australia, the University of South Africa, and the University of Strathclyde in Great…

Peer oral protocols and group oral protocols were assessed for their use in improving certain analytic skills of undergraduate college students at a liberal arts college in Alabama. In association with the study, the theoretical and experimental literature on the use of peer and group educational interventions is outlined briefly. Subjects were…

The declining emphasis on science, mathematics, and engineering education in the United States together with the necessity of the nation to ensure a continuous supply of trained practitioners in those fields was the consideration that prompted the conference reported in this document. The conference participants--who were representatives of the…

It has been noted that students have an influential role in determining the nature of classroom events in the middle grades and that their teachers adjust their classroom behavior in response to the characteristics of students in the class. This paper analyzes instruction as discourse between teacher and students and the collaborative nature of…

Cross-cultural psychology has begun to analyze cultural differences on collectivism and the implications of these differences for social processes such as group productivity. This study examined natural social interaction during a problem-solving task that required discussion and the establishment of a consensus. The relationship of collectivist…

Collaborative learning (the construction of knowledge through interaction of pairs or small groups of students) is an effective tool for helping students bridge the gap between speaking and writing. To accomplish this type of learning, students must practice talking and writing in a small group structure. Concrete teaching experience has shown…

A study assessed the validity of applying the Spitzberg and Cupach dyadic model of communication competence to small group interaction. Twenty-four students, in five task-oriented work groups, completed questionnaires concerning self-competence, alter competence, interaction effectiveness, and other group members' interaction appropriateness. They…

This paper presents a case study of the development of the Professional Analysis Team (PAT) program structured after the Quality Circle program used in industry. Modifications and innovations of the Quality Circle program are examined, and essential characteristics are outlined. The PAT program, designed to enable education professionals to use…

The benefits of using drama as a teaching technique became evident in the Work Orientation program at the Philippine Refugee Processing Center when a team of teachers presented two plays for their lower-level students. Students enjoyed the activity and were able to discuss work-related problems freely. As a result, the students' self esteem was…

A motivational approach to student learning that has been implemented in several courses at Wright University in Ohio consists of six efforts: (1) to instill in students the knowledge of motivation, both from within and without; (2) to make students members of cohesive work groups; (3) to apply theory learned; (4) to demonstrate achievement of…

The Alliance for Business Literacy Education (ABLE), a composite of several Harvard professors, the Education Development Center (EDC), and the League for Innovation in the Community College, is working to promote the nationwide use in community colleges of a teaching strategy known as the case method. The case method combines the freedom of class…

Suggestions on how to enhance college teaching are provided. Lecturing is stressed as a critical component of teaching, and each lecture's introduction, main body, and conclusion must be correlated prior to any given lecture. Information on how to compose and give a lecture includes: what to put in an introduction; what can be done to help the…

In order to understand why the peer editing groups of freshman collaborative writing classes often fail, an investigation of the collaborative processes of basic and experienced writers was carried out at the University of Missouri (Kansas City). Observation of two freshman composition classes (both containing basic and advanced writers) revealed…

A study was conducted to assess the psychological effectiveness of cooperative small group learning among junior college students with less than 11th grade skill levels. Three English classes, reflecting the overall student population, were chosen. All classes met three days a week and had the same instructor and out-of-class assignments. Two of…