Education is a team sport. Current developments in cognitive, social and educational psychology suggest the potential pedagogical value of adopting "a group perspective." Over the last few years, the Air Force Academy has examined the effects of several classroom interventions intended to develop and harness the power of groups to improve…

This study explores assumptions about teacher motivations and why teachers choose one course of action rather than another in problematic situations. The question asked is: "What do teachers take into account when faced with such situations and how do they choose a line of action? Data sources include publications distributed by unions, district…

There are over 28 million children of alcoholics in the United States, 22 million of whom have now reached adulthood yet continue to experience emotional, mental, and physical effects of life in an alcoholic family. In the workplace, adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) have recently become acknowledged as a group who face special challenges. The…

Enhancing the awareness of (1) the organization of "typical" computer projects, (2) the communication that emerges from those structures, and (3) the problems that technical communications inherently hold is the purpose of this paper. It begins by presenting the organization of the working group of a computer project (a college that is going to…

This guidebook is one in the Target Topic Series developed to highlight issues and concerns related to effective community education operation. It is intended for the community education advisory council member who wants to improve the effectiveness of the council. The material is designed to improve the atmosphere of the council to allow the…

Research indicates four sources for the use of the first language in the second language classroom. Environment and the learners cannot be easily controlled, but materials and teachers can. The goal of such control is to increase second language input primarily at the macro level for reading, listening, and speaking practice, thus speeding up the…

Intended for researchers and teachers of the small group process, decision making, and negotiation, this paper offers a review and critique of J. Habermas's theory of universal pragmatics. The first section of this paper retraces Habermas's theory, which seeks to free social action from false consciousness (that is, political ideologies) that…

Textbook presentations of Asch's classical research were used as a case example to evaluate whether an anti-group bias exists in social psychology. Ninety-nine textbooks were analyzed to evaluate whether an overemphasis on conformity was presented by textbook descriptions of Asch, and whether independence and resistance to group pressure were…

Group cohesiveness in psychotherapy is defined as the dynamic process that incorporates the multifactors that establish and maintain members in the therapy group. The development of group cohesiveness and the role of the therapist can be divided into five stages. In the first pregroup stage, the therapist must select clients and prepare them for…

Text is in German.

The Philosophical Influence Model presented in this paper is suggested as helping to understand the varying, and often dichotomous, philosophical influences on the operation of a modern outdoor education organisation. The model is not held to be definitive or conclusive but rather it serves to set the scene for a discussion on changes within the…

An instructor cannot expect thirty learners to participate immediately in "meaningful dialogue" without opportunities to lessen their anxiety by testing group norms, sharing expectations, and developing a sense of membership. The article offers an alternative to the aristocratic learning experience in the context of a hospital inservice job…

Describes the use of group dynamics in a junior high school science classroom as a means of dealing with problems associated with the heterogeneous nature of the student population. (JR)

This leadership guide provides the counselor and group leader with ideas on elements for effective leadership seminars. This packet is a compilation of exercises and ideas on the following: (1) creating a learning community; (2) leadership skill workshop design; (3) program planning and evaluation; and (4) leadership techniques. Brief sections…

Contemporary social psychology takes a simplistic approach to the conceptualization and measurement of intergroup attitudes. Most definitions involve only the affective component of attitudes, and most measurement devices are restricted self-report, paper and pencil questionnaires. A broader and more flexible approach is required to adequately…