Discusses how defining key terms in context helps students understand and retain concepts. Considers how implementing small-group discussion dramatically changed the classroom dynamics and involved more students in the discovery process. Finds that in small peer groups, students are more inclined to ask questions and help each other clarify their…

Investigates whether and how peer collaboration facilitated students' problem solving in physics. Finds that students' success was due to how they interacted and whether and how they invoked the relevant physics principles. (Author/CCM)

Surveys students in master's-level courses in group work regarding their attitudes toward the use of an experiential group activity as a component of their training, as well as the level of instructor involvement in these experiential groups. Students agreed that the experiential group was an effective and necessary teaching tool; however, a…

Presents a research project examining the use of teaching-learning activities. Gives an illustrative example of a teaching-learning activity that worked. Presents selected software for computer teaching-learning activities. Suggests that the effectiveness of teaching-learning activities is contingent upon the nature of the classroom culture in…

Results from phonological awareness research on assessment and intervention support two major suppositions. First, findings from correlational studies revealing that young children's phonological sensitivity is related to the future development of reading skills (Lonigan et al., 1998) validate early screening of phonological awareness to identify…

Organizing and designing Learning Center activities requires planning so that students are engaged in meaningful learning tasks and the tasks are differentiated for varied learning levels. In this article, suggestions for designing and managing Learning Centers, including a Center for small group instruction, are described. Finally, ideas for…

Cooperative, small-group learning is widely recognised as a pedagogical practice that promotes learning and socialisation across a range of curriculum areas from primary school through to high school and college. When children work cooperatively together, they learn to give and receive help, share their ideas and listen to other students'…

In answering the call of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1990) that "science should be taught as science is practiced at is best," science faculty across the country have systematically begun to infuse their skills, perspectives, and experiences as scientists into the instructional approaches they select for their…

We describe a training program to teach applied behavior analysis (ABA) knowledge competencies to paraprofessional staff (N = 47) at a habilitation services agency for adults with developmental disabilities. Before and following training, staff completed assessment of knowledge tests for three content areas: basic learning principles,…

Ability grouping is sometimes thought to exacerbate inequality by increasing achievement gaps; however, ability grouping may in fact benefit a fast growing and often marginalized student population: children from non-English-speaking home environments. The level-appropriate, small-group instruction received in reading ability groups may be…

This paper discusses the implementation of a new e-learning environment that supports non-rote learning of exploratory and inductive statistics within the pedagogical paradigm of social constructivism. The e-learning system is based on a new computational framework that allows us to create an electronic research environment where students are…

Six student syllabi in outline form for United States history, art, and literature represent a year's work in this interdisciplinary high school course. The teaching techniques and materials include individualized learning and case study approaches keyed to ten historical themes; primary source material in the form of historical newspapers;…

Development of theories concerning social identity and language learning is explored, and ways in which English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers can support students in this process are discussed. During the 1980s and 1990s, emphasis in research on language learning shifted to its social context. Theorists have begun to find the focus on…

A large-group (110 students) pharmaceutics course, designed to use small-group case-based problem solving to address pharmaceutical manufacturing problems, is described; and student response to the course is examined. The 11 case studies used in the curriculum are summarized. The peer evaluation form is included. (MSE)

The authors shares suggestions for instructors who teach large classes (from 50-80 students) with minimal resources. The challenges of managing the classroom, using pair and group work effectively, and working with limited resources are addressed. The authors suggests ways to take attendance quickly, to reduce written work to grade, to start and…