Makes an analogy between the stories told by teachers of large classes in South African universities and the storytelling of tribes. Suggests their identity is defined by the act of teaching and complaining about large groups with limited resources. Examines implications for content and organization of a teacher education course on classroom…

Discusses the development and implementation of small group work focusing on seminar presentations and term papers in a microclimatology class. The class utilized peer- and self-assessment strategies developed in conjunction with a university department of education. Responses both from teachers and students were positive. (MJP)

Describes an in-class exercise where students role-played members of a toy company's marketing staff. Participants received instructions identifying them as either "dominant" or "inexperienced," with corresponding suggestions they were to make concerning the product. The assigned identities resulted in a skewed representation and acceptance, of…

This article reports on an interactional ethnographic study of three professional-development conversations on the participation of students with special needs in guided inquiry science instruction. It focuses on how teachers' thinking about the use of small-group work changed over the course of the conversations and led to modifications in…

Develops a unit to help elementary school children revive the spontaneous bright color painting qualities of their preschool years. After observing book illustrations and Henri Rousseau's work, second grade students created compositions outlined in black paint and then used felt-tipped markers instead of paint to color in the shapes. (KM)

This study found that constant time delay was effective in teaching word reading to four students (ages seven to eight) with mild handicaps. Individual attentional response was more effective and efficient in learning to spell words than in choral attentional response. Observational and incidental learning occurred for all students. (Author/JDD)

Compares results of a current survey with an earlier one conducted in the United Kingdom to examine microcomputer use in primary schools. Highlights include the effect of experience; teacher training; influences on software use; individual versus group use; influences on cooperative behavior; teachers' aims in using microcomputers; and future…

Compares the performance and attitudes toward instruction of eighth graders working individually on a computer-based sex education lesson with those of learners working cooperatively in dyads. Interactions on an attitude measure were detected among instructional method, gender, and ability, and results indicate that cooperative instruction yielded…

A survey of 319 residents, recent graduates, and faculty of McGill University medical school investigated which ethical issues were viewed as important to include in the curriculum, frequency of occurrence, difficulty of management, and helpfulness of discussion. Gender differences were also studied. Results indicate little consensus on ethics…

Maintains that the whole-language approach to reading and writing presents another challenge to music teachers who are asked to create complementary instruction as part of an integrated curriculum. Discusses three commonly agreed-on characteristics and areas of disagreement among those who advocate the whole-language approach. (CFR)

Many teachers use cooperative learning methods during instruction but face the problem of aligning evaluation techniques with that instruction. Described are methods to include cooperative problem solving in evaluation, including strategies to identify possible grading schemes, to make appropriate problem choices, and to evaluate individual versus…

Reports an example of one lesson from a sequence of lessons on fractions from a sixth grade class in which the teacher revises her plans after observing students' small-group work and interactions. The lesson illustrated the teacher's knowledge of mathematics, how students think, and how to observe that thinking. (MDH)

Describes the use of DIALOG and Classmate by students at McDowell High School (Texas). Requirements for accessing DIALOG are explained; methods of teaching using DIALOG are described, including planning search strategy and the use of small groups; and problems are reviewed, including supervision time, cost, and limited accessibility. (three…

Forms and characteristics of small group physics instruction in the Russian university are examined and in some cases, compared to those used in Britain. Topics discussed include the lecture method, classroom communication during lectures, postlecture discussion, specialized small-audience lectures, problem solving, individual research projects,…

Offers a two-day lesson plan for secondary literature classes, using biblical proverbs from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Benjamin Franklin's "Poor Richard's Almanac," and anonymous adages. Identifies objectives, materials, procedure, evaluation, and suggests student projects. Includes proverbs for discussion and…