The peer self-help group approach used by Alcoholics Anonymous can be a model for other types of adult learning. The group's power, solidarity, experience sharing, and values clarification can provide positive social and educational experiences to others such as the chronically unemployed, illiterate adults, and high school dropouts. (SK)

Recent findings in studies of moral education indicate that "plus-one" teachers, who function as discussion leaders and pitch moral arguments one stage above the majority of the class, are not necessary for students' moral growth. Teachers should be viewed as models and facilitators rather than producers of moral reasoning. (Author/WD)

This investigation of the effect of stimulus environment design on the probability of desired attitude learning provides a rationale for attitudes as reinforcement or reward values and discusses the roles of human models, group discussion, simulation, visual and verbal mediations of experiences, frequency of exposure, media selection, and learning…

The Department of Psychiatric Education at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University holds seven-hour workshops on teaching to enhance the teaching skills of its residents. Presentations of educational principles, simulation exercises, group discussions, and reviews of audiotaped residents are among the techniques used in the…

Describes the group leadership skills that a teacher needs to conduct a class meeting according to William Glasser's reality therapy model. (SJL)

The article presents six classroom activities designed to foster the cognitive and affective growth of gifted, creative, and talented primary grade students. (DLS)

Discusses the use of focus groups for conducting research with children, and presents a case study that used the focus group method in a child sexual abuse prevention program. Critiques the advantages and disadvantages of the use of focus groups with children for evaluative purposes. (Author/CR)

Examines and identifies students' mental models of an abstract mathematical concept regarding intuition. Observes how students think reflectively on their mental models in a whole-class discussion in terms of logical thinking. (DDR)

Reviews the growth of literature study as an open-ended enterprise for student growth and discussion. Critiques new directions in literature study among children. Explains basic ideas behind the authors' recommendation for literature study. (TB)

A teacher of middle school deaf students describes the use of literature study circles to encourage reading. The study circles encourage self-selection of reading materials, build a sense of community, help students to learn open-ended group discussion techniques, and foster thinking skills. (DB)

Discusses the dominant paradigm for analyzing interactions, Conversation Analysis (CA), pointing out that the paradigm does not include participant intention in its analysis. Notes that CA practitioners focus on empirical investigations of what the participants are doing and how they are doing it and that the understanding of an utterance is…

Features of a web-based learning environment for physicians included the following: balance between content richness and bandwidth; shared knowledge and interaction using actual cases; constructivist approach to develop basic cases into advanced cases for reflection and interaction. Evaluation of the program showed comparable participation rates…

Examines the performance and construction of subjectivities of four early adolescent, sixth-grade girls as they read and discussed a novel about two adolescent Mexican children seeking a new life in America. Suggests they engaged in ongoing construction of their subjectivities as they interacted with the text and each other. Notes the girls…

Notes that adolescent readers view characters in young adult novels as living and wrestling with real problems close to their own life experiences as teens. Reviews recent studies related to teaching literature and adolescent identity construction. Offers a framework teachers can use to initiate discussions based on critical literacy in their own…

Forty U.S. and 70 Israeli occupational therapy students received lecture or group discussion treatments in groups based on active versus reflective learning styles. Matching reflective style with lectures and active style with discussion resulted in better problem-solving performance and shorter learning time. (SK)