This paper addresses the question of how to qualify a knowledge building dialogue in Web-based collaborative learning. It investigates the idea of qualifying the dialogue through grading requirements and through providing students with meta-awareness around their dialogue. The paper investigates and analyzes the changes in quality of student…

Carrying out argumentative discussion online has become rather common in higher education. This task is traditionally supported by asynchronous collaboration tools, but this paper suggests that also synchronous supports could be useful. This paper focuses on scaffolding the knowledge construction: the work of two student moderators jointly…

This study examined the relationship between the quality of intra-group online collaboration among groups of undergraduate learners on the quality of products produced. The quality of online collaboration was assessed by the instructor and Teaching Assistant with the computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) process assessment tool. The…

The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the ways in which graduate students engage in interactive online university courses and use discussion as a tool for thinking and for socially negotiating meaning. In particular, it investigates the idea that discursive interaction in asynchronous, text-based, online courses may be uniquely suited to…

This paper describes the experiences of three university instructors facilitating computer-mediated communication among three teacher training courses at Indiana University, Bloomington and Northwest campuses, and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. The project utilized AltaVista Forum (now SiteScape Forum), a World Wide…

This paper reports findings in a study of an e-mail discussion activity in an undergraduate methods course. Students were asked to contribute an e-mail message to the class discussion at least once every two weeks; they could write on any topic suggested by their field experiences or related class discussions and readings. Critical interpretative…

The purpose of this exploratory experimental study was to examine how online cognitive facilitation that promotes cognitive presence, while keeping facilitator's social presence constant, affects student learning and satisfaction in an online community of inquiry. In this context, we explored the following questions: (1) Does online high cognitive…

Discusses the role of the tutorial as a teaching method suitable for developing a student's verbal skills of discussion, questioning, and group interaction, and describes a study which measured active student participation in tutorials. Strategies by which tutors can increase this participation are suggested. (EAO)

A case study of the type of educational experience provided in a seminar for student teachers is discussed. Inspired by a humanistic philosophy, the seminar did, at times, play a liberalizing and creative role. Most discussions, however, focused on utilitarian problems encountered in the students' teaching. (PP)

Analysis of high school discussion classes revealed no "male dominance" in the rate of participation or weight of contribution. On all indices, males and females participated in proportion to their numbers in class. Differences in participation did not appear to be the result of sociocultural traits. (Author/PP)

Describes the Colonial Junto organized by Benjamin Franklin in 1727 as a discussion club to debate politics, morals, and natural philosophy, and the later American Philosophical Society which extended (and continues) the subject knowledge. The present-day Junto Center for Continuing Education in Philadelphia is an adult education information…

Research addressing the use of small, semi-independent, task-centered student groups ("syndicates") as a classroom technique in higher education is reviewed. Focus is on the promotion of higher-order cognitive skills through the use of such groups. Related concerns include student achievement, group relations, and teacher style. (Author/JMD)

This article describes a procedure for group discussion between parents and adolescents on matters of human sexuality. (DB)

Describes METROPROB, a noncompetitive teaching game based on the theory of metropolitan locality-relevant problems and stressing their interactions. Discusses potential for teaching systemic analysis of urban problems and helping students think sociologically. (Author/CK)

Outlines the concept and forms of "action learning" for managers, stating that the best opportunities for learning take place in a manager's everyday job with group meetings to exchange learning. Describes a regional program in which managers from various organizations work on different projects and then have joint learning discussions.…