The relative power of cooperative and trusting patterns of behavior versus those of exploitation and distrust in affecting the results of group decision-making processes was investigated. The outcome of a study using the Prisoner's Dilemma Game seems to suggest the disproportionate influence of competitive people in these settings. (Author)

Presents a case for and poses a procedure including techniques for a systematic approach to planning in education as a means of improving efficiency and effectiveness. Available from: Australian College of Education, 916 Swanston Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia, $2.50 single copy. (Author/MLF)

Examines the effect of communication media on group processes and the consequent effect of processes on group cohesiveness, satisfaction, and productivity using mediated regression analysis. Supports previous findings about group outcomes by showing that communication media groups expressed lower cohesiveness than did face-to-face groups. (AEF)

Reports on efforts to produce a multicultural mathematics curriculum for grades K-6 that was socially transformative. Describes the perplexity of issues related to the definition of multicultural and mathematics curricula for social transformation, the complexities of group deliberation, and the demands involved in the teacher-research process.…

Presents the Grid for Processing Experiences and Events in Group Work so as to broaden the repertoire of group work leaders as they help members derive personal meaning from group experiences. Focuses on grid dimensions, levels of interaction, using the grid, application during a session, and eliciting sharing and discussion. (RJM)

To investigate gender effects on computer-mediated communication, undergraduate psychology students were put in small groups (males, females, or mixed) and were assigned feminine content (decision making) and masculine content (intellective) task types. Groups of females, regardless of task, sent more words per e-mail message, were more satisfied…

Collaborators sparked by creative ideas and obsessed by a common task may not realize they're part of a "hot group"--a term coined by business professors Harold J. Leavitt and Jean Lipman-Blumen. Spawned by group decision making and employee empowerment, hot groups can flourish in education settings. They're typically small, short lived,…

Investigates whether a member with information critical for making the best group decision positively influences the group's final choice. Examines impact of status differences among members and of communication media (face-to-face versus computer-mediated communication). Finds that mixed-status groups made poorer decisions and fewer references to…

Examines the components constituting autonomy in second language learning. The article focuses on helping students make and execute choices in the domains of communication, learning, and their personal life. These components form the basis of a conceptual framework for coordinating strategies to help learners develop autonomy. (24 references)…

Discusses using advanced electronic and communication technology to improve organizational innovation. Group creativity techniques, such as electronic brainstorming, PMI (a brainstorming approach involving plus, minus, and interesting points), synectics, and their verbal counterparts are compared. Electronic PMI and synectics are found to be…

Traces the historical background and describes the symptomology relating to mass hysteria and psychogenic illness. After prescribing a case study of an incident of such behavior at a mid-western university, explores the implications for staff training in student areas. (Author/KW)

Adults who work in positions of authority with young people must be prepared for the possibility of conflict, which could lead to aggressive behavior. Incorrect handling of a crisis will produce a conflict cycle, the four stages of which are described. Legal issues surrounding physical intervention (in the United Kingdom) are summarized, and…

A study of 32 Swedish workers without hearing impairments and 34 associates who were deaf investigated their social relations in bicultural work groups. Results found that a majority of both groups felt they understood each other and were understood, but almost all participants reported misunderstanding between the two groups. (CR)

Using the example of a Navajo student teacher late for the first day of mentoring, steps are presented that enable parties with divergent perspectives to prevent or resolve conflicts by gaining second-person perspective, establishing a calm reflective ambiance, and seeking points of convergence. Presents 10 elements for reaching higher ground in…

Data from 22 business graduate students on a team-building course were used to identify themes important for teamwork: getting to know one another, egalitarianism, team spirit, task achievement, and unfinished business. Teams appeared to be dynamic and constantly adapting to circumstances; therefore, evaluation should not view them as a finished…