Focusing on a professional continuing education program in group discussion leadership skills for Louisiana public health workers, this study assessed the overall value of training to participants, and sought relationships between certain background characteristics and the value ascribed to the training experience. The Kropp-Verner Evaluation…

This survey provides factual data on the study patterns of adults within Presbyterian Church School programs. The information is intended to be used in areas such as leadership training; the denomination's consultant program; in preparation of new materials; and within the Department of Adult Education of the Presbyterian Church. The study shows…

The relationships that exist between written compositions of fourth-grade students and various teacher influences were investigated in this study. Relationships examined were those between the student's achievements in composition and (1) his teacher's writing ability, (2) his perception of other students' writing, his classroom, his assignments,…

This study was designed to determine whether viewing and discussing five movies, each depicting a different pattern of supervisory behavior, would enable maladjusted students to react more favorably to supervision. Patterns of behavior were: (1) consideration of employees, (2) structuring expectations, (3) tolerance of freedom of action, (4)…

An assessment was made of the usefulness of more realistic simulation models in the academic study of business, and of resources needed to develop and use such models. A review of the literature showed significant differences in structure and the role of the "player" (student) as regards game theory, which deals with analysis and selection of…

This study in upstate New York investigated certain characteristics of 602 public affairs education discussion groups; relative group stability in terms of change in size over time; whether characteristics affect group survival; and how group structure is related to certain attitudes on individualism and community growth. Data were gathered by…

Teachers should resist external pressures, such as the British fifth-form examination, which dictate the content and teaching methods of their classes. Instead, teachers should endeavor to keep literature, language, and composition integrated; to emphasize class and group discussions; to find topics that interest pupils, not examiners; to…

Two projects of individualized instruction are reported in this document. These projects were carried out in small high schools in Colorado and are reported by the instructors involved. Included in the reports are the rationale, objectives, description of student groups, extensive procedural description, and results and recommendations. The…

This book attempts to narrow the gap between the rhetoric of social studies reform and the realities of most classrooms. It focuses on strategies for engaging students in the learning process. Practical and workable guides are provided for improving classroom instruction with new techniques and materials for innovative strategies. Although the…

The major objective of the study was to provide children with social skill training through: (1) individual opportunities for children to examine and adopt more productive alternatives to the satisfaction of their needs; (2) small group opportunities for children to discuss and learn the differential consequences of cognitive, affective, and…

Learning in small groups is a practical way to bring about behavior change. The inquiry learning process is perceived to be the most natural and scientific way of learning. Skills developed include those of problem-solving task analysis, decision-making, value formation and adaptability. The art of small group interaction is developed. Factual…

A workshop held December 7, 8, and 9, 1970, was the second phase of a three-part program which aims to organize and develop Adult Basic Education (ABE) teacher preparation programs in institutions of higher education. The goals of the workshop were to: (1) inform participants about the need for professional preparation in teaching Adult Basic…

This paper identifies and defines skills associated with the commentary-discussion method of teaching in an effort to improve student learning in precollege psychology courses. First, the author examines the range of teaching methods from formal lecture to open discussion and identifies commentary-discussion as the most widely used technique. In…

Discusses a method for involving students in topics so that research evolves from a desire to know. Describes using response group discussion about real life problems to find topics, freewriting loops, and class presentation before and during research. Reports positive atmosphere and interest. (JG)

Discusses a study exploring the effect of the social context of two contrasting types of discussion--question and answer, and response centered--on students' interpretation of a literary work. Concludes that certain characteristics of the question and answer discussion may have inhibited students' interpretive responses. (JC)