Examines changes in disciplinary identity demonstrated in the discourse of several Internet discussion groups and suggests the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to address digital storage and retrieval problems. Highlights include the culture of intellectual disciplines and the organization of knowledge; the culture of the Internet; and…

Describes the technique of exploding an oxygen-hydrogen balloon using two balloons and having students observe the formation of water droplets. Suggests that the Socratic Method can be used to start discussions related to stochiometry, states of matter, and gas laws. (DDR)

Investigates how Greek secondary school students interacted in pairs and fours while discussing and attempting to explain physical phenomena. Results indicate that students progressed significantly more in their physics reasoning after participation in fours than in pairs. Discourse analysis in different groupings suggests that differences were…

Examines the transition from a single conversation to two conversations in a group larger than three by focusing on three distinctive properties of the schisming-inducing turn (SIT): (1) the changes in recipiency structure; (2) the sequence-structural properties of the SIT and its uptake; and (3) the topical properties of the SIT. (61 references)…

A brainstorming variation used with discussion sections of a large class has students write ideas on Post-It notes, which can then be prioritized, categorized, sequenced, and grouped as needed, easily and quickly. The technique is useful for building thesis-writing skills, stimulating creation of a visual body of evidence, and encouraging…

Uses John Dewey to talk about a tendency among educators to indulge in either/or thinking or to label such-and-such an approach as "traditional" or "progressive." Suggests that this kind of thinking subverts meaningful dialogue and thoughtful analysis. (TB)

Describes a series of matrix choice games that illustrate for students the concepts of monopoly, shared monopoly, Cournot, Bertrand, and Stackelberg behavior given either perfect complements or perfect substitutes. Suggests that the use of the games also allows for student dialogue about international trade and price wars. (JEH)

Describes how the author uses text-based virtual environments to connect his students to a course. Details his experiences with this innovative technology to explore the development of critical thinking and discussion with high school students. Defines a "MOO" as a text-based virtual environment, a sort of sophisticated chat room…

Examines how secondary students socialized into the complex and demanding discourse of English Literature. Considers what factors from the student's perspective, particularly those for whom English is their second language, distinguish those who more actively participate from those who do not. Addresses how one teacher sought to do this through an…

Presents a part of a larger study attempting to retrieve the versions of the child implicit in the everyday life of a literature classroom. Focuses on a children's novel, "Magpie Island" (Thiele, 1974), and the classroom talk about that novel. Findings reveal that the version of the child implicit in the novel and that enacted in the classroom…

Endeavors to reassert the validity of a many-faceted agenda to which qualitative analysis of classroom talk remains central and to present a review of advances made in the gathering and interpretation of talk-evidence so that possible lines of further development can be indicated. (44 references) (Author/CK)

Finds that including media studies at the end of a traditional literature course is an effective pedagogical instrument for instigating discussion regarding the literary canon, since students recognize and address the important contribution of popular culture when it is in dialogue with more traditional material. Selects the film…

Although Americans still cling to the ideal of free public education, the broad mandate that once tied schools to this ideal and other social, economic, and political objectives is fading. Publics, created out of multitudinous self-interests, form via deliberation. Deliberative forums can produce an agenda for actions linked by a shared sense of…

The National PTA, which helped plan and conduct many Phi Delta Kappan public education forums, believes that parent and community involvement, competent and caring educators, and adequate funding are key components of educational excellence. As parents discuss these vital components with other community members, they can jointly develop awareness,…

Discusses how guidelines for classroom discussion, popular in women's studies and sociology, have set off campus controversies over freedom of speech. (EV)