This article addresses issues related to one particular type of electronic messaging, namely e-mail. E-mail appears to serve two primary purposes in the world and society. First, it is used as a form of communication that allows individuals, no matter where they are located, to communicate with each other on a regular basis at a low cost. Second,…

This report describes a program for increasing reading motivation and comprehension. The targeted population consisted of two heterogeneous groups of fourth grade students who attended a public school located in a northwest suburb of a large metropolitan area. The students' lack of motivation and poor comprehension skills were documented by low…

This practicum project implemented and evaluated an 8-month program designed to reduce negative behaviors among first- through fifth-grade students. Counseling referrals, student interviews, and faculty surveys indicated that the negative behaviors of gossip, name calling, and exclusion of fellow students from class and play activities were…

Introducing students to the assumptions, values, and complexity involved in implicit and explicit agreements between individuals, this book presents 36 situations which students are asked to examine and then draw conclusions and make decisions based on the information given. The situations presented in the book include agreements, understandings,…

An action research project investigated the effect of reciprocal teaching instruction and use on the comprehension of seventh-grade general English students. Reciprocal teaching is a form of dialogue structured around four skills--question generation, summarization, clarification, and prediction. These techniques are used in small group…

Designed to accompany a videotape chronicling the journey of two Holocaust survivors as they revisit the site of the concentration camp at Auschwitz (Poland), the guide provides questions, exercises, and suggestions for further activities. The guide begins with a description of how to present the 28-minute videotape "Auschwitz: If You Cried,…

Six doctoral students evaluated an educational leadership program they were in by participating in a focus group simulation. The students were all enrolled in or auditing a qualitative research course at Northern Arizona University's Center for Excellence in Education (NAU/CEE). Prior to the simulation participants were given instructions on the…

An organizational needs assessment (ONA) process was developed to gather information about the basic skills upgrading needs and issues in the Division of Residence Operations of a state university. Forty-four participants from management, union leadership, and all job levels in the university's custodial and maintenance departments participated in…

Research that identifies factors that facilitate information processing and enhance performance without reducing group confidence and decision satisfaction may influence future development of groupwork systems. This paper contains a review of the literature on cognitive and motivational issues in both group decision-making and learning contexts…

A practicum was designed to improve reading comprehension in 50 third-graders over an 8-month period. The practicum's peripheral goal was to improve the efficient use of the microcomputer as a tool to supplement reading comprehension. The program included computer lab experiences to teach keyboarding skills, language arts software use, and the use…

Three installments of "Classic of the Month," a regular feature of the National Council of Teachers of English publication, "Notes Plus," are presented in this compilation. Each installment of this feature is intended to provide teaching ideas related to a "classic" novel. The first article offers a variety of…

Reflecting the reader-response theory of literature--a theory suggesting that literature is made dynamic through interaction between reader and text--this report presents ways of extending high school students' imaginative grasp of human experience. Using three works--Randall Jarrell's poem, "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner," Ambrose…

Discussion starters, the result of collaboration between the Indonesian Directorate General of Nonformal Education, Youth, and Sports, and World Education, Inc., are simple learning tools used to generate discussion among community groups involved in nonformal education. Appropriate in and adaptable to a variety of settings, content areas, and…

College teachers can act as intermediaries between a class and a body of knowledge by making three important contributions: structure, evaluation, and support. The teacher's task is to keep the student's initial drive and enthusiasm intact while thwarting the desire to be content with easy answers. Teachers need to encourage a critical outlook and…

Inviting carefully selected guests into the classroom can help students recognize the blending of theory and practice and involve students more intimately in the learning process. For example, a first-person account by a mother of a handicapped child might have a greater impact on the listener than books, films, or lectures. Effective…