In today's networked environment, online forums emerge as a popular form of social structures that have greater opportunities for learning in various organizational contexts. A plethora of studies have investigated the phenomenon to identify antecedent of its success, such as individual characteristics and organizational structure. However,…

In this article we study how members of an interdisciplinary research team use an online forum for communicating about their research project. We use the concepts of "community of practice" and "connectivity" to consider the online interaction within a wider question of how people from different academic traditions…

Learning to become a professional is a complex process as students need to not only acquire the knowledge and skills for professional practice, but also new ways of defining themselves as professionals. This article considers the role authentic learning experiences play in the transition from student to professional practitioner. This transition…

Metacognition is an important aspect of human intelligence and higher learning. There is the recognition that metacognition is not just a private internal activity but also socially situated. In this context, the purpose of this research is to develop and validate a metacognitive construct that provides the opportunity to assess metacognition in…

This paper examines the effectiveness of routinizing lexical phrases to a group of second language learners. A group of proficiency class students were drilled or routinized with semi-fixed and fixed phrases which are commonly used in problem-solving group discussion. Basic frequency counts and interview were carried out to see improvement in…

This study examined factors that might impact student knowledge sharing within virtual teams through online discussion boards. These factors included: trust, mutual influence, conflict, leadership, and cohesion. A path model was developed to determine whether relationships exist among knowledge sharing from asynchronous group discussion and the…

Simulating a confrontation at a convention or other meetings can prepare participants to be ready for the real thing, says this author. He raises pertinent questions to simulate thinking on this possibility. (Editor)

The paper discusses the use of regularly scheduled classroom group discussions in the treatment of emotionally disturbed (ED) children, to assist them in learning alternative ways of acting and interacting and to move them from feelings of discouragement and negativism to the point where they can effect change in themselves, feel confident in…

Although listening is a major activity in small group communication, it has received minimal attention. Examination of several books and journals reveals a very sparse treatment of the subject. More attention should be given to listening because it is a key factor in a democratic leadership style and requires different skills than does listening…

TWENTY-SIX GROUPS OF FIVE SUBJECTS EACH WERE STUDIED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF FEEDBACK ON SUBSEQUENT GROUP BEHAVIOR. EACH GROUP WAS GIVEN TEN PROBLEMS, EACH TO BE SOLVED INDIVIDUALLY, BEFORE AND AFTER A DISCUSSION PERIOD. THE USE OF AN ANALOG COMPUTER PERMITTED THE EXPERIMENTER TO GIVE FEEDBACK ON THE FIRST SOLUTION BEFORE THE DISCUSSION BEGAN…

This discussion guide is part of a multi-media package of audiovisual and written materials designed to assist trainers of teams in a school setting, particularly for use with teams of teachers and auxiliaries (paraprofessionals). The purpose of the film clip series--to stimulate discussion that is geared to problem solving--is discussed, and the…

A report on the National Seminar of American Indian Women is presented. This meeting was planned to provide an opportunity for American Indian women to discuss the needs of Indian communities and expand their understanding of what constitutes an adequate community. The delegates were lay people selected from their home communities. Sixty-eight of…

Presents the results of a study which investigated the content quality of classroom discussions in three tenth-grade social studies classes categorized as cooperative, competitive, or neutral (control). Findings did not support previous research regarding the content of group discussions and their structure. (JDH)

Reviews the software package, "Interaction Analyses," which makes the observation of communication transactions--commonly described as PROANA5--possible with a microcomputer. (PD)