A common problem in an "experiential class" is the lack of attention devoted to group closure at the end of the course. Toward the end of the semester, students working in small groups in organizational behavior classes often experience anxiety over losing the support and identity that they enjoyed as members of a small learning group. A final…

This volume of the Michigan Speech Association curriculum guide--an expanded edition of the 1968 MSA guide (ED 026 393)--is designed for high school students and focuses on the discussion process. "Human Interaction"--the foundation of the discussion process--is the first of three units. The unit is intended to help the student acquire…

This guide deals with specific questions and answers concerning discussions and how to lead them. Instructions for group leaders explain effective seating arrangements, group size, and moderating procedures. Benefits of group discussion include increased self-expression, critical-thinking skills, tolerance of others' views, and realization of the…

A effort begun in 1976 by first-year Harvard Medical School students to humanize the medical curriculum is described. Eleven students have met one evening every other week to discuss issues in medical education, supplementing the curriculum as well as helping students become more effective and humane physicians. (LBH)

A new approach to an oral-visual history program was developed by utilizing slides of events from 1900-1950 to stimulate discussion, then recording recollections of senior citizens about the major issues of this period during group sessions. The development of the program is described along with recommendations for future program development. (EM)

Sociometric measurement showed effectiveness of student group discussions in improving social functioning of participants. Comparisons made between groups led by graduate students and those led by dormitory advisers. Results suggest wider use of student personnel to promote campus growth. (CJ)

Discusses methods used to help adults improve their reading skills and read with more enjoyment. Particular attention is paid to the Reading Club method. An illustration is given of a particular exercise used at a center in Paris. (AMH)

Experiences of small group tutorials in biology courses with the leader acting as participant rather than leader are summarized showing that the material used must stimulate discussion and be at the correct level for the group. Other significant factors include skills of the tutor, physical surroundings, and student preparation. (JMF)

Investigates how teacher talk and social interaction influence children's discussions, by comparing the talk occurring within literature circles in fourth-grade classrooms where teachers were and were not present. Discusses the four roles teachers took (facilitators, participants, mediators, and active listeners). Notes strategies students used to…

This study reports on a mixed methods study which explored 32 Iranian pre-service teachers' perceptions of attending online asynchronous discussion forums during two seven-week online introductory courses in corpus linguistics. Data were collected through a questionnaire, discussion forum entries and online text-based semi-structured interviews.…

A key recommendation from the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate project is for doctoral programs to focus on developing intellectual communities that are knowledge-centered and multigenerational. In this article I describe a graduate art education course, Writing Critique in Art Education, which uses the Critical Friends discussion protocol to…

In this study, 100 Italian eighth graders were divided into two groups to compare the effects of two instructional interventions--the first based on problem-solving through discussion, the second on individual problem-solving--on students' learning of two historical topics (World War I and the economic boom), interest and self-perception of…

This article reports on the use of a large group method, the World Café, compared to large group facilitation in an educational institutional setting in Oman. Change is central to many educational institutions as they aspire to ensure quality procedures and processes are implemented and maintained. One of the difficulties of introducing change…

A survey asked medical students studying the basic sciences to identify effective learning strategies. The purposes of the survey were three-fold: firstly, to identify learning strategies that students prefer; secondly, to encourage students to evaluate their learning strategies; and thirdly, to inform faculty about their students' learning…