Finds the presentation assignment to be an effective method of providing students with the opportunity to apply the literacy skills they are learning in ways that are personally meaningful. Describes the presentation assignment framework and provides an example of an assignment that required students to analyze and interpret works of literature…

Discusses some initiatives that address problems of a fragmented curriculum and student isolation in large college classes through restructuring. These include peer-facilitated learning communities (such as emerging scholars programs), linked-class learning communities (e.g., linked writing courses), course-cluster learning communities, and…

Describes a process used for group assignments in a business communication course which holds all group members accountable by using a structure of rotating responsibility. Discusses selecting assignments and implementing the process, noting how this structure requires equivalent advance preparation from all members and provides opportunities for…

Determined the separate and combined effects of knowledge maps or texts and teaching props (overview maps or outlines) on the learning of two different sets of material in the context of cooperative teaching. Results from 102 undergraduates show that the effects of format of study materials or communication props depend on the prior knowledge of…

Observes that college athletes tend to earn fewer bachelor's degrees, take longer to do so, earn lower grades, and take less demanding curricula than students in general. Describes and evaluates a study program for freshman athletes that requires students to work cooperatively on assignments and how that fosters academic confidence. (DSK)

Describes the collaborative listening-viewing guide, a lesson framework for promoting students' visual literacy. Notes that an important feature of the guide is the use of flexible grouping, where students are encouraged to share what they see and recall, to contribute their personal experiences, and to build more elaborated constructions of…

Considers a trio of students who collaboratively discover a generalization while doing their calculus homework. Describes the argument as a play which portrays a relatively natural situation cleansed from unrefined mathematical language, errors, and tangential discussions unrelated to the mathematics of the situation. (ASK)

Reports on 128 subjects interviewed about their recollections of school field trips during their early years of school. Ninety-six percent could recall school field trips, with the majority recalling when they went, with whom they went, where they went, and three or more specific aspects of what they did. The study reinforces interrelationships…

This study examined the involvement of six children (ages 8 to 12) with specific language impairment (SLI) in a three-person cooperative group task with partners matched for either chronological age or language skills. Four of the children with SLI played very minor roles in the cooperative work within their triads with very limited verbal…

Describes a project where the author worked with students twice a week to observe and document types of collaboration that took place during writing workshops. Presents evidence to identify types of collaboration. Discusses these observations and delineates classroom components that allow these interactions to take place. Considers types of…

Introduces an inquiry-based program on leeches that features five components: (1) engagement; (2) exploration; (3) explanation; (4) evaluation; and (5) extension/elaboration. Investigates the anatomy and environmental conditions of leeches. (YDS)

Studied the collaborative strategies used in an experimental design task by 24 high- and low-prior knowledge of medical students in groups of 4. The high prior knowledge group used knowledge to help construct plans, evaluate actions, and stay focused. The low prior knowledge group was less systematic and worked at mapping the connections between…

Draws on social movement literature by Doug McAdam, and others, to examine past, present, and future states of the Writing across the Curriculum (WAC) movement. Looks at both micro and macro organizational levels as a means of bolstering the movement. Concludes by saluting community efforts to change individuals and culture. (TB)

Presents a fun-filled activity in which students create the perfect Kool-Aid recipe. Incorporates chemistry, cooperative group skills, experimentation, and recording of results. (JRH)

Evaluates the introduction of in-class cooperative learning in a large lecture college physics sequence. Results indicate that cooperative learning sessions helped the students achieve at a higher level than expected. Concludes that in-class cooperative learning addressed student concerns about the learning environment and was perceived as an…