Describes a medieval history access course at the University of Glasgow (Scotland) in which non-traditional teaching methods were used, specifically collaborative group work and embedded rhetorical training for essay writing. Questions the idea of discipline-specific pedagogical practice. (Author/DB)

Analyzes the results of an experimental study of a nontraditional style of teaching, a combination of lecture and group discovery methods. Concludes that students in the study performed better than those in traditional sections, their attitudes towards mathematics improved, and they were positive about the instructional approach. (Author/ASK)

Describes a three-week project in an English classroom in which students in small, mixed-ability groups used PowerPoint to enhance a unit on British literature. Outlines the lesson itself and discusses its positive results, including peer-teaching and learning, improved student motivation to understand themes in poetry, positive socialization, and…

This study of thirteen-year-old students from Hong Kong assessed the efficacy of several different instructional activities using data from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Discusses teaching activities, homework activities, classroom activities, and cooperative learning. Six tables of data are appended. (Contains 24…

In social work the ability to verbally support assessments undertaken in the workplace is an important skill which is not usually assessed. This case study describes the experience of using posters for assessment and includes feedback from students who chose the option of presenting a poster and those who did not. (Contains 8 references.)…

Offers instructors a model for presenting meta-analysis to students within an undergraduate experimental psychology course that can be covered in approximately 90 minutes. Discusses the prerequisites for teachers and students, outlines a lecture, and describes an in-class exercise that gives students practice in meta-analytic procedures. Offers an…

Argues that appropriate use of technology lies in supplemental instruction intended to complement classroom activities, not replace them. Favors the use of inquiry, discussions, and cooperative learning methods in higher education. (Contains 53 references.) (ASK)

Develops a simple tool to measure interactive learning in the context of computer-mediated communication (CMC). Describes the Measure of Interactivity in CMC (MICMC) and examines the reliability and validity of this measure. Subjects were fifth- and sixth-grade students in an inner city elementary school. Data analysis indicates MICMC is a useful…

Offers guidelines on how to run effective classroom exercises focusing on two aspects of planning the exercises: (1) developing a clear plan of action; and (2) preparing instructions for the students. Discusses strategies for implementing exercises and states that instructors should practice continuous improvement. (CMK)

Cooperative learning has been used as an educational technique for some time, and recently researchers have been exploring technology as a mechanism to further this educational method. Presents several examples of the use of technology to support cooperative learning episodes and examines the underlying design concepts and principles embedded in…

Forms part of a themed issue describing "Parent-Kid-Teacher Investigators," a program in which parents, children, and teachers gather regularly to use language and literacy for action research projects. Offers a classroom portrait of these weekly meetings, looking at the process of research and the impact that "learning how to learn" had on all…

Contends that students in social studies classes can utilize Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) as a presentation and collaborative tool by developing websites. Presents two activities where students submitted webpages for country case studies and created a timeline for the French Revolution. Describes how to use HTML by discussing the various tags.…

Discusses the effectiveness of the cooperative/mastery learning method on primary-grade students' acquisition of economic concepts. Provides a sample lesson that shows how cooperative and mastery methods can be combined and used in conjunction with real-life learning experiences when teaching social studies. Offers an economic fable to introduce…

Looks at the notion of the democratic public sphere as a useful construct for collaborative practices in portfolio classrooms. Describes the author's efforts to foster democratic participation by situating portfolio talk and assessment within the public space of one developmental writing classroom. Describes conflicts unseen until the end of the…

Constructs a model for successful peer involvement for assessing writing produced by classmates with learning disabilities. Discusses six effective outcome building blocks: (1) cooperative learning from a student perspective; (2) peer as a learning assistant; (3) orchestrating purposeful peer interactions; (4) valuing peer assessment; (5)…