Examines the development and implementation of distance education courses as a mechanism to promote collaborative teaching and learning. Data collected over a two-semester period focused on describing experiences of faculty and students involved in development/implementation of five collaborative, interactive distance education courses across…

This article describes a new technique for improving the reading comprehension of elementary students. The Coop-Dis-Q technique combines cooperative learning, discussion, and questioning strategies to create a synergistic instructional effect. The specific steps of the technique and successful use of the technique in a fifth-grade classroom are…

This article describes the supported literacy approach, a middle school literacy curriculum based on sociocognitive principles that engages students, including those with disabilities, in collaborative interpretation through integration of reading, discussing, and writing about literature. It reports on classroom observations and outcomes…

'Structured Controversy' (SC) is a cooperative learning activity where students, working in small groups, argue one side of an issue and then another side of the same issue in two Rounds. Discussion includes: organizing the activity; evaluation; and positive results. Students reported a high degree of satisfaction with the SC activity and were…

This pilot study examined how the individual social-behavioral profiles of six children with language impairment (LI) influenced their ability to work with two typically developing children in cooperative groups. Although the success of individual interactions was highly variable, the LI child's social profile was a good predictor of ability to…

Investigated the effects, on 7th graders' mathematical reasoning, of: cooperative learning embedded within multilevel metacognitive training (MMT), cooperative learning embedded within unilevel metacognitive training (UMT), and whole-class learning with no metacognitive training. Students exposed to MMT significantly outperformed students exposed…

Discusses the value of cooperative learning in higher education and presents a case study of how Towson University used computer technology to develop a Web-based project that allowed students to collaborate across disciplines. Describes the use of online discussion groups, multimedia, and hypertext to facilitate cooperative learning and…

A reversal design was used in two elementary classrooms to examine effects of cooperative learning groups (CLG) in reading instruction for three students with autism and their general education peers. Results demonstrated increased reading gains, academic engagement, and peer interaction during CLG conditions. Results also documented the…

A former principal describes how a "problem" rural Alaskan school became a model of positive self-esteem, community involvement, student achievement, and enthusiasm for learning. She discusses problems (cultural dissonance and fragmented curricula), the project's philosophical basis in cultural sensitivity and personality-type theory,…

As the profiles of four mentally handicapped teenagers show, students with severe disabilities can benefit from being included in subject-area classes. To facilitate inclusion, teachers can allow peers to facilitate learning, prime students to be successful participants, give students valued roles, utilize existing expertise, and adapt the…

Successful classroom teachers have the skills to teach students with disabilities. Teachers should consult with colleagues and specialists; welcome disabled students; accept full teaching responsibility; facilitate students' belonging; clarify expectations with team members; adapt activities and arrangements; provide active, participatory learning…

Middle school students (n=86) with learning disabilities or emotional disturbance who participated in Cooperative Homework Teams achieved a higher rate of homework completion and higher percentage correct on homework than controls but did not perform better in mathematics achievement. Significant effects were found for grade level but not for type…

Describes the interdisciplinary learning team concept and its benefits, then discusses the use of this approach in the high school setting. The author presents a step-by-step plan towards implementing interdisciplinary learning teams. (GR)

The process of implementing cooperative learning in the classroom was studied over a school year for nine elementary school teachers. Most teachers became increasingly proficient at implementing the student team-achievement divisions type of cooperative learning, but considerable planning and monitoring were needed to ensure success. (SLD)

Describes the author's experience of teaching three composition courses--Women Essayists, Language Awareness, and Advanced Argumentation. Explains how she turned much of the teaching over to the students and how most everyone benefited from it. (TB)