Collaborative peer learning environments have received increasing attention in classrooms due to the potential for improving learning and achievement. Yet previous research shows that not all students benefit from the collaborative experience. This paper explores the nature of helping behavior within peer-directed small groups that may be most…

Research in Mexican and British schools provides an empirical basis for arguing that, by the use of certain kinds of interactional strategies, teachers can enable children to become more able in managing individual and joint reasoning and learning activities in the classroom. The research described is based on a sociocultural conception and…

Researchers conducted a qualitative study of students' in- and out-of-class experiences in a residential learning community at a mid-sized public institution. Focus group interviews were conducted to explore (a) the outcomes of learning community membership from participants' point of view and (b) the connections between participants' reported…

The purpose of this study is to review the success of implementation of cooperative learning in various courses delivered at the Center for Community Service and Continuing Education at Kuwait University. According to recent research in the field of social cognition, learning situations which make use of the social context often achieve superior…

Business schools often assign student group projects to enhance student learning of course content and to build teamwork skills. However, the characteristics of effective collaborative learning tasks, including group goals and individual accountability, are often not found in student group projects assigned in business classes. The current…

The literature urges business schools to change their undergraduate curricula in response to changes in the models and methods currently used by corporate America. Critics contend that business schools should place more emphasis on teamwork and integrative models. Business schools are urged to "break down the silos" between functional subjects by…

This article reports key findings from a 2-1/2-year mixed methodological study of professional learning communities, the first of its kind in England. In particular, the concept of effectiveness is explored as it relates to professional learning communities. We describe three ways in which effectiveness can be construed, arguing that any…

This article describes a calculus project that exposes students to the concept of retirement annuities in both the saving and withdrawal phases, via revenue streams represented by integrals. Students use modeling skills to solve several related problems as the assumptions of the original problem are changed, and the project requires them to use a…

Empathy has been suggested to facilitate effective collaborative problem solving in children. The current study adapted the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI, Davis, 1980), a well-validated empathy measure for adults, for use with children aged 8 and 9 years. Four hundred and thirteen school children aged between 7;11 and 9;11 years completed…

The Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) is an instructional technique that combines inquiry, collaborative learning, and writing to change the nature of the chemistry laboratory for students and instructors. The SWH provides a format for students to guide their discussions, their thinking, and writing about how science activities relate to their own…

Students in the Unified Elementary/Special Education Program at the University of Florida are organized into cohort groups, a common recommendation within the special education teacher education literature. Although highly effective in some instances, the literature also documents numerous problems in the use of cohorts. The current study was…

An investigation is described during which three dimensions of situated learning (i.e., social interaction, a reliance on authentic activity, and creation of a learning community) were incorporated into the design and implementation of an on-campus course on instructional strategies for students with diverse learning needs. This choice of pedagogy…

Children's literature can enhance mathematics lessons by providing a meaningful context, demonstrating that mathematics develops from human experiences and contributes an aesthetic dimension to learning mathematics. Written as a series of real life inspired snapshots of mathematical thinking, "Counting on Frank" (Rod Clement, 1990)…

This article discusses learning within the corporate environment. Comparing objectivist and constructivist theories of learners and learning, the author presents her views from a constructivist approach. Three learning methods are discussed: (1) Problem-based; (2) Cooperative and (3) Situated. A background of each is included, noting outcomes…

Although e-learning can offer interactive and engaging learning experiences, the creative ideas that are necessary to create such environments are not always easy to come up with when designing, developing, or teaching e-learning courses. E-learning activities use online technologies such as chat rooms, discussion boards, or email to facilitate…