In British primary schools, it is unusual to find more than one computer in a classroom. As a result, children are assigned to small groups to use the computer. This research reported here sought to explore the characteristics of groupwork with computers and to provide guidance to teachers on computer use issues. This paper summarizes work from…

This study explores the effects of cooperative and mastery learning methods, alone and in combination, on first and second grade students' learning and retention of basic economic facts. A 2 X 2 (cooperative X mastery) factorial design compared the achievement of 120 students randomly assigned by grade level stratification to one of four treatment…

This study is the seventh in a series of investigations on the effectiveness of the Student Teams Achievement Division (STAD) approach to cooperative learning among college students. The STAD approach features heterogeneous teams of four to six students who tutor each other on course materials and prepare each other for weekly quizzes. Students…

A rubric is a descriptive measurement for defining what a learner should know and can do. This document was created to define the knowledge and ability of every student in how they: construct meaning from information; create a quality product; learn independently; participate as a group member; and use information and information technologies…

Offering practical, classroom-based strategies teachers can use to promote literacy development, this book presents many examples of children engaging in discussion activities about narrative and informational text that emphasize collaborating, constructing meaning, and using these different types of texts to arrive at new understandings. Chapters…

Research shows that probable causes for disruptive classroom behavior are broken social bonds, violent environment, stress and conflict, and inadequate curriculum coupled with ineffective teaching methods. This report discusses a program to decrease negative peer interaction in order to improve academic achievement and interpersonal relationships.…

Classroom language and literacy practices need to be reconceptualized to account for the valuable role talk and interaction play in the process of learning to write. Teachers should construct learning environments within which interaction between students and teachers is the primary focus. The participation framework of kindergarten journal…

Despite the increasing popularity of cooperative learning techniques in elementary instruction, many educators believe that children do not possess effective group interaction skills and advocate that children be taught the group communication skills necessary for group interaction as a separate instructional component. Unfortunately,…

An 8-month study tracked 166 second graders of various ethnic backgrounds in an urban setting while they were being motivated to read through a literature-based reading and writing program. The classrooms in which the research was conducted used basal readers and did not have well-designed literacy centers. Collaboration was not an integral part…

These lesson plans, designed for grades 6-8, have been developed to provide a guide to hands-on experience in science and math. They focus on an International Space Station and are designed for use with students working in groups. The three lesson plans highlighting the importance of the scientific method are: (1) International Space Station…

This paper describes the design and use of a Web-based instructional design (ID) case in a team case competition involving six universities. It provides background information on case methods and techniques used to help students learn about instructional design practice. Teams participating in the 1996 competition were from: Arizona State…

This report describes a program for motivating reluctant writers. The targeted population consisted of one fourth-grade and four fifth-grade classrooms in three elementary schools. All three schools were located in the western suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. The problems of reluctant writers were documented with timed writing samples, student and…

Items in the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory's (NCREL) School Development Library series are multimedia packages consisting of print, video, audio, and CD-ROM resources designed to support educators in their efforts to improve classroom instruction. This particular set consists of a 40-minute video and a printed booklet focusing on…

All students enrolled in the entry level foundations course in the College of Education of Kutztown University (Pennsylvania) participate in home groups, a cooperative learning strategy. Each student is assigned to a five- or six-person home group on the first day of class. Although group placements are made on the basis of class lists, every…

A study examined a comparison of the effectiveness of cooperative learning in small groups with whole classroom instruction using the Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) during reading. Subjects for the 8-week study were 53 sixth-graders from 2 classes in Brooklyn, New York. The stories used all came from the same basal reader. A reading…