Significantly more positive attitudes were found in teachers who engaged in group discussion both towards items discussed and those not discussed. (RC)

Describes the philosophy and environment of discussion and offers some practical techniques for discussion facilitation. (Author)

Outlines seven steps in the nominal group process and demonstrates each step with an example of a class group generating goals for adult education. (SK)

Describes a novel approach to the problems of group introductions and group attention in training courses. (AN)

The use of the Nominal Group Technique to identify areas for formative evaluation is described. Group characteristics, pertinent group questions, and advantages of the method are outlined. The process depersonalizes results, puts individual concerns into perspective, and focuses on improving the program (not on blaming or evaluating personnel).…

Tips for effective groups include the following: test assumptions, share relevant information, focus on interests, be specific, agree on meanings, explain reasons, disagree openly, invite feedback, jointly design solutions, discuss nondiscussable issues, keep focused, eliminate distractions, expect all to participate, decide by consensus, and…

Presents five principles for conducting effective, successful meetings, which include: address only one topic at a time, use only one process at a time, achieve interactive and balanced participation, use cognitive conflict productively, and have all understand and agree to meeting roles. (SM)

This article describes one classroom's experience with a lesson plan that involved students in a discussion about what type of memorial/monument to place at the site of the World Trade Center. A series of belief cards with statements about arts the students could or could not support; four-student design committees; and group presentations…

Although there is great interest, and considerable investment, in adopting technology within Higher Education, it is less clear what this change means to the people who implement or experience it. Presently, there is no consistent framework used to study and explain this phenomenon. In this paper, we propose a framework that can structure and…

For the thirty-sixth year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the annual AECT Convention in Anaheim, California. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two…

Effective teaching in schools requires flexibility, energy and commitment. Successful teaching also requires that teachers are able to address learner's needs and understand the variations in learner's styles and approaches. Teachers can accomplish these requirements while creating an optimal teaching-learning environment by utilizing a variety of…