Discusses the use of computer mediated communication in distance education to help foster a sense of community among students, encourage group interaction, and keep students and instructors connected. Explains synchronous communication, including chat sessions; and asynchronous communication, including email, listservs, and threaded discussion.…

Examined whether the presence of implicit links between social groups and high versus low status attributes affected formation of intergroup attitudes among 7- to 12-year-olds. Found that children's intergroup attitudes were affected by a status manipulation when teachers made functional use of the novel groups. Children who were members of…

Describes a Teaching Discussion Group in the University of Northern Iowa's Mathematics Department; the group is designed to facilitate discussion among faculty about teaching techniques. Discusses the group's rationale, formation, structure, benefits, challenges, and lessons for other such programs. (EV)

Discusses computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments in asynchronous distributed learning groups and proposes an intelligent CSCL environment based upon a theoretical framework that suggests embedding certain properties in the environment to act as social contextual facilitators to initiate and sustain learners' social…

Discusses the importance of shared understanding in group learning and considers ways of assessing shared understanding. Describes a conceptual framework that makes a distinction between the process of reaching shared understanding and the resulting shared understanding, and presents an empirical study of a globally distributed engineering design…

Instead of a cast of characters, not unlike those of the television show "Seinfeld," school boards should be an ensemble. When a board collaborates in a trusting, positive atmosphere of mutual respect, these qualities are ultimately reflected in the classroom. Lists six questions that can help difficult boards find ways to work together. (MLF)

Reviews research indicating that group psychotherapy is an effective adjunctive therapy to medical treatment for women with breast cancer. States that Supportive-Expressive group therapy has been effective in assisting patients in reducing anxiety related to death and dying, strengthening interpersonal relationships, and improving the quality of…

Maintains that interdisciplinary teaming in middle schools has not reached its full potential, with teams spending too much time on minor problems and housekeeping duties. Suggests ways to: improve the foundations of teaming; demonstrate greater discipline during team meetings; improve the team's ability to make decisions, solve problems, and…

Examines the nature and influence of interpretive authority (which suggests that participants in literacy events have authority to determine whether responses shared by others are acceptable) on the meaning construction process for six fourth-grade readers. Finds interpretive authority is flexible and shifts among participants depending on how…

Examined the dynamics of teacher leadership, using two teacher collegial groups as a small-group context. After discussing teacher leadership and teacher-mediation effects, describes data collection, which involved observations, interviews, surveys, and document mining. Results indicated that teacher-mediation effects did not counter teacher…

Compares face-to-face and online communication. Considers the impact of moving an organizational behavior course online, citing potential benefits: acquisition of computer-related and inquiry skills, diversity learning, self-assessment, provision of interactive cases, and simulation of organizational dynamics. (SK)

Reports on a study of counselors-in-training who completed systematic groups skills training based on the Skilled Group Counseling Training Model (SGCTM). Findings indicate that higher level group-counseling skills can be efficiently taught prior to practica and internships. Concludes that if counselors-in-training gain higher level skills prior…

This study explores the gendered discourse of social-based computer-mediated contexts. Specifically, the critical ethnography explicates the patterns of discourse of male-based and female-based Internet chatrooms and discusses the findings of participant observation. (Contains 36 references.) (Author/LRW)

In Study 1, 439 students identified individual attributes that contributed to team performance. In Study 2, 287 students rated attributes desirable and necessary to know about team members as well as their invasiveness. The more invasive items were also considered the most necessary to know about prospective team members. (Contains 51 references.)…

Investigates the factors that influence the effectiveness of collaboration on open-ended mathematical tasks. Identifies various phenomena that influence cognitive "lifting", "hovering", and "falling"; that is, improvement, no change, and reduction in levels of functioning, respectively. (Author/MM)