Examination of problem-focused and solution-focused facilitation approaches used with functional and dysfunctional corporate groups found that both approaches were equally effective at increasing teamwork in functional corporate groups; that problem-focused facilitation was less effective with dysfunctional corporate groups; and that…

Reports on a 3-year study of patterns of student-student social interaction that mediated metacognitive activity in senior secondary school mathematics classrooms. Unsuccessful problem solving was characterized by students' poor metacognitive decisions exacerbated by lack of critical engagement with each other's thinking while successful outcomes…

Twelve exercises are presented that use ropes as aids for reviewing and debriefing. By positioning themselves along a rope continuum, people make self-assessments visible to others. Ropes can be shaped into graphs to depict reactions to experiences. The facilitator can ask questions to help people reflect on their positions. A Web site provides…

Describes transfer principles to apply in student group projects that prepare them for teamwork: motivation, practice/feedback, follow-up, similarities between learning situation and applied context, and generalization. Addresses team effectiveness skills and implications for classroom application. (Contains 39 references.) (SK)

Reports the results of practicing engineers' descriptions of the importance of oral communication. Suggests that engineering practice takes place in an intensely oral culture and while formal presentations are important to practicing engineers, daily work is characterized more by interpersonal and small group experiences. Notes that communication…

Data from the log files of a synchronous, online classroom designed for experiential learning focused on interpersonal communication were analyzed to determine the impact of effective group facilitation on attentiveness, interaction, involvement, and participation. The data demonstrate a social network of interactions and suggest that people…

A peer supervision program for mental health nursing lecturers was implemented to help them develop new skills, avoid isolation, and enhance teamwork. Participants found it had supportive value and enhanced problem solving. Issues included distinguishing between counseling and supervising, potential of supervision to become management control, and…

A "devil's advocacy" approach is proposed for the management of higher education conflict and ultimate improvement in the quality of decisions. Research supporting the value of active questioning of a preferred plan or strategy is summarized and its application is described. (DB)

Presents instructional strategies designed to maximize cohesion and minimize conflict in collaborative writing groups. Argues that an understanding of sources of conflict, conflict management strategies, and group processes allows productive and creative group energy to be channeled into effective business writing. (RS)

To increase group creativity and understanding of the creative process, a 3-hour session of nonthreatening game playing was undertaken with 10 graduate students. Games included comfort-establishing, trust-building, and challenge activities. Observers were unaware of any individual asserting dominance, and participants formed relationships that…

A successful cooperative group has a balance of both task and maintenance which comes from group members using appropriate social skills as the group works together. Suggestions are made for teachers to facilitate the use of these skills. (JD)

In conjunction with recent reform movements, the Danforth Foundation has established two concurrent programs to support university professors of school administration committed to studying, reassessing, and redesigning school administrator preparation programs. This paper describes faculty reform efforts in Auburn University's educational…

The Small Group Learning Methodology Project in Australia demonstrated the powerful effect of group membership upon adult literacy. Group learning was facilitated by shared purpose, satisfaction of needs through interdependence, individual growth through group goals, and use of both whole group and one-to-one interaction. (SK)

Four measures of performance of three types of pairings (boy/boy, girl/girl, girl/boy) involved in completion of a language task on microcomputers gave consistent results. Single-gender pairs improved in comparison with individuals working alone but mixed-gender pairs did not. Single-gender pairs tended to share task and discuss solutions, whereas…

Two peer evaluation measures, the Pupil Evaluation Inventory (PEI) and positive and negative nominations, were compared in 260 elementary students (grades one-five). PEI factors and negative nominations were more stable over a four-month period than positive nominations, and PEI Aggression and Withdrawal scores were more stable than negative…