Teacher support groups can promote professional development by encouraging ownership of the professional agenda, enhancing collegial interaction, and reducing program fragmentation. A survey revealed that teacher groups formed by teachers enabled members to find personal and professional support within the group, while groups sponsored by the…

Studies students' writing, thinking, and cooperative processes in a research and argumentation class (part of a first-year composition sequence) working on a research assignment in small groups. Suggests ways to help students become more successful cooperative researchers. (SR)

Analyzes group discourse (n=24) during laboratory investigations in order to understand how students solve scientific problems and the ways social roles shape the development and articulation of arguments. Results indicate that knowledge building depends on students learning to use tools of the scientific community and the social context in which…

Discusses a study of four middle-school interdisciplinary teams, highlighting teachers' focus of concern and perceptions about teaming's benefits and costs for themselves and students. Findings show that successful progression toward interdisciplinary teaming tasks depends on interrelationships of group composition, operating variables, and…

Collaborative organizations can fall prey to bureaucratic evasions and ethical pitfalls, such as self-protection, self-righteousness, and self-deception. Superintendents must actively work to improve children's conditions and embody ethical practices. They should demonstrate trust and openness, define what is ethical, examine agendas, share…

Investigated effects of an individual's ability to process information (conceptual level) on the choice of alternative verbal conflict behaviors (tactics) in a small-group context. Members of the higher conceptual level study group made a higher percentage of overall responses, while members of the lower conceptual level group used avoidance and…

Explains the importance of an integrated science class setting in students' ability to engage in decision making and develop skills required to design investigations. Presents an example of a science classroom in which students participate in a guided inquiry activity and design an investigation. Points to the potential of group projects in…

Adventure therapists are often asked to assess clients in a manner that differs from their therapeutic approach, resulting in assessment being perceived as burdensome. Project Adventure's Decision Tree combines assessment with activity selection to create a dynamic tool that is responsive to group, individual, and leader needs. Example focuses on…

Articulates how the term "community" has been used to identify, describe, and construct online contexts and groups--online communities. Discusses how one particular online discussion group, SpreadNet, attempts to socially construct and negotiate the meaning of the term and how such negotiation influences the (inter)actions, values, and social…

Continuing educators must consider the impact of technology on group processes, including ways in which it affects group pressures, communication patterns, and social and emotional components of learning. Administrators and faculty should integrate group process frameworks with educational technologies in order to provide effective learning…

Believes that comprehensive art education should include art exhibition. Focuses on art exhibits and how they are developed by discussing the four basic phases involved in the exhibition process: (1) conceptual; (2) development; (3) functional; and (4) assessment. Discusses the social dynamics involved and how students can create their own…

A six-stage skill-based model for training group counselors that incorporates experiential, didactic, observations, and role-play components is described. Focusing on skill acquisition rather than interpersonal development, the model can be applied to each of the core skill competencies, and can be used to reduce dual-relationship issues and build…

Summarizes that the goal for this issue is to help move the study of women's groups beyond survival and recovery issues to the thriving that can and does occur for women through their participation in women's groups. This collection of articles helps build on a growing body of literature attempting to study women's groups as a phenomena in their…

Looks at the notion of the democratic public sphere as a useful construct for collaborative practices in portfolio classrooms. Describes the author's efforts to foster democratic participation by situating portfolio talk and assessment within the public space of one developmental writing classroom. Describes conflicts unseen until the end of the…

Describes process-play, an experiential training group structure that addresses the dilemma between participation in a training group and a student's right to privacy. Students participate in group training through a mask, whereby they differentially respond to certain group members on the basis of superficial characteristics. Introduces…