Classroom teachers have long used group activities as part of their repertoire of teaching techniques. Personalities, goals, the group dynamic, the teacher's level of supervision, and other factors play a role in the efficacy of student collaboration. This paper describes five cooperative learning techniques: student teams-achievement divisions;…

The nature of the interactions that occur among peer leaders, peer influence, and the dynamics of the peer reference group in the context of health, interpersonal relations and lifestyle choice were the subjects of this study. Its first stage (of two) employed a case study of a single metropolitan senior high school in Australia. Adolescent peer…

This book argues that all school efforts should be focused on results. It elaborates on the simple conditions that favor results, briefly discusses the theory behind the conditions, and demonstrates, using examples from schools, how other schools can begin to successfully replicate the conditions. Following the introduction, chapters 1-3 describe…

This paper describes a project in Scotland that investigated what factors were perceived by adult, university students as helpful or detrimental to their language learning. Questionnaires were completed by a sample of 120 modern language students of French, German, Italian, and Spanish language speakers. In-depth interviews, focusing on homework,…

The central question of this study was how gender, ethnicity, and ability influence students' participation in small cooperative groups, especially in relation to leadership. Interaction processes during cooperative group work were recorded in detail on the basis of direct observation and audio-recordings, and transcripts were analyzed by…

The demand for group counseling is increasing in all sectors of society. This introductory-level text advances group work training and practice by offering examples of exemplary training models and curricula that are in compliance with recognized standards. It defines group work in comprehensive terms, reflecting the image of a "group work…

Invitations sent to students affect their self-concepts in ways that may then effect prevention and avoidance of self-destructive patterns and behaviors. This paper provides a comparison view of existing research and discusses the relationship between research findings on the "Instructional Rhythm Model" and the "invitational class…

The School Effectiveness Training Program (SET) and the Secondary School Development Program (SSDP) were school-improvement programs developed by the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), a state teachers' organization, and Research for Better Schools (RBS), a regional educational laboratory. Coordinating councils played pivotal roles in both…

This paper describes the competencies in the domain of human interaction that are required of leaders in various outdoor adventure programs. These programs may be grouped on a continuum from recreational outdoor adventure to primary (adventure) therapy. In the middle of the continuum, educational, enrichment, and adjunctive (adventure) therapy…

This paper outlines a model for assessing and managing psychological depth in outdoor and experiential group work, and presents two case studies of the complexity of such management in real life. The model contains eight levels of emotional risk and presents four criteria for assessing the level to which a particular event or discussion may lead…

This student activity book includes worksheets that secondary students with and without disabilities can use to complete each activity in the "Steps to Self-Determination" curriculum. The program is meant to assist students in learning more about themselves and developing the skills they need to achieve their goals, getting support from family and…

This guide is designed to help trainers working in the context of community-wide programs in all aspects of building a training program for study circle facilitators. Part 1 presents guidelines and principles for good training, basic training agenda for a 6-hour program, and annotated training agenda with notes about the process in each section…

This paper explores the relationship between the concept of cognitive apprenticeship and situated cognition and the social construction of knowledge. Cognitive apprenticeship is the enculturation of students into authentic practices through authentic activity and social interaction in a way similar to that which is evident--and evidently…

Orthopedagogisch Centrum Michiel is a multifunctional institution in the eastern Netherlands for youth with emotional problems. The staff of the institution's residential treatment center has gradually become involved with outdoor experiential education through training programs, conferences, special projects, and supervised programs. Activities…

Group identification is a major cause of religious, racial, and international conflict. Many forms of group identification are fantasy bonds, imagined connections with others offering security at the expense of individual self-realization. The fantasy bond forms in childhood in response to inadequate parenting. Human beings are not inherently…