Findings of a study that examined how information is used in schools that have adopted shared decision-making practices are presented in this paper. The study focused on how first- and second-year principals access, use, and value various kinds of information. A total of 24 out of 29 Louisiana LEAD schools responded to a questionnaire, an…

Research that identifies factors that facilitate information processing and enhance performance without reducing group confidence and decision satisfaction may influence future development of groupwork systems. This paper contains a review of the literature on cognitive and motivational issues in both group decision-making and learning contexts…

A study investigated cultural variations in the ways groups of speakers reach consensus in the face of disagreement or suggestion. Subjects were six graduate students in each of five groups: one composed of native speakers of American English, two of Taiwanese Chinese, and two of mainland Chinese. Each group performed a desert survival exercise,…

This training guide is intended as an aid for agencies and professionals in creating interagency efforts to provide comprehensive care to children and youth with serious emotional disorders and their families. It is not a generic concept but a specific approach to providing care. Section I addresses the key assumptions that undergird the model,…

Materials on 11 topics presented at a winter workshop for Quebec outdoor educators have been compiled into this booklet. Action story, instant replay, shoe factory, sound and action, and find an object to fit the description are described and recommended as group dynamic activities. Directions for five games (Superlative Selection; Data…

Discussion starters, the result of collaboration between the Indonesian Directorate General of Nonformal Education, Youth, and Sports, and World Education, Inc., are simple learning tools used to generate discussion among community groups involved in nonformal education. Appropriate in and adaptable to a variety of settings, content areas, and…

This manual is a workbook designed to prepare and help citizens' groups to campaign for equal education for children of both sexes in their communities' public elementary and secondary schools. The manual is divided into two major sections. Section I, "Planning Your Campaign," includes chapters on (1) goal setting; (2) analyzing the…

This paper reports on activities undertaken to disseminate Student Team Learning (STL) processes and curriculum materials in schools and districts during fiscal year 1982. It also presents the results of a survey of people and institutions who ordered STL curriculum materials from the Center for the Study of Social Organization of Schools during…

Defines the term "variant family form" and discusses some common myths about nuclear families. The author then contrasts the traditional nuclear family with alternative family styles. (HMV)

This study investigated William Schutz's three-dimensional theory of interpersonal behavior and compatibility (FIRO) to determine its validity as a group measure of compatibility. Data were collected from 248 students enrolled in a multi-section course in small group communications at a large midwestern university. Subjects self-selected…

A study examined the content and form of third-, fourth-, and sixth-grade students' verbal interactions while working in cooperative groups. Teachers were asked to conduct cooperative-learning reading lessons during the observation time. A total of 32 observations of students' cooperative group work were conducted in six classrooms during regular…

Most educational planning models are weak at identifying future events and assessing their impact on education. At best they assume a surprise-free future in which present trends continue unabated and interrelationships among social, economic, political, and technological forces stay the same. The ED QUEST model was developed to ameliorate these…

Communities in Crisis is a British training program for unemployed adults that was developed in response to the needs of community organizations in areas where community programs have few resources. Its underlying philosophy focuses on motivating and encouraging long-term unemployed people to take initiatives and reflect on their progress. The…

Fundamental aspects of the play behavior of kindergarten children are illustrated in five vignettes. Aspects include the function of smiles in play, sex differences in verbal and physical aggression, the simultaneous occurrence of flignt and fantasy in the play of boys, successful nonverbal participation in play, gender stereotypes, the sequencing…

This study describes a proactive approach to teacher empowerment that attended not only to public outside perspectives, but also to private internal ones. This approach is based on the concept that the power and authority which teachers exercise in the classroom can transform the teaching profession from the inside out. A committee of teachers was…