This study explored the relationship between literacy learning and technology. A teacher-researcher and a university researcher collaborated on a yearlong study of three intact eighth-grade classes at a middle school in Southern California. Examined were the effect of electronic discussion groups on students' motivation to read and literacy…

Seven teaching and learning tools, including course handouts, threaded discussion forums, and written assignments enhance learning in online courses by enabling students to deepen their understanding of course material and reduce anxiety about the online setting and their performance in the class. These tools have been used in 24 community college…

The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of an online discussion forum to support practicing elementary school teachers' professional development in mathematics. The forum is structured around teachers' sharing, discussing, and reflection upon the teaching of elementary mathematics. Third grade teachers (N=14) from three different…

Traditional university adult education is seen as catering for the elite in contrast to a university radio study group campaign which proved far more effective in reaching the less well educated and financially insecure rural inhabitants of Tanzania, and which promises to help break down social strata rather than reinforce them. (Author/KP)

Focusing on practical procedures that counselors have found effective and describing the objectives and who, when, where and how of a technique, this column describes the use of Dear Abby" discussion groups to assist students in explaining personal problems in a classroom setting. (Author/CG)

The author advocates a trust-and-work-with approach" for administrators of schools plagued by student disruptions using student-faculty and student-administrator discussion groups to ease tensions. (AN)

One hundred eighty college-level psychology students were asked to rank order 11 activities as to their preference for these activities to be conducted in small discussion groups. All four academic levels preferred discussions over material covered in the text and in lecture, followed by demonstrations of lecture material. (RM)

Describes participation in scholarly electronic forums, or discussion groups, and discusses the implications of such participation for scholars' social networks. Results of an e-mail survey are discussed, data from listserv archives are examined, and future research is suggested. (Contains nine tables.) (Author/LRW)

Describes ways to enable fifth-grade students to lead discussions about provocative books without an adult and to enjoy discussions as much as they enjoy simple retellings. Describes preparing for, setting up, and ending the discussion. (SR)

Presents annotations of approximately 80 web sites that range in coverage from idiosyncratic and focused to diverse and comprehensive metasites. Notes categories of sites include: children's literature web guides; trade book publisher web sites; author/illustrator sites (metasites and individual); book review sources and teaching ideas; web sites…

To teach effectively and reach as many students with varying learning styles as possible, a combination of teaching and learning styles may be more productive than a single approach. This article presents a five-phase instructional process for integrating small-group discussion, reading and writing from text guides, and writing activities to…

Explains the National Issues Forums (NIF), a nonpartisan program of public-issue discussions designed to enable citizens to have a more effective voice in U.S. politics. The role of libraries in the NIF is discussed; resources the NIF provides are described; and public relations benefits to libraries that participate are considered. (LRW)

Describes a system that monitors Internet discussion groups and Web sites for evidence that public interest in herbal remedies is outpacing available scientific evidence regarding herbal remedies. Using content analysis and bibliometric techniques this system can identify emerging unorthodox practices and can map the diffusion of health-related…