Adult developmental theory can help learners see how motivation changes across the life cycle. Class-discussion groups focused on these theories raise awareness of what learners value or need at different stages as well as of the diverse life experiences of others. (SK)

A finance course incorporates two technologies to reinforce instruction: threaded discussion and a course website. A bonus point system for discussion contributions elicited mixed reactions from enthusiastic and reluctant participants, lurkers, and nonparticipants. (SK)

Investigated British teachers' use of an online discussion group over 2 years. Results indicate that, although the online forum was widely used as both an information and empathetic exchange resource, many claims of establishing collectively- focused virtual communities of teachers remain exaggerated, as the forum was limited by various caveats…

Describes an audiobook discussion group that these three Berkeley High School students helped start for English language learners. Relates their experiences in going to the American Library Association Annual Conference in San Francisco to give a presentation to the Young Adult Library Services Association about the discussion group. (LRW)

A Talking Circle incorporates traditions from various Native American tribes and represents the practice of gathering as a community to solve problems, and the practice of respectful listening. This article describes the benefits of introducing students to a Talking Circle as a way of creating community in the classroom. Having a weekly class…

An excerpt from a round-table discussion with students of several colleges in Florida on whether to support electronic media integration to their learning and campus experiences is presented. Mirella Avesani, one of the four student participants claims that it is important to have open access to computers and related software to complement class…

This study attempts to show how the creation of an innovative scenario, introducing video games and online communities as educational resources in the classroom, facilitates the development of new literacies in the context of participatory culture. The experience described was carried out during the 2010-2011 academic year in a secondary school…

Growing challenges, demographic change and the need to deal with various demands in one's professional and private life call for a high flexibility and willingness to learn, especially among teachers, who serve as role models in this respect. Consequently, professional development has to focus on reflective and introspective processes. At the…

The main purpose of learning a foreign language is to use it for meaningful and effective communication both inside and outside the classroom. This paper is devoted to identifying the main communication difficulties faced by EFL students at King Khalid University (KKU) and exploring the reasons that lie behind these difficulties. The paper…

Group talk opportunities in science can be a rich site for conceptual change. The role of the teacher is vital in scaffolding the exploratory talk which can lead children to talk their way to new understandings and clarify their ideas with peers. This study aims to uncover teacher strategies which lead to effective talk for developing scientific…

In Ethiopia, as in many other countries, moral discourses about female sexuality in general, and pre- and extramarital sexual experience in particular, create an environment that discourages women from engaging in open dialogue about their sexuality and their past or future sexual experience. In the study of induced abortion among unmarried women…

This study explores strategies students use to construct their academic engagement in the social environment of school. The study is based on group interview data collected from 161 sixth (78) and eighth (83) grade students. Students reflected both engaging and disengaging episodes. Data were content analysed. The results show that students…

This article describes the adaptation of the Bilingual Aphasia Test (BAT) to the Rarotongan dialect of Cook Islands Maori, a Polynesian language spoken in the Cook Islands and expatriate communities. A brief linguistic sketch of Rarotongan is presented. As Rarotongan is characterised by a complex pronominal system, "a" versus "o" possession and…

This paper examines engagement with an online discussion forum, aiming to identify the different levels of participation and to investigate factors that encourage or discourage student participation. The case involved the posing of a short real-life problem via a forum on the university's virtual learning environment. An in-class survey was…

The purpose of this study was to examine processes experienced by students of different achievement levels in small group discussions in argumentation applications conducted in scientific and socio-scientific issues. Case study which is a qualitative research design was used for the study. In this line, a success test including mechanical subjects…