The use of an electronic feedback system, the Anonymous Audience Response System (AARS), in educational decision making is described, and the results of use studies in North Carolina are discussed. The AARS insures anonymity of an individual participant's responses, and at the same time, provides immediate feedback of the group's collective…

Although information regarding the consequences of adolescent pregnancy and childbirth is disseminated, the recipients of that information are most often adults. To present this information directly to never-pregnant adolescents, an annual conference, outside of the authority structure of the school was developed in Bangor, Maine. The three…

Research suggests that observers of spouse abuse are likely to arrive at overly dispositional causal explanations for the abusive behavior, and reject both the abusing spouse and his victim. To examine observers' causal attributions and person perceptions under varying conditions, 160 college students read a vignette about an incident of spouse…

A study was conducted to evaluate the final outcome of the Section 98 writing project, a 3-year collaboration between the School District of the City of Saginaw and the University of Michigan, and to successfully employ the gap reduction design with the pre- to post-test results stemming from the writing project. Students in six sections of…

Twelve graduate students from a variety of fields who were enrolled in a qualitative research class met in an informal setting that facilitated a collaborative learning mode--defined in this presentation as a method of group interaction whereby all members learn from each other's experiences, scholarship, and skills. The first of the six papers…

The study reported in this paper attempted to find out what evidences of active learning were displayed in the "ready," i.e., prompt and appropriate responses called for in classroom oral communication. Such an inquiry leads toward the claim that the learning process itself is a suitable arena for evaluation, and thus that the evaluation…

A seminar was designed to present AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) related information to 52 college students enrolled in Psychology 101 courses at Essex Community College in Maryland. First, a questionnaire was administered to determine student knowledge about AIDS. The next part of the procedure was an intervention in the form of a…

Cohn's theme-centered group process is designed to create a balance between concentration on a group topic or theme and the therapeutic dynamics of group interaction. This study investigated the effect of Cohn's group process on the self-concepts of ninth grade students. Four themes, or teaching units, were chosen for inclusion based on the…

Designed as a guide for adults who wish to lead a group of 10- to 13-year-olds through a series of discoveries about preschoolers and how they grow, activity materials are presented concerning physical, intellectual, and social development (Section 1); and children's feelings (Section 2). Specifically, Section 1 discuss children's developing…

The relative effectiveness of four instructional methods for increasing the interpersonal vocational skills of 122 mildly retarded high school students was investigated. Curriculum packages featured (1) verbal presentation of problematic social situations, (2) verbal presentation coupled with behavior rehearsal, (3) videotape vignettes of problem…

This study investigated the effects of self-directed videotape experiences upon the self-concept of delinquent males. The self-directed process is a method of self-expression, and included videotape recording and playback, viewing motion picture films, and discussions. The dimensions of self-concept tested through the Self Social Symbols Task were…

A weekly group-counseling session is used with students having a range of mental and emotional disabilities in order to improve awareness and sharing of emotions, increase the repertoire of feeling words, increase listening ability, and develop empathy. Six groups composed of five to seven students each are involved, with students ranging in age…

To help adults develop an awareness of midlife issues, to encourage personal acceptance of the transition, and to introduce appropriate coping skills, a speech communication course was designed that relied on river trip activities to develop insights about this passage. The vehicle for the seminar was a four-day raft trip down the Green River,…

The importance of following prescribed principles in the implementation of an effective law-related education (LRE) program is emphasized. Based on research findings that law-related education is a delinquency-prevention technique, the fact sheet lists six prescriptions for providing effective law-related education programs: (1) the use of…

An exploration was made on how concepts and procedures relating to professional assessment and development can be integrated into preservice teacher education. A proposal for achieving the development goal of enhancement of each person's capacity for self-directed study and professional growth includes: (1) establishing support teams for teacher…