A teacher recounts her problems in trying to implement in a real classroom the individualized instruction theory she learned in college. (SJL)

Class size and teaching methods as they affect each other are examined. The theory of class size and ways of determining when small classes are needed are discussed as well as how these factors affect educational goals. (PHR)

The article discusses the concept of whole-group instruction. After noting criticism of whole-group instruction, the paper examines research on the effects of class size and academic achievement, classroom tasks, altering instructional variables, and ability grouping. Fifteen practical suggestions for teaching whole groups are included. (SM)

The place of group work in three possible language classroom contexts is considered. No definitive generalizations are drawn, but a few inferences are noted: good teachers vary in organization and teaching styles; learner preferences vary; and not enough is known about group work in large classes in "difficult circumstances." (Contains 14…

Studies the effectiveness of discussion techniques (in particular a course component called an "expert panel") on students' comfort with learning and the development of skills needed to learn in a large introductory lecture class in mass communication. (SR)

The University of South Florida has successfully delivered its Symposium Series through the Internet to the desktops of individuals unable to attend the lectures, using streaming audio and video and IP multicast technologies. What began as a proof-of-concept prototype to test technological capabilities has become a valued service at the…

Suggests five activities for the college classroom to stimulate discussion when students report results of small- group discussions to the class as a whole. The activities "newsprint dialogue," rotating small-group stations, "snowballing,""cocktail party," and "jigsaw" stress maximum student participation, interaction, and intellectual engagement.…

An introductory psychology course integrates subject content with other disciplines in multimedia presentations. Comparison of large multimedia and small lecture classes showed that multimedia instruction was effective in teaching large classes without eroding motivation, enabling students to make connections. (SK)

Comparison of traditional hand-raising student participation and use of write-on response cards during science instruction in a fifth grade inner-city classroom found that frequency of active student response was 14 times higher with response cards than with hand raising. Additionally, students (n=22) scored higher on quizzes and tests in the…

For the thirty-seventh year, the Research and Theory Division and the Division of Instructional Design of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) sponsored the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the annual AECT Convention in Jacksonville, Florida. This year's Proceedings…

Large universities are increasingly offering marketing courses in classes of 300 or more students. Without access to the usual verbal and nonverbal cues, instructors in these megaclasses are disadvantaged in terms of their ability to respond to learners' needs. As a result, marketing instructors have supplemented course infrastructure with…

At the University of Oregon, career planning classes with as many as 128 students have shown that the large class experience can be valuable to each student. (Author)

Language teachers have responded to the special pedagogical needs created by large language classes as they arise rather than addressing them comprehensively. This may result from both guilt about the relatively small size of even the large language classes, and fear that expression of concern might be mistaken for trying to find an excuse for…

The "direct instructional method" of teaching is a systematic approach for directing the learner's attention and eliciting an appropriate response. While this method is generally used in small group instruction, this paper suggests that it can be equally effective in large groups, and examples are given of ways to use this strategy.…