Although Web 2.0 technologies have been recognized as effective means of conducting group learning activities, a critical and challenging issue of Web 2.0-based learning is the lack of mechanisms for promoting information exchanges and sharing among participating students. To cope with this problem, an intelligent blog system is proposed in this…

This study examines online messages in a discussion forum that a group of K-12 history teachers used to discuss curriculum implementations as part of their professional development. It has 3 main research foci. First, it focuses on identifying the types of assistances provided to the teachers in an online forum. Second, it examines teachers'…

Online discussion can be designed to develop the skills and confidence of students as well as providing an opportunity for constructing knowledge. If students decide not to participate or join too late, they put their own development and the quality of the learning community at risk. This article reflects on a first term undergraduate experience…

A purpose-built blend of teaching and learning activities was used with trainee teachers on a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course, and subsequently evaluated in a cyclical action research study, over a period of two years. The purpose of the blend was to engender the formation of a learning community, by giving them access to each…

The purpose of the research was to determine experimentally whether the addition of features to enhance learner motivation and collaboration, termed motivational scaffolding, to the ''traditional'' distance learning design improved engagement, and performance, particularly among procrastinators. Two versions of a web-based five-credit study skills…

This paper describes the development of augmented group awareness tools that take mutual user ratings of their online discussion contributions as input, aggregate these data, and visually feed these data back to the members in real time, thereby informing participants about how the group as a whole perceives their contributions. A specific group…

This article reports on a case study of a women's prayer and Bible study group that has met for over forty years. The report focuses on factors contributing to the group's longevity and vitality over time, how it changed over the years, and its impact on the lives of the women who participated in it. It also addresses how this long-term group…

Recent education reforms informed by learning science support the effectiveness of collaborative learning strategies such as problem-based learning groups. However, the efficacy of these methods depends on the authenticity of the problem context and the quality of the dialog established. Communication within groups must be dialogic, and students…

Scrapbooking is one of the fastest-growing crafts in the world. Unlike sports or other recreational activities, scrapbooking has no rules; it is a form of creative expression that allows a person to share and preserve his or her experiences and memories in albums that usually consist of photographs, newspaper clippings, and other mementos, in…

Lists key topics considered in four discussion groups at a working conference sponsored by the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) in 1987. Topics include effective teacher education; introducing new technology; teacher behavior; lack of software; simulation programs; program evaluations; and the information and…

Describes the group intermix procedure, a prediscussion strategy in which students work in groups to process the content of a single book. Suggests classroom applications. (FL)

Sixty learning disabled students, aged 12 to 24, were assigned to experimental and control conditions, with experimentals experiencing discussions (e.g., obstacles to academic success) led by teachers trained in reality therapy. Among results of multivariate analysis are that experimentals attained higher academic aspirations and lower anxiety…

The journal club format offers the resident a unique opportunity to develop specific skills in reading, comprehending, and evaluating medical literature. A course designed for residents in obstetrics and gynecology at the Letterman Army Medical Center and at the University of Cincinnati is described. (MLW)

Describes a method of arranging group discussion of a novel in a high school English class that encourages each group member to participate. (AEA)

This article, based on the authors' work in South Yorkshire, examines some of the attitudes and dynamics within a mother's group and participants' reactions to group leaders who are child specialists. Some guidelines are presented on developing a parent education group for mothers of young children. (SJL)