This personal reflective essay explores a group Dissertation in Practice (DiP) model and process used in a localized Doctor of Education program. It describes and recommends this team-based DiP approach as an innovation that prepares practitioners to tackle complex problems of practice by focusing on a process centered around group dynamics that…

Ha and Kim (this issue) qualitatively portrayed how a marginalized student's attempts to position himself as an accepted member were constrained or afforded by other members in the small-group argumentation activities. From a framing perspective, the authors described the features and changes of the marginalized student's participation in…

Writing groups for doctoral students are generally agreed to provide valuable learning spaces for Ph.D. candidates. Here an academic developer and the eight members of a writing group formed in a Discipline of Public Health provide an account of their experiences of collaborating in a multicultural, multidisciplinary thesis writing group. We…

In this essay, the author explores the notion that the focus of learning in classrooms and schools extends beyond the learning of individuals to create a collective body of knowledge that is larger than what any one person knows. This idea was examined in a collaboration between Project Zero researchers and educators from the municipal preschools…

Communication among hearing and hearing impaired professionals can be improved by attention to preparation factors (such as careful consideration of the arrangement of the meeting room), aspects of the conduct of the meeting (including discouraging side conversations), and wise use of interpreters. (CL)

Group communication and interactive techniques are an important means for accomplishing office tasks. Teachers should plan learning activities which require and simulate planning and interaction in small groups to develop these communication skills. (SK)

Suggests the use of the "tribal" metaphor to foster team building and collaborative learning in college classes. Offers examples of how linking students in the classroom in tribes builds identification and interdependence through such activities as creating a group myth and participating in membership rituals. The tribal metaphor has also led to…

"Islands of Healing" outlines the history and theoretical foundations of adventure-based counseling, explains group processes during the "adventure wave" process, describes detailed applications of adventure-based counseling in schools and treatment centers and with court-referred youth, and provides references and resource materials. (SV)

One aspect of organizational work groups has been ignored by both group and organizational communication researchers. The concluding period or termination of an organizational work group is disregarded while research focuses on the assignment, development, and maintenance of groups. In the organizational context, how work groups process the…

Sees introduction of specific structures and exercises in psychotherapy group as directly controlling course of events and affecting members' perceptions of the group and leader. Asserts that exercises must highlight, rather than bypass, existing group processes. Presents five-step model for preparing, working with, processing, generalizing, and…

This article: (1) outlines advantages of having more than two students work together at the computer keyboard; (2) discusses several new issues teachers must consider; and (3) describes specific examples of applications designed to promote cognitive and social outcomes. (JMK)

The paper considers some of the problems involved in the interpretation of participants' evaluations of management development programs. In particular, it argues that, in the case of participative "open evaluation" sessions, it is important to recognize that participants' attitudes and feelings toward the learning group may influence the…

With the continuing shift toward more decentralized, team-based work structures, efforts to improve quality are often linked to efforts to improve productivity. This ongoing restructuring of the workplace has important implications for technical education. Educators need to have an understanding of how and why organizations are pursuing these…

In recent years, interest in teamwork in the workplace has increased noticeably. For technical educators, the implications of this emphasis on employee involvement and cooperation are clear: they should begin developing the requisite skills in their students before they enter the work force. The skill sets that are needed--in effective…

Describes the pros and cons of using small groups in the English classroom. Considers why some teachers succeed while others fail when trying to use small groups. Provides and illustrates four discussion-leading techniques which facilitate small group interaction. (HB)