This study used the Self-Consciousness Scale to test the hypothesis that socially anxious people could seek to avoid embarrassment and do poorly in small group discussions as a result. Those people high in private self-consciousness (lacking concern for social evaluation) would participate more in discussions. Findings supported the hypothesis.…

Examines the relationship between sex and sex- type and leadership in small discussion groups. Results indicate personality influences leadership only during initial group interaction. The best characterization of social and task leadership is via psychological sex type rather than biological sex. Suggests leadership style dogmatism and motivation…

Examines the extent to which talking helps learning in a convergent group discussion task, where the students' goal is to construct predetermined "true justified knowledge." Analyzes instances where the same group of Malaysian students, studying on a higher education program in the United Kingdom, both succeeded and failed to arrive at the truth.…

Presents study results examining social pressure within sexually homogenous groups. Explains that cohesiveness, based on common beliefs, was established in half of the sample while prevented in the remainder. Reports that groups were required to reach consensus after conflict was introduced. Concludes that low cohesion groups showed the greatest…

Analyzes five fifth graders' talk about a historical fiction novel. Focuses on students' conversational competence within the three-week unit by examining their developing competence in sustaining topics and themes, taking the perspective of the "other," and developing content and theme understandings. Suggests that these abilities…

Discusses uninhibited behavior in computer-mediated communication (CMC), or flaming, and describes a study that examined the social context in which flaming occurs by analyzing messages posted during one week to four Usenet social newsgroups that represented different national and cultural groups. Results confirm that social context is the primary…

As educators in higher education, we face many challenges, but probably none like that of teaching online. While institutions of higher education have enjoyed a long history of traditional teaching and learning, the realities of providing an environment tailored to the needs and interests of today's adult learners is a very real and timely issue.…

This article shares the results of a 3-year study of the use of threaded discussion groups within intact eighth-grade classrooms in a middle school in Southern California. Using mixed-methods data collection and analysis, it addresses questions about how technology may be used effectively to create engaged writers and how student access to…

Questions about the suitability of cognitively-oriented instructional approaches for students of different academic levels are frequently raised by teachers and researchers. This study examined student participation in knowledge-building discourse in two implementations of a short inquiry unit focusing on environmental problems. Participants in…

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'…

A study assessed the feasibility and attractiveness of youth apprenticeship in Arkansas in over 80 interviews with employers in 5 key Arkansas industries and occupations. They were allied health, food processing (equipment repair and maintenance and lab technician/quality control), information services, metalworking, and self-employment and…

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…

Group structure is one of the important mediators between individual input and group output. The present study examines the effect of group structure on the following dependent variables: (1) change in the group member's evaluation of items evaluated before group interaction, (2) change in his subjective evaluation model as a consequence of group…

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…