This study analyzed personal and collaborative reflective activities and their effect on the development of a graduate student as both a learner and a teacher. As a learner, the graduate student kept a reflective journal for 5 consecutive quarters (15 months). Collaboration with colleagues took place in both formal and informal settings and…

This paper reports on the Curry CONNECT project at the University of Virginia, a Web-based discussion group that links preservice teachers with graduate inservice teachers and apprenticing administrators. Using content, survey, and interview data collected from the discussion postings and student feedback, a qualitative analysis is presented,…

The classic film, "Twelve Angry Men," where a lone dissenting jury member (Henry Fonda) implores his fellow jurors not to make a quick decision in a murder trial, is often cited as a resource for analyzing decision-making processes in groups. The film, used in group-process courses to show how conformity pressures can hamper effective…

This study examines the outcomes for teachers and the benefits reaped from a Connecticut beginning teacher induction program. Data were sought to determine whether the Connecticut State Department of Education's intent to improve the quality and value of first-year teaching through intensive, ongoing support by a mentor was being met. The method…

This report outlines procedures for a weekend study session between a school board and the superintendent. The purpose of the study session is to provide an opportunity to establish basic directions and decision-making roles for the board and the superintendent. The weekend study session is usually attended by the board and the superintendent's…

A survey investigated the use of Electronic Networks for Interaction (ENFI) in composition programs, an approach using group real-time conferencing on computer networks. Real-time conferencing means that a group (from 2 to 20 participants) meets via computer synchronously and communicates in writing as a group (in one large group or in smaller…

By adopting methods for teaching oral communication skills in conjunction with writing, instructors can help students become more competent technical communicators. Dyadic skills in interpersonal communication and small group discussion are the highest priority of the technical writing curriculum and can be taught through a team writing project.…

This paper describes two studies involving men and women who participated in online discussions in a Web-based graduate course. The purpose of both studies was to examine the frequency and types of response these students made during the course chats and threaded discussions. The first study took place at the end of the course in a two-week…

This paper describes W.A.S.H. (We All Speak Here), an experiential learning strategy that provides learners (individuals or groups) with a means for exploring, discussing, and discovering their thoughts and feelings on any idea, issue, or concept. This strategy is part of a larger model in which students develop a deeper understanding of learning…

This paper focuses on the speaking proficiency of advanced foreign language learners. It looks at performance on two different tasks: oral presentations and group discussions. Success in giving an oral presentation in front of an audience is assessed with the help of evaluations, which are then measured against various linguistic phenomena…

Educators concerned with the preparation of adults are aware that students engage in lengthy discussions with their peers. Increasingly, this is encouraged in educational settings through formal pedagogy. However, little is known about its value to adult cognition. In a phenomenological study investigating the professional development of degree…

This paper provides practical advice for making online discussions educationally durable. This advice focuses on all stages of online discussions from designing the assignment guidelines through summative evaluation. While this practical advice is grounded in the author's experience, it is more substantively grounded in a framework defining…

This study involved a teaching experiment in which academic argumentation was practiced during a ten-week email course in a Finnish university. During the course, two working methods were used: free debate and role play. The aim of the study was to clarify how these two working methods activated students in mutual argumentative dialogue and…

I created a newsgroup with Yahoo Groups and invited all male and female colleagues at the College of Languages and Translation to register. The aims of the newsgroup were to share college news, discuss academic issues and student and faculty problems, learn about each other's publications and academic activities. Although messages were sent to the…

M. S. Peck (1987) identifies six characteristics of a "true community": (1) inclusiveness (no "in group" or "out group"); (2) commitment; (3) consensus (differences are acknowledged and processed); (4) contemplation; (5) vulnerability; and (6) "graceful" fighting (conflict should not be avoided, minimized,…