This article suggests that colleges and universities can improve intergroup relations on campus by implementing a cooperative learning technique known as the jigsaw classroom. What is argued is that use of the jigsaw classroom will facilitate a recategorization process by which members of racial-ethnic groups other than one's own (them) will begin…

This paper presents the thesis that pair problem-solving serves as an aid to students in developing their metacognitive skills. Metacognition has been defined as knowledge and cognition about cognitive objects and as any kind of monitoring. The ability to monitor one's thoughts and actions is greatly facilitated through the pair problem-solving…

This paper contrasts the reactive and proactive approaches to personal growth and development for college students at a university. The potential of residence hall education and proactive growth activities is specifically pointed to, while all of student affairs are challenged to look at the more proactive growth model. Basic goals of a proactive…

Argues that simulation and gaming techniques could provide an ideal vehicle for overcoming the failure of most communication skills courses to motivate science students and to achieve their educational objectives. Two simulation exercises developed for teaching communication skills to science students are described. Two figures accompany the text.…

To meet the challenges created by diverse learning styles and abilities, community college students are often required to take placement tests to identify individual learning styles. This study was conducted to determine whether organizing students into activity groups based on learning style contributes to performance; and whether grouping…

The basic purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of using trained peers to lead small process groups in freshman orientation. The College and University Environment Scale (CUES) was the basic instrument used to determine whether perceptions of the college campus climate differed after an alternate freshman orientation program.…

The Structured Activity Model for designing group learning activities enhances generation of relevant data for group exploration in a nonthreatening way when the content area is personally threatening or controversial. This model is flexible and readily adaptable to a variety of group learning contexts, content areas, and age levels. (Author)

A method for measuring the contribution an individual makes to group work is described, and its use is supported through a study of 57 university students aged from 20 to 46 years working in 8 groups of 4 to 10 members each. The method recognizes that the most valid sources of information on the contribution of each individual to the group work…

Discusses a rationale for the use of experiential activities to increase student participation in college-level business courses in which the lecture format is employed. A management game used in a course on organizational change and a group learning activity used in a business law course are described. (Author/JL)

Discusses the use of historical research in a theater classroom. Describes a variation of this exercise in which students in a college history course study a play about U.S. History, write diary entries, research the era and place of the play, and give a group presentation. (CMK)

The second language student experience of group work at university is not often transparent in survey evaluations, although the multicultural nature of the student population in Australasia would suggest that culture and language should be on the research agenda. Culture and language, notwithstanding, is used in the higher education literature to…

An "ad hoc" questionnaire was administered to 10 students from each of 10 student groups. Each group's behavior was rated according to its degree of deviation from the established code of conduct for organized campus groups. Demographic and sociometric data was collected, as well as a measurement of the respondents' knowledge about the campus, and…

Since the late 1800s, factors that stimulated growth of outing clubs at colleges and universities included the desire to get outdoors and explore and the clubs' ability to provide outdoor training, access, and equipment. Outing clubs were initially formed by students. The outing clubs at Williams College, Dartmouth, and Allegheny College were all…

Two different technologies, groupware (a shared workspace) and shared wireless laptop computers, were implemented in a project design class in a civil engineering course. The research interest was in the way these technologies supported resource sharing within and across project groups and in the forms of group collaboration that resulted. The…

A stage in the development of new courses is discussed. Advice is given to course teams in the social sciences faculty at the Open University (England) on arranging for course team review of drafts of new courses. Several methods are discussed briefly: the traditional method of circulating drafts in the course team and having a discussion with the…