This study examines the out-of-class learning activities undertaken, at the students' volition, by groups of students. Data were gathered through 57 individual and 15 focus group interviews with university students in Hong Kong. Group activities reported included: copying, sharing material, consulting peers, consulting teachers, studying and…

The title of this article came from a student who joined the author's PGCE tutor group in the second semester of last year. It was made during a group reflection activity. The title was fascinating, as was the response from other members of the group: "there's no hiding in here--we all talk." Collaborative journal writing between mentor…

In this study we created an environment for peer learning, where students teach students by making oral presentations in groups about solving mathematical problems and explaining the theoretical background in mathematics, during the first year of an undergraduate engineering programme at the Norrkoping campus of the Linkoping University. In order…

Although self-regulated learning is considered as a characteristic of individual students, the question may be raised as to whether a community of learners with its emphasis on inquiry learning in teams of students provides an appropriate environment to acquire and develop active and dynamic self-regulation strategies. Two cases of communities of…

Background: Over the past 20 years, a number of researchers have expressed concern over the lack of confidence and qualifications of primary school teachers to teach PE. Evidently, the influence of personal school PE experiences may play an important role in the development of teachers' confidence to appropriately teach PE. Most research that has…

Growth into literacy occurs most effectively with the engagement of the learner. The question is therefore: what motivates learners to sustain them through the struggle to attain literacy? In this aspect of literacy education, "lifewriting" can be a most powerful medium. Basic to all of the lifewriting programs described in the text,…

A study examined the curricular event in Swedish preschools known as "circle time," a daily event in most schools during which children, teachers, and sometimes parents gather in a circle for 20-30 minutes and share songs, discussion, music, storytelling, and group play. A special theme, such as the environment or a holiday, may also be…

Consisting of an audio-visual series and study exercises for cooperative, interdependent learning opportunities, this curriculum project is designed to provide in-depth learning and to develop positive attitudes about India in junior high school students. The project can also be used to influence curriculum development and to acquaint teachers…

This paper is a first report from the project "Activity Learning and Cooperation," financed by the Swedish Board of Education. The aim of the project is to establish a theoretical basis for a field study of locally initiated experiments using various teaching strategies. More specifically, this paper is restricted to a discussion of the…

Describes practical conclusion of a study carried out in Israel which investigated the potential effects of role play on communicative competence, motivation and underachieving foreign language learners. The discussion focuses on a suggested procedure, prerequisites and limitations, the positive effects of role play, and its educational value and…

A study observing children's participation in designing their own classroom space was based on the following framework: (1) creation of the environment and conditions necessary to enable children to express themselves constructively in a climate of acceptance; (2) support of children's need to prove and confirm their own abilities; (3)…

By using group activities for learning, cooperative student effort for school events, and peer pressure for classroom discipline, Japanese teachers involve and empower their students. While American students feel that classrooms are teachers' sacred ground, Japanese students appropriate them as their rightful community. Instead of stressing…

Examines how students construct shared understanding by exploring what interactive and discursive tools students use in their collaboration. Presents observations made during a series of innovative mathematics lessons in an eighth grade Dutch primary school classroom. (CMK)

Analysis of protocols from think-aloud paired problem-solving sessions of 2 year-11 students found that, although the students were generally successful in coordinating their different, yet complementary, problem-solving roles, their metacognitive decision making was sometimes adversely affected by the social interaction between them. (17…

Studies the effects of a 12-session educational group intervention program for people with generalized chronic musculoskeletal pain. Results reveal that participants came out significantly better than the control group with respect to pain and pain coping, taking care of themselves, life satisfaction, and health care consumption. (Contains 69…