This paper argues that collaborative learning is possible within graduate education and examines the process whereby a classroom can develop into a unified learning community of shared experiences. Using excerpts of student writings and dialogue, three aspects surrounding the creation of a learning community are explored: (1) the risk of trust,…

The purpose of this study was to examine the potential of asynchronous discussion forums (ADFs) as a medium to facilitate reflective thinking among preservice teachers. Of particular interest was the extent and manner in which this potential varies with respect to (a) the structure of the ADF, (b) the focus of the ADF, and (c) group dynamics.…

The Ninth Grade Teacher Advisor Program (TAP) of Cambridge (Massachusetts) Rindge and Latin School assists students in making the transition from grammar school to high school. The curriculum presented in this manual is a revised version of the materials used by TAP groups in the first year of the Ninth Grade Program. The two major themes of the…

The evaluation of the effectiveness of the classes for persons convicted of driving while intoxicated was based largely on analyses of verbal behaviors of participants and instructors, using the psychosocial theories of Erik Erikson. The established goals of the course emphasize that the information must be dealt with in a group situation where…

This paper describes two programs for primary grade children designed to increase students' sense of self-esteem by enabling them to have a more successful school experience and to minimize maladaptive behavior related to school stress. The programs were developed as preventative programs to decrease later school problems. A Child-Aide program was…

This paper reviews and integrates best practices for online teamwork for students and instructors from current and classical literature as well as the author's own six years of online teaching experience (over 40 online courses). A qualitative reflection of six graduate and six undergraduate courses in management, human resource management and…

Fifty-one sixth graders participated in three rounds of online literature circles and three face-to-face literature circles. The authors describe how the online literature circles were introduced and organized in the classroom and discuss the tensions, struggles, and successes from their implementation. An analysis of qualitative data yielded…

A course called "The Study of Teaching," designed to develop a theory on teaching and to explore the philosophy of teaching, is described. Five teacher education professors and five graduate students participated. Although one professor acted as instructor, the fifteen hour course was relatively unstructured and based on collegial discussion…

This pamphlet is the second in a series of ten stemming from the view that language is central to learning, that teachers can gain insights into their work and into learning by examining the language of the classroom, and that current language theory can be the means to such insights. The pamphlet contains a description of a study designed to…

The 14 activities in the group counseling course, designed for the seventh grade level, concentrate on the individual goal of heightened self-awareness in order to make life career decisions. Group objectives emphasize: personal interest and values evaluation; better understanding of influences on personal values, of individual differences, of…

This study examined online group discussion from students' perspectives to determine what characteristics students identify as meaningful to their online learning. Participants were 142 graduate students in the Southeast. The multiple regression results revealed that quality of online discussion was positively associated with communication media,…

This study explored the differences among online elementary school student groups based on their communication features. Two hundred and ninety-one Taiwanese students, ranging in age from 11 to 12 years old, participated in this study. The students were randomly arranged within-class into three-member groups. Each group was asked to use a…

Marketing in the business world has long used focus group interviews and survey techniques to explore the attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions of their customers. In the college setting, these same techniques are now being used to improve program quality, assess the effectiveness of publications, and explore the image of the college. At Durham…

One in a series of resources for community groups, this paper provides a theoretical model of community development and relates it to the history, needs, and characteristics of native communities. The introductory section discusses the philosophy and goals of the series, which promotes the development of "core groups"--small community…

Group discussion and learning activities are featured in this paper, the ninth in a series of resources for community development groups. The introduction defines the nature and goals of "core groups"--small community groups that will discuss the possibilities of individual and community transformation and promote new, life-enhancing…