As a compulsory part of the study in Pedagogical Information Science at the University of Bergen and Stord/Haugesund College (Norway) during the spring term of 1999, students participated in a distributed group activity that provided experience on distributed collaboration and use of online groupware systems. The group collaboration process was…

Describes and evaluates the success of a chemistry course for nonscience majors that examines a variety of contemporary science-based issues and includes online retrieval of chemical information. Explains how course instructor and librarian work together to plan assignments and provide instruction to groups of students. Includes sample assignments…

Describes an analytical chemistry course restructured around the use of cooperative groups to help students become active learners in a non-competitive environment. Five years of experience with the course indicates that the syllabus covers almost exactly the same content as old courses and that test scores compare favorably on the national level.…

Describes an interdisciplinary course focusing on modeling scientific systems. Investigates elementary education majors' applications of three artificial intelligence concepts used in modeling scientific systems before and after the course. Reveals a great increase in understanding of concepts presented but inconsistent application. (Author/KHR)

Two university professors describe how they train teachers to use cooperative learning (CL) in the classroom. The article discusses the historical development and present implementation of CL, teacher role, and the conceptual/essential components approach. It also explains how teachers can gain expertise and defines a cooperative school. (SM)

To promote successful cooperative learning in the classroom, preservice teachers need to learn to establish classroom environments emphasizing team goals and individual accountability. They must also examine their concept of classroom management style and the need for direct instruction of student social skills. (SM)

This research study used a system of microcomputers interconnected with electronic meeting system software as a possible means of overcoming the grading and participation disparity problems associated with group work sessions conducted in face-to-face meetings. The purpose of the study of 20 undergraduate business students at the University of…

While teams in the business environment are highly structured with clearly defined roles, unstructured project teams in the educational environment suffer from communication and coordination problems. This study at East Carolina University (North Carolina) demonstrated the impact of this lack of structure by providing distinct roles and…

This paper reports on a two-year study conducted to evaluate cooperative learning or "group work" learning models in three courses at an Asian university. Data collection methods included a paired pre/post survey of learners, paired observations (early and late) of groups involved in assigned tasks, and two rounds of one-on-one…

A year-long, cooperatively structured, student team strategy is described that is being used as a major component in an interdisciplinary Master of Environmental Science degree program. The general philosophy of the degree program and the rationale for including the Student Team Project (STP) are described. The most basic goal of the program is…

Teacher education programs inadequately prepare teachers to teach students to participate in the many forms of cooperation which are inherent in life. Although teachers have the responsibility of helping students learn how to live and be productive in social groups, students in colleges of education are not usually trained to oversee and grade…

A French language immersion weekend housed in an off-campus college lodge and accommodating 12 college students has been successfully implemented by the State University College of New York at Fredonia. The goals of the weekend experiences have been: the development of listening and speaking skills; creation of a cultural atmosphere of the…

The weekend retreat provides an opportunity for a mixed group of persons interested in the activities of a college or school to meet and discuss problems of mutual interest. In this manual, experiential exercises are emphasized to insure high participation while at the same time providing direction and structure. All the necessary exercise…

In a French course offered in a German university, students were required to develop, structure, write, rehearse, and present brief plays as a group language-learning activity. (MSE)

Argues, in a discussion of the benefits of collaborative writing, that teaching writing as a solitary activity belies actual experience and research pointing to it as a collaborative effort. Shows how to use peer response groups to introduce students to collaborative writing. (EL)