Expressed satisfaction of students with their environment was measured before and after three conditions: (1) discussion to develop recommendations for administrative change; (2) opportunity to express feelings to each others; (3) no treatment. Findings show students would benefit from opportunity to express ideas concerning environmental change.…

A study investigated student participation in class discussion in a college psychology course. Findings indicated that the quality of participation is related to personality. Teachers are cautioned to avoid one-sided discussions by dividing students into discussion groups which include intuitive, extroverted, judging, thinking, and perceptive…

An exercise designed to provide students with an opportunity to take responsibility for learning an assigned reading and to share ideas with their colleagues is described. The exercise also provides a safe atmosphere in which to practice communication skills, critical thinking, and decision making. (MLW)

Researchers surveyed and interviewed teacher education students to understand their motivation to participate in class discussion. Students' estimation of the worth of their ideas was an important factor. Men and older students most often believed their ideas made important contributions. Topic, classroom climate, and advance preparation strongly…

This paper describes the frustration with the lack student involvement in classroom discussions regarding significant issues of the California State History Social Science Standards, specifically on politics and media. The initial use of a discussion board produced disappointing results. Very few students participated and their responses did not…

The school psychologist should conduct half hour discussions with entire classes with the teacher present. The discussions should be partially or wholly unstructured so that students can speak freely on whatever they feel strongly about. Students and teacher gain an appreciation of others' ideas and feelings. Excerpts from a tapescript of a…

A method of curriculum evaluation developed in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Manitoba and used successfully for four years is described. The small-group discussion technique was applied to the pilot Curriculum Evaluation Seminar (CES), which both faculty and a majority of students have found to be an important evaluation method.…

Describes "community meetings" in early childhood classrooms, designed to create an intentional community devoted to learning to live with and consider the perspectives of others. Discusses how meetings work, community meeting and the topic of exclusion, students' learning about themselves, awareness as a kind of solution, airing a…

At Mount Royal College (Alberta), the perceptions of enrolled college students are seen as an important part of academic program review, but identification of appropriate scheduling of meetings may be difficult. The solution found was to obtain faculty assistance in selecting students and to schedule focus groups as breakfast meetings, which…

Good teachers know that science is more than just a collection of facts in a textbook and that teaching science goes beyond the mere transmission of information. Actively engaging students in the learning process is critical to building their knowledge base, assessing progress, and meeting science standards. This book shows teachers how to…

This article examines the online discourse that took place in representative threads from two classes, seeking to document indicators that students did or did not engage in co-construction of knowledge. Stahl's (2006) social theory of computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) is used along with discourse analysis methods to examine these…

The author describes and analyzes the "dialogue workshop" as a major activity for facilitating cooperative communication and problem solving among students, teachers, and parents. This article is part of a theme issue on community education in Hawaii. (Editor/SJL)

This study explored student-led facilitation strategies used to overcome the challenges of instructor-dominated facilitation, enhance the sense of learning community, and encourage student participation in online discussions. It presents a series of cases of students' facilitation strategies and using qualitative data analysis of discussion…

A learning experiment at a West Coast cluster college is reported that involved curricular devices designed to modify student-faculty interactions, change the basis of student motivation, and develop new insights into subject matter on the part of both faculty and students. (Author/LBH)

This study goes beyond student perceptions of online learning experiences, satisfaction, and attitudes, to examine the actual participation and dynamics that occur in online discussions and their relationship to student learning outcomes. A content analysis approach was used to investigate students' socio-cognitive processes in an online…