To develop communication skills among non-participating students, teachers must recognize, diagnose, and treat individual problems of the reticent child. Teachers need to convey the concept of an "open" classroom where all ideas are welcome, to develop questioning and "active listening," to encourage eye contact, to make use of…

This case study examines a racial confrontation in the high school of White Plains, New York. The study includes a chronology of the White Plains incident, a report of the community background, discussion of various hypotheses concerning the reasons for the incident (social class factors, youths testing new roles, and breakdown of authority),…

An attempt to diversify the classroom experience at Simon Fraser University's Department of Geography has taken two thrusts: the large classroom integrative media use, and the student prepared multimedia "essay." The traditional lecture technique, which ignores the entire media revolution, is deplored. The first of two ways of conveying more…

During the 1974-75 school year, 11 Minneapolis public secondary schools formed Student Advisory Committees (SAC's) as one of the conditions of their receiving Federal desegregation funds under the provisions of the Emergency School Aid Act (ESAA). No ESAA funds were allotted for operation of the SAC's, however. The 11 schools with SAC's included…

Describes student-directed class model at Hampshire College, Massachusetts. Describes students' role as planning syllabus, regulating commitment, facilitating sessions, and evaluating course. Describes teacher's role as balancing intervention with non-involvement. Recommends model as way of integrating experiential learning into mainstream…

Presents an interview with Phil Nyden, a professor at Loyola University (Illinois). Describes his qualitative methods course. Includes his suggestion of a group project rather than individual research projects enabling students to focus on methodology rather than substantive issues. Lists course objectives: learning qualitative methods, applied…

Examines ways in which a principal of a racially and ethnically diverse school improved harmony and respect through listening to students' opinions. Reviews how to conduct a student survey and student town meetings for the exchange of ideas. Honest dialogue is essential to any effort to improve student relations. (SLD)

Asserts that conflict is inherent in school culture, and that respect and responsibility cannot be imposed on students. Explains that when these values become part of the norm of everyday interactions between students and adults in school, improvement will occur. Recommends character education, peer mentoring, and peer conflict mediation.…

Dynamic Learning Communities (DLCs) offer an alternative approach to the traditional Instructional Design (ID) format for learning. This paper outlines the concept of a dynamic learning community as an alternative to teacher-controlled or pre-designed instructional systems. DLCs are groups of people, who form a learning community generally…

This monograph explores recent theory and research on the importance of student effort and involvement in college activities as decisive elements in promoting positive college outcomes. An opening section introduces the issue and is followed by a section outlining the fundamental work of Robert Pace who found that college outcomes depend on…

Ten principles based on the interactive nature of language learning and teaching include the following: (1) the student is the language learner; (2) language learning and teaching are shaped by student needs and objectives in particular circumstances; (3) language learning and teaching are based on normal uses of language, with communication of…

This study examines the role of the high school as a political environment in which students may acquire experiences which contribute to the development of their political competence. The paper explains the objectives of the study, discusses the methods used, describes the schools in which data were gathered, reports the findings, and identifies…

A two-part, in-class questionnaire was administered to 150 randomly selected Everett Community College (Washington) students in an effort to determine their attitudes toward college governance. Part I of the questionnaire asked students to indicate their desire for involvement in each of 30 college activities. Part II solicited information on the…

A consultant discusses his experience in assisting teachers and students to develop a democratic approach to education at a new school for high-risk American Indian students in northern Michigan. Strategies included appointing students to the school board, holding weekly student meetings, and creating a judicial committee to review student…

For the thirty-sixth year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the annual AECT Convention in Anaheim, California. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two…