Purpose: This study investigates the impact of online synchronous audio and video systems on the performance of cooperative learning in decision making and intellective tasks. Design/methodology/approach: In total, 156 subjects, divided into 46 groups, were invited to resolve decision and intellective tasks in text messaging and audio conferencing…

For many engineers, writing skills have proven to be almost as important as technical background. Many prominent engineers have found that writing often consumes one-fourth of their time; they are expected to submit reports and proposals and give presentations. Many engineering schools now require either additional writing courses or integrate…

Six introductory educational psychology classrooms were differentially taught. One experienced an individually competitive structure (n=39) and five other sections experienced three different cooperative goal structures: one using intergroup competition (n=29), two without intergroup competition (n=29 and n=36), and two using Sharan's Group…

The goal of this study was to validate measures and assess the effects of collaborative group-learning methods in real classrooms on 3 specific dependent variables: feelings of campus connectedness, academic classroom community, and effective group processing (2 factors). Confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to evaluate a 4-factor model.…

This research developed from the recognition that work-based placement briefing and debriefing sessions need to encourage reflection and student self-directed learning. An action research methodology was used to obtain students views of the value of briefing and debriefing sessions. Changes to session format were introduced and then in response to…

The author is presenting a program that she designed for teaching liaison interpreting to translation students in their fifth semester of the translation program at the College of Languages and Translation (COLT), who are starting their training in liaison interpreting. The students never had any interpreting or translation training before. The…

In an advanced oral communication course, students make five major presentations. One of the foundations of extemporaneous speaking is the ability to outline relevant points and phrases in a coherent, orderly manner. Advanced students must be able to take any topic and dissect it quickly to determine the most succinct way to present it to an…

Undergraduates enrolled in a field video production class at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington completed a low ropes challenge course as a team-building activity. Found that the ropes course contributed to group processes and getting students to trust one another, although its contribution to building intragroup cohesiveness was…

The educational value of microworlds has been accepted as an article of faith. This research note defines microworlds as simulators based on system dynamics models of particular business systems. Subsequently, it explores how business students perceive microworld simulation. This research draws on data obtained from courses in undergraduate…

Describes a partnership formed between Bentley College (Massachusetts) and General Mills to improve an undergraduate New Product Development course. Highlights include a team approach; the role of videoconferencing; developing a prototype product in the chemistry laboratory; feedback from General Mills; student reactions; and future possibilities.…

Describes the initial implementation and evaluation of an online environment designed to support a collaborative programming task among undergraduate students and provide them with experiential learning. Explains a holistic, context-based approach to evaluating the success of the innovation, together with the framework used for conducting the…

In the education literature, team-based projects have proven to be an effective pedagogical methodology. We have been using "RoboCup" challenges as the basis for class projects in undergraduate and masters level courses. This article discusses several independent efforts in this direction and presents our work in the development of shared…

Many universities and colleges list the development of lifelong learning skills as a curriculum objective and have adopted laptop programs that may enable lifelong learning. The purpose of this research is to address the effectiveness of a technology-based and computer-mediated learning environment in achieving lifelong learning skills from the…

Interviews of graduate and undergraduate students and faculty members at several urban universities were conducted during a 3-year period. The results suggest differences in satisfaction and performance with respect to temporary versus permanent groups and groups versus teams. Possible explanations for these differences are provided. The article…

Scripted cooperative learning and individual learning of descriptive information were compared in a 2-x-2 factorial design with 104 undergraduates. Influenced by models of individual learning and cognition, differences were assessed in (1) information acquisition and retrieval, (2) the quality and quantity of recalled information, and (3) the…