Provides an overview of about 100 quality historical fiction books for each decade of the 20th century. Describes "Doing the Decades" as a program where students, guided by social studies and English language arts teachers, work in learning teams to explore the "ins and outs" of the 1920s, 1950s, or other periods. (SC)

Provides an overview of cooperative learning. Describes essential components of cooperative learning activities and reviews research regarding the effect of cooperative learning on academic achievement, peer relationships, and social development. Describes notable cooperative learning programs. (RS)

Deals with S. Kagan's (1990) structural approach to cooperative learning and its application to language arts. Offers detailed descriptions of several cooperative learning structures, including Numbered Heads Together, Roundtable, Think-Pair-Share, Corners, and others. Provides examples from actual classroom settings, along with various teacher…

Telematics in the form of text-based, computer-mediated communications can support teaching and learning and can help the formation and cohesion of communities of learners. This paper examines the development of a "critical community of learners" through this medium, based on experiences with students studying the Open University (OU)…

This article on childrens' interactive talking books examines: (1) how pairs of children interact when using the Broderbund multimedia CD-ROM storybook "Living Books"; (2) whether their patterns of interaction reflect the gender composition of the pair; and (3) if different types of pairs interact differently and remember the activity differently.…

Considers whether cultivation of true collaborative learning is a realistic ambition with very young children; analysis of the social dynamic suggests that it is well within the reach of children as a form of social exchange. Argues that the new technology offers a potential for supporting the development of collaborative learning in early…

Preferences for competitive and cooperative learning were explored in 176 gifted students (ages 9-17). A factor analysis partitioned competitive items into a desire to outperform others and as an energizing factor for learning. Different motivational correlates of cooperative/competitive factors also suggested the validly of a differentiated…

Discusses several methods the author uses to overcome students' negative attitudes about working in small groups. Discusses preliminary activities (including a class discussion and direct instruction). Describes the group assignment, including a general overview, specifics of the assignment, and ways to overcome common group work problems. (SR)

Presents a HIV/AIDS preventive counseling protocol developed for use with African American young adults that makes use of hip-hop music. Contends that an increased understanding of the relationships that many African American young adults have with hip-hop music may be used by disease prevention personnel to educate these populations about…

One of a series of articles on principles of good practice in legal education, this article focuses on the importance of encouraging cooperation among students. Considers the value of the learning community and the relationship of cooperative learning and academic excellence. Includes examples of cooperative learning in a variety of law school…

Reports the results of two experiments that compared the effectiveness of role-playing and collaborative activities to teacher-centered discussions and lectures. Using both history and political science classes, the studies found that students who participated in the role- plays and collaborative exercises did better on subsequent standard…

Advises new science teachers and lists Gardner's multiple intelligences and strategies for learning. Recommends providing a safe learning environment for students. (YDS)

Discusses the goal of eliminating long-standing disparities in mathematics achievement between girls and boys, between white students and students of color, and the economically disadvantaged and advantaged. Explains how everyday mathematics classrooms use cooperative groups and inquiry-based learning in order to help all students. (ASK)

This article discusses cooperative learning as a strategy for increasing academic achievement for students with mild disabilities. Factors for successful cooperative learning groups include: heterogeneous grouping, tasks cooperative in nature, the existence of positive interdependence, individual accountability, equal opportunities for success,…

This article explores possible biological factors related to motivation and the relationship of motivation to academic achievement in students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorders. Suggestions are provided for increasing scholastic motivation in this population, including using cooperative learning groups to motivate students to…