Coping Collectively: The formation of a teacher self-help group

Some social movements theorists argue that contemporary social movements such as pressure groups and support groups are increasingly fulfilling the protest function of political parties and trades unions in post-industrial societies. Furthermore, these social, cultural, emotional and economic developments are occurring on a global scale. This article is an ethnographic account of teachers in an English local education authority who formed a self-help group for what they perceived to be 'bullied' (i.e. abused in the workplace) local authority and private sector employees. This was a mode of collective rather than individual coping. The identity work involved in self-renewal for these workers was a collective, social and political process, involving networking with other similar individuals and groups nationally. I argue that, given the decline in trades union powers, the teachers can be considered to be reinventing collectivity and collective protest. And the self-help group studied is not fundamentally different in character to labour movements of the past.     

Improving learning disabled students' skills at composing essays: self-instructional strategy training

This study was conducted to determine if self-instructional strategy training would improve learning disabled students' writing. Students were taught a strategy designed to facilitate the generation, framing, and planning of argumentative essays. Training effects were investigated using a multiple-baseline across-subjects design, with multiple probes in baseline. Strategy instruction had a positive effect on students' writing performance and self-efficacy. Effects were maintained over time and transferred to a new setting and teacher. Evidence for generalization to a second genre, story writing, was also obtained. The students and their special education teacher recommended the use of the strategy with other students.     

学习共同体与大学生职业英语口语能力培养对策研究

传统大学英语由于语境、评价方式以及学生自身心理因素等原因导致大学毕业生在职场中口语交际能力不能满足用人单位需求。学习共同体强调合作交流,能很好满足职业英语口头表达所需的环境,减轻学生心理压力,是提高职业英语口语能力的有效途径。     

Improving classroom dynamics to support students' learning and social inclusion: a collaborative approach

In this article, Mary Doveston and Marian Keenaghan discuss their work with teachers and students in developing more effective and satisfying interpersonal relationships in the classroom. Their approach focuses on increasing the capacity of a classroom community to address and measure its progress in the social and emotional competencies which that community has identified as being important. The principles of Appreciative Inquiry and Solution Focused Thinking underpin their approach to working with students and teachers, with the researchers supporting teachers to facilitate student participation in a process which they have described as ‘Growing Talent for Inclusion’ (GTi).     

心理技能训练的内隐学习观

借鉴内隐学习的研究成果,分析运动员心理技能习得的内隐学习优势,并提出关于如何改进心理训练、如何评价心理训练效果的建议,为运动员心理技能训练的科学化提供了思路.     

Training self-assessment and task-selection skills: A cognitive approach to improving self-regulated learning

For self-regulated learning to be effective, students need to be able to accurately assess their own performance on a learning task and use this assessment for the selection of a new learning task. Evidence suggests, however, that students have difficulties with accurate self-assessment and task selection, which may explain the poor learning outcomes often found with self-regulated learning. In experiment 1, the hypothesis was investigated and confirmed that observing a human model engaging in self-assessment, task selection, or both could be effective for secondary education students’ (N = 80) acquisition of self-assessment and task-selection skills. Experiment 2 investigated and confirmed the hypothesis that secondary education students’ (N = 90) acquisition of self-assessment and task-selection skills, either through examples or through practice, would enhance the effectiveness of self-regulated learning. It can be concluded that self-assessment and task-selection skills indeed play an important role in self-regulated learning and that training these skills can significantly increase the amount of knowledge students can gain from self-regulated learning in which they choose their own learning tasks.     

Collaborative learning,face-to-face or virtual: the advantages of a blended learning approach in an intercultural research group

Within Higher Education, current changes in levels of funding available and the increasingly diverse profiles of students participating have placed a greater emphasis on the need for institutions to provide more ‘flexible methods’ of delivery. In addition to traditional face-to-face, collaborative environments, the widespread use of information and communication technologies allows individuals around the globe to participate in collaborative learning. Dillenbourg emphasizes the need to differentiate the ‘notion of culture’ in the context of intercultural group learning, with that of developing a common ground or ‘micro-culture’ through which to successfully interact. The importance of building a micro-culture is echoed by Ashcraft and Treadwell, as the basis for successful collaborative learning. This article highlights the experiences of a university based, intercultural, mixed methods research project at Master's degree level, where student researchers with diverse backgrounds, worked collaboratively to create a tentative conceptual framework, in order to map research trends at the 2010 American Educational Research Association conference. This article suggests that collaborative learning in intercultural groups, rather than benefiting from one approach over another, can actually be enhanced by the combining of methods, resulting in a deeper learning experience for those participating. Furthermore, in the initial stages of negotiating and re-negotiating collective understandings and meaning, face-to-face collaboration can provide a basis for deeper learning and understanding in subsequent online collaboration, as experienced by the intercultural collective research group, which is the case study of this article.     

Student teachers’ skills in the implementation of collaborative learning: A multilevel approach

This study explores the development of student teachers’ skills in implementing collaborative learning (CL) using a multilevel repeated measures design. Participants were 105 pre-service teachers that were trained in CL implementation. The results indicate that student teachers generally perform well in implementing CL. Further, it appears that these skills increase over time, although no linear growth can be found. Student teachers’ skills development appears to be positively connected with their general feeling of teaching efficacy. Surprisingly, training and students’ pedagogical knowledge have no significant impact.     

Improving writing skills: Which approaches and what target skills?

This article presents a critical overview of recent trends in research on writing skills. Part one defines criteria for the studies reviewed here and is based on current cognitive writing models. The treatments examined were all designed to change writer activity by influencing the main constituent features of writing: knowledge and cognitive functions. The following two sections deal with the effects of treatments aimed at the acquisition of knowledge or expert skills. Part four focuses on the effects on writing skills of interaction between peers or immature and expert writers. The final section examines computer aids to writing. The conclusion stresses the need for carefully controlled studies drawing on well-defined theoretical frameworks.     

Understanding the mediating effect of learning approach between learning factors and higher order thinking skills in collaborative inquiry-based learning

Educational technology research and development - Collaborative inquiry-based learning (CIBL) is a notable instructional method used to nurture students’ higher order thinking skills. Few...     

Selective spatial working memory impairment in a group of children with mathematics learning disabilities and poor problem-solving skills

This study examines visual and spatial working memory skills in 35 third to fifth graders with both mathematics learning disabilities (MLD) and poor problem-solving skills and 35 of their peers with typical development (TD) on tasks involving both low and high attentional control. Results revealed that children with MLD, relative to TD children, failed spatial working memory tasks that had either low or high attentional demands but did not fail the visual tasks. In addition, children with MLD made more intrusion errors in the spatial working memory tasks requiring high attentional control than did their TD peers. Finally, as a post hoc analysis the sample of MLD was divided in two: children with severe MLD and children with low mathematical achievement. Results showed that only children with severe MLD failed in spatial working memory (WM) tasks if compared with children with low mathematical achievement and TD. The findings are discussed on the basis of their theoretical and clinical implications, in particular considering that children with MLD can benefit from spatial WM processes to solve arithmetic word problems, which involves the ability to both maintain and manipulate relevant information.     

The role of a self-help group in working with parents of a stillborn baby

A stillborn baby represents a unique loss because parents must mourn fantasies of an anticipated newborn rather than memories of a shared experience. A self-help group can facilitate parents' mourning process following a stillbirth. With family-to-family contact and group discussions, the reality of the stillbirth is validated, the empty feelings of the loss the parents are experiencing are acknowledged, and the guilt the couples are feeling is eased. Reports from parents indicate that restoration of hope for the future and improved marital communication are the most beneficial aspects of their participation in the group. The phases of mourning described by Bowlby and Parkes have been observed in the group studied here as over time the parents resolved their loss and reoriented their lives.     

Teaching collaborative skills with a group leader computer tutor

This paper discusses how a group leader computer tutor may aid students in learning collaborative skills in a co-operative learning environment. However, students need to learn collaborative skills and practice using them. The group leader computer tutor discussed in this paper is designed on the principles of co-operative learning, intelligent tutoring systems and computer-supported collaborative work within an intelligent collaborative learning system (ICLS). The group leader aims to facilitate group work on the task level and to teach students how to use collaborative skills in the discussion level as students work on networked computers in the Jigsaw method of co-operative learning. The ICLS and its group leader were used by two classes at a liberal arts university. Qualitative research shows that the students' co-operative attitudes changed and academic achievement improved from pre- to post-treatment. Students, especially, used the communication skill of openness in comment type discussions. The students enjoyed working collaboratively through the ICLS and their teachers thought that the experience was valuable for them.     

Visualization in learning and instruction: a cognitive approach

This article is based on the premise that instruction involves the control of cognitive processes by means of carefully selected instructional strategies. Visual cognitive processes having to do with perception, the assimilation of new information, and learning by means of analogy are examined, and particular instructional strategies by which each process can be controlled are identified. Ways of improving mental skills (i.e., those visual processes at which the learner is relatively adept) are discussed. Conclusions are drawn regarding relationships between visual learning and instruction, and implications for research and design are examined. Research for this article was conducted while the author was a visiting scholar in the Department of Instructional Technology, University of Southern California. The research was supported by a grant from the University of Calgary. The author wishes to thank Richard Clark for his helpful comments on an earlier draft of the article.     

An Indonesian self-help group fights a winning battle against alcohol,drugs and STDs

This article reports the success of a self-help group organized by the Yayasan Kusuma Buana (YKB), which fights against alcohol, drugs and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the Warakas community. The group is composed of 25 peer educators who have been trained in basic counseling techniques and in the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse and STDs at the YKB clinic in Tanjung Priok. Among the group's activities are the publication of a bimonthly Bulletin, a poster contest, outreach programs with social and religious organizations in Warakas, and awareness campaigns that have a multiplier effect. Throughout the implementation of the interventions, members of the community contributed their unconditional support to the group. These people have been increasingly concerned about the rapid rise of drug and alcohol addiction in Warakas. In addition, the government in Warakas, parent organizations, and local youth groups had also been supportive. Because of the support, the group continues to initiate productive educational activities. It is hoped that the project will be replicated in other urban areas where alcohol and drug addiction and the prevalence of STDs are worsening.