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Modern crowd theories agree that collective behavior is the result of the underlying interactions among small groups of individuals. In this work, we propose a novel algorithm for detecting social groups in crowds by means of a Correlation Clustering procedure on people trajectories. The affinity between crowd members is learned through an online formulation of the Structural SVM framework and a set of specifically designed features characterizing both their physical and social identity, inspired by Proxemic theory, Granger causality, DTW and Heat-maps. To adhere to sociological observations, we introduce a loss function (G-MITRE) able to deal with the complexity of evaluating group detection performances. We show our algorithm achieves state-of-the-art results when relying on both ground truth trajectories and tracklets previously extracted by available detector/tracker systems.

Modern crowd theories agree that collective behavior is the result of the underlying interactions among small groups of individuals. In this work, we propose a novel algorithm for detecting social groups in crowds by means of a Correlation Clustering procedure on people trajectories. The affinity between crowd members is learned through an online formulation of the Structural SVM framework and a set of specifically designed features characterizing both their physical and social identity, inspired by Proxemic theory, Granger causality, DTW and Heat-maps. To adhere to sociological observations, we introduce a loss function (G-MITRE) able to deal with the complexity of evaluating group detection performances. We show our algorithm achieves state-of-the-art results when relying on both ground truth trajectories and tracklets previously extracted by available detector/tracker systems.

Modern crowd theories agree that collective behavior is the result of the underlying interactions among small groups of individuals. In this work, we propose a novel algorithm for detecting social groups in crowds by means of a Correlation Clustering procedure on people trajectories. The affinity between crowd members is learned through an online formulation of the Structural SVM framework and a set of specifically designed features characterizing both their physical and social identity, inspired by Proxemic theory, Granger causality, DTW and Heat-maps. To adhere to sociological observations, we introduce a loss function (G-MITRE) able to deal with the complexity of evaluating group detection performances. We show our algorithm achieves state-of-the-art results when relying on both ground truth trajectories and tracklets previously extracted by available detector/tracker systems.

GOALS: Motivated partly by our previous work, we have attempted: (1) To determine whether there is a global mechanism that automatically adjusts the strengths of the many connections that take place between neurons. (2) To determine the source of variations in neuronal firing observed during behaviorally meaningful neural activity, whether the variations arise from determmistic processes or nondeterministic ones, and to identify the synaptic or membrane mechanisms that may give rise to them. Because biological systems are difficult to control, we have used computer simulations to examine these problems. The results indicate that the findings may be addressable in biological systems, particularly in cell cultures of two or three selectively connected neurons.

This study explores the characteristics and distribution of the feedback provided by the participants (a teacher and her students) in an activity organized inside a collaborative online learning environment. We analyse 853 submissions made by two groups of graduate students and their teacher (N1 = 629 & N2 = 224) involved in the collaborative development of a rubric for evaluating teaching skills using the Knowledge Forum platform. The results show that the feedback is distributed among participants (a teacher and her students), although there are important differences in the way in which this distribution occurs. The results also show that both the teacher and some of the students are able to provide verification and elaboration feedback on the learning content, the academic task at hand, and social participation. This feedback is useful for processes of knowledge construction, though significant differences are observed in the ways in which it is provided. Finally, the results show the importance of the temporal dimension for understanding how, when and for what purpose the teacher and students provide feedback to the other participants. (Contains 9 tables.)

This study explores the characteristics and distribution of the feedback provided by the participants (a teacher and her students) in an activity organized inside a collaborative online learning environment. We analyse 853 submissions made by two groups of graduate students and their teacher (N1 = 629 & N2 = 224) involved in the collaborative development of a rubric for evaluating teaching skills using the Knowledge Forum platform. The results show that the feedback is distributed among participants (a teacher and her students), although there are important differences in the way in which this distribution occurs. The results also show that both the teacher and some of the students are able to provide verification and elaboration feedback on the learning content, the academic task at hand, and social participation. This feedback is useful for processes of knowledge construction, though significant differences are observed in the ways in which it is provided. Finally, the results show the importance of the temporal dimension for understanding how, when and for what purpose the teacher and students provide feedback to the other participants. (Contains 9 tables.)

This article begins by discussing whether students of second and foreign languages (hereafter, "second language" will be used to refer to both foreign and second languages) should be encouraged to use their second language (L2) with classmates when doing group activities. Reasons for both L2 and L1 (first language) use are discussed with reference to Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theory. Practical issues are also explored. Thereafter, the bulk of the article contains ideas about how to encourage students to use their L2 for peer interaction. Twenty-nine such ideas are explained. These are divided into five sections: a role for the L1; understanding the issue; creating a conducive climate; providing language support; and the task.

Computer simulations of catalytic networks. Andrade et al. (1993) have recently published the results of our first simulations, and have addressed the problem of the effect that catalytic error has in controlling system dynamics. Simulations of large networks are being designed in order examine spatio-temporal dynamics in reaction-diffusion systems. The aim is to develop visualization and analysis methods to apply large networks composed of biologically realistic neurons. Immunohistochemical studies have examined mammalian tissues that may be useful as model systems to examine distributed function in neurotransmission and neuromodulation (Soinila and Mpitsos, 1992; Soinila et al., 1992). It is necessary, as these and other publications (e.g., Mpitsos and Soinila, 1993) indicate, not only to understand neural organization in a simple animal, but also to examine the applicability of the findings to higher animals, and, if possible, to humans. Molecular biological studies of muscarinic receptors: In previous AFOSR-published work, Murray et al. (1985) and Murray and Mpitsos (1988) showed further that brief pharmacologic blocking of these receptors enhances 1-Trial associative learning. Over the past year, we have developed cloning vectors for generating fusing proteins to all of the five known muscarinic receptor subtypes in humans. Our next step is to obtaine immunofluorescent antisera to the fusion proteins in order to visually identify cells containing the different muscarinic receptors. The in-between step will be to determine the specificity of the antisera. The findings will be applicable not only to our experimental animal, but also to studies of learning and pathologies in humans.

To develop adult learning groups in formal educational settings, the educator must understand the nature of learning in groups. Three types of group learning are instrumental, communicative, and emancipatory. The type of learning that occurs in groups varies according to the learning tasks and goals. Group learning that has as its goal the acquisition of instrumental knowledge is cooperative. The term collaborative describes group learning based on communicative knowledge. Transformative applies to learning groups that seek emancipatory knowledge. Cooperative learning focuses on the learning of individuals; as groups engage in collaborative or transformative learning, the distinction between individual and group learning becomes more invisible. The facilitator fosters, assists, supports, and helps with accomplishing learning tasks by sharing responsibilities with learners; establishes and maintains the group learning environment; and provides information about the group process. The facilitator's roles and responsibilities change to correspond to the group's purposes and goals. Size is an important characteristic of groups, with smaller groups (six or less) being more cohesive and productive. Facilitator-selected groups tend to perform better. Important considerations when structuring group learning for adults are the experience's purpose, an appropriate role for the facilitator, and group formation. (YLB)

We propose a self-supervised framework that learns to group visual entities based on their rate of co-occurrence in space and time. To model statistical dependencies between the entities, we set up a simple binary classification problem in which the goal is to predict if two visual primitives occur in the same spatial or temporal context. We apply this framework to three domains: learning patch affinities from spatial adjacency in images, learning frame affinities from temporal adjacency in videos, and learning photo affinities from geospatial proximity in image collections. We demonstrate that in each case the learned affinities uncover meaningful semantic groupings. From patch affinities we generate object proposals that are competitive with state-of-the-art supervised methods. From frame affinities we generate movie scene segmentations that correlate well with DVD chapter structure. Finally, from geospatial affinities we learn groups that relate well to semantic place categories.

Collaborative learning in an online classroom can take the form of discussion among the whole class or within smaller groups. This paper addresses the latter, examining first whether assessment makes a difference to the level of learner participation and then considering other factors involved in creating effective collaborative learning groups. Data collected over a three year period (15 cohorts) from the Foundations course in the Master of Distance Education (MDE) program offered jointly by University of Maryland University College (UMUC) and the University of Oldenburg does not support the authors' original hypothesis that assessment makes a significant difference to learner participation levels in small group learning projects and leads them to question how much emphasis should be placed on grading work completed in study groups to the exclusion of other strategies. Drawing on observations of two MDE courses, including the Foundations course, their extensive online teaching experience, and a review of the literature, the authors identify factors other than grading that contribute positively to the effectiveness of small collaborative learning groups in the online environment. In particular, the paper focuses on specific instructional strategies that facilitate learner participation in small group projects, which result in an enhanced sense of community, increased skill acquisition, and better learning outcomes. (Contains 2 figures and 1 table.)

This report presents conceptual frameworks for inclusive learning, good practices in learning cities and recommendations for the future. The COVID-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on life in cities, as well as exposing and exacerbating almost all forms of inequality. Access to high-calibre, resilient infrastructure, reliable basic services and decent jobs must be provided to all urban and rural dwellers. Achieving this means ensuring learning opportunities in cities are of high quality, inclusive of the diverse backgrounds of all learners and offered on a continuous basis throughout life. This publication features chapters on learning cities' endeavours to promote inclusive lifelong learning for vulnerable groups. It is based on research papers prepared for the fourth International Conference on Learning Cities, which took place in 2019 in Medellín, Colombia, under the theme 'Inclusion -- A principle for lifelong learning and sustainable cities' and hence marks a transition between the learning city conferences of 2019 and 2021. Though the examples included in the publication were in place before the pandemic took hold, they show how populations that were made even more vulnerable by the pandemic can be effectively targeted by lifelong learning opportunities.

We have examined the immunohistochemical localization of over 12 different neurotransmitters in all of the nervous system components of two different marine molluscs, Aplysia and Pleurobranchaea. To do this for each neurotransmitter, we made complete serial histological sections of all major ganglia in each nervous system. Localizations were performed using immunohistochemistry and fluorescence microscopy. Since many of the commercially available antisera proved to be nonspecific, we generated 11 antisera in our laboratory. One of the major achievements occurred in our work on acetylcholine, which our previous AFOSR-funded work implicated as having an important role in associative learning in Pleurobranchaea through muscarinic receptors.

Individual and group assessments of quiz accuracy and students' discrimination of what they know and what they do not know regarding course material were examined using confidence ratings from 22 graduate students, 47 undergraduates, and their 23 heterogeneous learning groups over 6 quizzes. Students first took each multiple choice quiz as individuals and then as a group. Students received instruction regarding metamemory, confidence calibrations, and overconfidence after the first three quizzes. It was hypothesized that individuals and their groups would use this information to adjust their confidence ratings to discriminate appropriately between correct and wrong quiz answers. Within groups, students improved their accuracy, but did not appropriately adjust their confidence judgments. Moreover, the improved accuracy in groups came at a cost of increased confidence for wrong answers. Neither relevant information about metamemory nor assignment to structured learning groups was effective at improving students' assignments of confidence judgments, and may even have made it worse. Factors affecting group decision making appear to be high individual confidence and a majority effect, with educational status a marginally contributing component. There are six figures and two tables. (Contains 19 references.) (Author/SLD)

Individual and group assessments of quiz accuracy and students' discrimination of what they know and what they do not know regarding course material were examined using confidence ratings from 22 graduate students, 47 undergraduates, and their 23 heterogeneous learning groups over 6 quizzes. Students first took each multiple choice quiz as individuals and then as a group. Students received instruction regarding metamemory, confidence calibrations, and overconfidence after the first three quizzes. It was hypothesized that individuals and their groups would use this information to adjust their confidence ratings to discriminate appropriately between correct and wrong quiz answers. Within groups, students improved their accuracy, but did not appropriately adjust their confidence judgments. Moreover, the improved accuracy in groups came at a cost of increased confidence for wrong answers. Neither relevant information about metamemory nor assignment to structured learning groups was effective at improving students' assignments of confidence judgments, and may even have made it worse. Factors affecting group decision making appear to be high individual confidence and a majority effect, with educational status a marginally contributing component. There are six figures and two tables. (Contains 19 references.) (Author/SLD)

Individual and group assessments of quiz accuracy and students' discrimination of what they know and what they do not know regarding course material were examined using confidence ratings from 22 graduate students, 47 undergraduates, and their 23 heterogeneous learning groups over 6 quizzes. Students first took each multiple choice quiz as individuals and then as a group. Students received instruction regarding metamemory, confidence calibrations, and overconfidence after the first three quizzes. It was hypothesized that individuals and their groups would use this information to adjust their confidence ratings to discriminate appropriately between correct and wrong quiz answers. Within groups, students improved their accuracy, but did not appropriately adjust their confidence judgments. Moreover, the improved accuracy in groups came at a cost of increased confidence for wrong answers. Neither relevant information about metamemory nor assignment to structured learning groups was effective at improving students' assignments of confidence judgments, and may even have made it worse. Factors affecting group decision making appear to be high individual confidence and a majority effect, with educational status a marginally contributing component. There are six figures and two tables. (Contains 19 references.) (Author/SLD)

The aim of this paper is to present "the three steps method" of the self-formation of collaborative groups in a problem-based learning environment. The self-formation of collaborative groups is based on sharing of accountability among students for solving instructional problems. The steps of the method are planning collaborative problem solving, self-evaluation of students, and building collaborative groups. The planning comprises determination of the nomenclature of higher order thinking (HOT) skills, defining the instructional problems and their complexity levels, creating problem groups according to the complexity levels, setting the problem-relevant HOT skills, determining the accountability measure and the assessments of accountability for solving the problems. The self-evaluation includes self-detection of personal HOT skills, measurement of the diversity between the personal HOT skills and the problem-relevant skills based on the proposed diversity measure, and self-evaluation of willingness and desire of a student to take accountability for solving the instructional problems. The personal willingness is evaluated by the diversity measure. The desire is guided by the accountability assessments for problem solving. Coordination of the self-evaluation outcomes allows building collaborative groups. A group's composition is adjusted by the specific requirements of an instructor.

The aim of this paper is to present "the three steps method" of the self-formation of collaborative groups in a problem-based learning environment. The self-formation of collaborative groups is based on sharing of accountability among students for solving instructional problems. The steps of the method are planning collaborative problem solving, self-evaluation of students, and building collaborative groups. The planning comprises determination of the nomenclature of higher order thinking (HOT) skills, defining the instructional problems and their complexity levels, creating problem groups according to the complexity levels, setting the problem-relevant HOT skills, determining the accountability measure and the assessments of accountability for solving the problems. The self-evaluation includes self-detection of personal HOT skills, measurement of the diversity between the personal HOT skills and the problem-relevant skills based on the proposed diversity measure, and self-evaluation of willingness and desire of a student to take accountability for solving the instructional problems. The personal willingness is evaluated by the diversity measure. The desire is guided by the accountability assessments for problem solving. Coordination of the self-evaluation outcomes allows building collaborative groups. A group's composition is adjusted by the specific requirements of an instructor.

The aim of this paper is to present "the three steps method" of the self-formation of collaborative groups in a problem-based learning environment. The self-formation of collaborative groups is based on sharing of accountability among students for solving instructional problems. The steps of the method are planning collaborative problem solving, self-evaluation of students, and building collaborative groups. The planning comprises determination of the nomenclature of higher order thinking (HOT) skills, defining the instructional problems and their complexity levels, creating problem groups according to the complexity levels, setting the problem-relevant HOT skills, determining the accountability measure and the assessments of accountability for solving the problems. The self-evaluation includes self-detection of personal HOT skills, measurement of the diversity between the personal HOT skills and the problem-relevant skills based on the proposed diversity measure, and self-evaluation of willingness and desire of a student to take accountability for solving the instructional problems. The personal willingness is evaluated by the diversity measure. The desire is guided by the accountability assessments for problem solving. Coordination of the self-evaluation outcomes allows building collaborative groups. A group's composition is adjusted by the specific requirements of an instructor.

An active learning physics course (treatment) was re-organized in an attempt to increase students' problem solving abilities. This re-organized course covered all of the relevant concepts in the first 6 weeks with the final 4 weeks spent in practice at solving complicated problems (those requiring students to use higher order cognitive abilities). A second active learning course (control) was taught in the same quarter by the same instructor using the same curricular materials but covering material in the standard (chapter-by-chapter) order. After accounting for incoming student characteristics, students from the treatment course scored significantly better than the control for two outcome measures: i) the final exam and ii) their immediately subsequent physics course. More importantly, students from minority groups who are underrepresented in physics had final exam scores as well as class grades that were indistinguishable from the rest of their class if and only if they were in the treatment class. Finally, many of the students in this cohort took a Concepts First course in their third quarter of introductory physics. The students who took at least one Concepts First course are found to have significantly higher rates of graduation with a STEM major than those students from this cohort who did not take a Concepts First course.

This action research examines how focused organization, group roles, and gender grouping impact student participation when working in a cooperative group setting. Fifty-two sixth graders were studied for a period of nine weeks. Results show when students are organized in their cooperative groups, there will be an increase in student participation. Participation also increased when students were given assigned roles. Lastly, this research shows that my hypothesis was incorrect by thinking participation would increase when students work in same gender cooperative groups. To come to these results, data was collected using a triangular approach focusing on observations, change in grades, and questionnaires. The following are appended: (1) Data Collection Matrix; (2) Teacher Observation Log: Focused Organization; (3) Focused Organization; (4) Teacher Observation Log: Group Roles; (5) Student Roles; (6) Group Roles; (7) Teacher Observation Log: Gender Grouping; and (8) Gender Grouping. (Contains 5 figures.)

This action research examines how focused organization, group roles, and gender grouping impact student participation when working in a cooperative group setting. Fifty-two sixth graders were studied for a period of nine weeks. Results show when students are organized in their cooperative groups, there will be an increase in student participation. Participation also increased when students were given assigned roles. Lastly, this research shows that my hypothesis was incorrect by thinking participation would increase when students work in same gender cooperative groups. To come to these results, data was collected using a triangular approach focusing on observations, change in grades, and questionnaires. The following are appended: (1) Data Collection Matrix; (2) Teacher Observation Log: Focused Organization; (3) Focused Organization; (4) Teacher Observation Log: Group Roles; (5) Student Roles; (6) Group Roles; (7) Teacher Observation Log: Gender Grouping; and (8) Gender Grouping. (Contains 5 figures.)

Open Networked Learning is an open online professional development course for educators in higher education who wish to investigate and discuss the design and teaching of collaborative online courses. The course is organised in a unique partnership between 14 institutions in six countries and is both an institutional professional development course and an arena for virtual exchange between educators from different cultures, institutions and disciplines. This chapter describes how the course successfully implements problem-based learning in facilitated groups in an online environment. The course employs a multi-layered approach to openness and allows learners to participate on three levels: as part of the course community, within the problem-based learning group and with individual reflection in a learning blog. This chapter examines the opportunities and challenges that have arisen and points to possible solutions.

(Purpose) This publication identifies lessons learned from moving traditional face-to-face peer study groups to online operation. Two sources were consulted. First, previous publications concerning online peer study groups were studied to identify approaches, equipment and software used, and reports of effectiveness. Second, during May 2020 administrators involved with managing peer-assisted learning (PAL) programs were invited to complete an online survey concerning their experiences with operating online in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. (Methods) The individual actions, activities, and approaches recorded in the publications and the 45 surveys were broken into individual units which results in nearly 800 individual pieces of data were created and then they were reorganized into themes and topics for this report. (Results) This data analysis made the identification of best practices more clear since the frequency of them was identified. Eight major themes were identified. (Implications) Lessons have been learned from past experience with offering student-led peer study groups online that can increase the success of students with higher grades and higher rates of persistence towards graduation. It is likely that many or most institutions will begin the fall academic term online and these lessons will be valuable not only for academic assistance, but also with instruction and other student services.

The Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) program at the University of Minnesota is a primary academic support program for historically difficult, introductory college courses that serve as gatekeepers to academic degree programs. Based upon operating principles of other academic support programs and educational theories, PAL is integrated into the courses it serves. The PAL groups review essential course content, model cognitive learning strategies to deepen understanding, and promote metacognitive awareness so students are autonomous learners in courses without academic support services. The PAL approach operates at the confluence of collaborative learning, cooperative learning groups, and learning communities. This article provides a detailed overview of the PAL model, educational theories upon which it is based, and how variations of it are implemented at the institution. Quantitative and qualitative studies reveal academic and personal benefits for participating students and those serving as PAL facilitators. The studies validate the role of PAL with closing the achievement gap between students of different ethnicities and levels of academic preparedness for rigorous college courses in mathematics and science.

The Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) program at the University of Minnesota is a primary academic support program for historically difficult, introductory college courses that serve as gatekeepers to academic degree programs. Based upon operating principles of other academic support programs and educational theories, PAL is integrated into the courses it serves. The PAL groups review essential course content, model cognitive learning strategies to deepen understanding, and promote metacognitive awareness so students are autonomous learners in courses without academic support services. The PAL approach operates at the confluence of collaborative learning, cooperative learning groups, and learning communities. This article provides a detailed overview of the PAL model, educational theories upon which it is based, and how variations of it are implemented at the institution. Quantitative and qualitative studies reveal academic and personal benefits for participating students and those serving as PAL facilitators. The studies validate the role of PAL with closing the achievement gap between students of different ethnicities and levels of academic preparedness for rigorous college courses in mathematics and science.

Pedagogical shifts favouring collaborative learning and findings of recent studies have raised concerns regarding the claim that gifted students prefer to learn alone. The purpose of this study was to further investigate if, when and how high ability learners want to work with or without others. The distributions of 416 high ability students (n = 416; Gr. 3-8) responses to survey items were analyzed. Items assessed their general feelings about working alone and in a group and the appeal of specific conditions. Although a majority indicated they enjoyed learning alone, more also enjoyed group work-under certain conditions. Age differences were found but none related to gender. More of the younger students enjoyed teaching their peers while more of the older students were eager to contribute to group discussions and be seated in clusters. Sitting alone became increasingly unpopular with older students. The broad variability in the distribution of students' ratings across conditions demonstrated the preferences of high ability learners are sensitive to many factors in the setting, not just the involvement of others. High ability learners may prefer to work alone when attractive conditions for working in groups are not available. Evidence-based guidelines for group work are offered.

Continuing conflicts between violent groups and states generate an ever-present demand for higher quality and more timely information to support operations to combat terrorism. In particular, better ways are needed to understand how terrorist and insurgent groups adapt over time into more-effective organizations and increasingly dangerous threats. To adapt, terrorist organizations must learn. A group's ability to learn determines its chance of success, since learning is the link between what the group wants to do and its ability to gather the needed information and resources to actually do it. Despite the importance of terrorist group learning, comparatively little focused research effort has been directed at understanding this process and identifying the factors that influence group learning ability. While relevant data and insights can be found in the literature on terrorism and terrorist organizations, this information has not been collected and systematically analyzed to assess its importance from the perspective of efforts to combat terrorism. This study addresses that need in an effort to both analyze current understanding and stimulate further study and research in this area. The RAND Corporation conducted an analysis of organizational learning in terrorist groups and assessed its implications for efforts to combat terrorism. The work was performed between November 2003 and November 2004, a period during which the threat of international terrorism was high and concern about the capabilities of terrorist organizations and how they might change over time was a central focus of policy debate and U.S. homeland security planning. The study is described in this report and in Aptitude for Destruction, Volume 1: Organizational Learning in Terrorist Groups and Its Implications for Combating Terrorism, which applies the analytical framework described in the second part of this report to the practical demands of intelligence and law enforcement activities.

Continuing conflicts between violent groups and states generate an ever-present demand for higher quality and more timely information to support operations to combat terrorism. In particular, better ways are needed to understand how terrorist and insurgent groups adapt over time into more-effective organizations and increasingly dangerous threats. To adapt, terrorist organizations must learn. A group's ability to learn determines its chance of success, since learning is the link between what the group wants to do and its ability to gather the needed information and resources to actually do it. Despite the importance of terrorist group learning, comparatively little focused research effort has been directed at understanding this process and identifying the factors that influence group learning ability. While relevant data and insights can be found in the literature on terrorism and terrorist organizations, this information has not been collected and systematically analyzed to assess its importance from the perspective of efforts to combat terrorism. This study addresses that need in an effort to both analyze current understanding and stimulate further study and research in this area. The RAND Corporation conducted an analysis of organizational learning in terrorist groups and assessed its implications for efforts to combat terrorism. The work was performed between November 2003 and November 2004, a period during which the threat of international terrorism was high and concern about the capabilities of terrorist organizations and how they might change over time was a central focus of policy debate and U.S. homeland security planning. The study is described in this report and in Aptitude for Destruction, Volume 1: Organizational Learning in Terrorist Groups and Its Implications for Combating Terrorism, which applies the analytical framework described in the second part of this report to the practical demands of intelligence and law enforcement activities.

The use of cooperative learning at the college level was studied by investigating whether different instructor intervention approaches would affect the achievement of college students using cooperative learning methods. Subjects were 97 undergraduate elementary education majors enrolled in three sections of a curriculum course at the University of South Florida (Tampa) College of Education during the second semester of the 1990-91 academic year. Nineteen learning teams were formed and randomly assigned to treatment conditions as follows: (1) directions and materials provided, but no instructor assistance (control group); (2) instructors provided advance organizers; and (3) instructors met with groups after sessions to answer questions and provide assistance. All treatment groups read the same materials and followed a similar schedule of activities. A pretest was followed by a posttest and an attitude questionnaire after the 2-week period. On the posttest, the control and follow-up discussion groups had nearly identical mean scores, with the mean for the advance organizer group more than two points higher. Students liked the cooperative learning situation, believed they learned the materials well, and preferred instructor assistance to the control condition. Results suggest that advance organizers may yield greater learning than do follow-up discussions. Five tables present study findings, and a 17-item list of references is included. (SLD)

When pain persists in the absence of injury or beyond the normal healing time (typically >3 months) it no longer serves a protective role and can lead to disability and reduced quality of life. Previous research has demonstrated that altered learning processes play a crucial role in the development, maintenance, and reduction of chronic pain (Meulders et a., 2020; Gatzounis et al., 2021). Specifically, impaired safety learning (Schlitt et al., 2021: Zaman et al., 2015) excessive fear generalization (Meulders et al., 2014; Meulders et al., 2015) and resistance to extinction learning (Meulders et al., 2015) are typically observed in comparisons of adults with chronic pain compared to pain-free peers. Furthermore, these processes can result in individual engaging in maladaptive behaviors that maintain disability (Meulders et al., 2019; Breivik et al., 2006). While this research has informed contemporary models of pain-related disability and its treatment, investigation in adolescents (12-24 years) is limited, despite an equally high prevalence of chronic pain in this group. Research into learning processes in this population has largely been in the field of anxiety, and has demonstrated less differential learning, greater generalization, and reduced extinction when compared to adults. Therefore, we propose a comprehensive study of pain-related fear acquisition, generalization and extinction across adolescents and adults in both chronic pain and pain-free participants, with the aim of ascertaining the degree of generalizability of findings from adults to adolescents.

The present study attempts to expand current question categorization schemes to identify question types that discriminate good learners from their peers in collaborative problem-solving groups. The study also explores the effects of person and task variables on students' question-asking behaviors in an effort to identify those that facilitate mathematics problem solving. Forty-seven fifth graders from two independent urban schools that use cooperative-learning methods participated in the study. Students were asked to solve fraction problems in one set containing continuous problems and in another set consisting of discrete problems. A question-categorization scheme was devised to code student requests to each other for information or assistance. No significant differences were found in the numbers of questions asked by students of high, low, or average ability. Although this appears contradictory to some previous results, it may be that including question types that were not exclusively help seeking explains the discrepancy. Overall, results indicate that type of task interacts with student characteristics and the setting to affect performance and students' peer-directed questions. Prior experience with cooperative-learning groups appears to have affected problem-solving and questioning performance. Two figures present study findings. (Contains 73 references.) (SLD)

It can be difficult to find adequate strategies when teaching problem solving in a standard based mathematics classroom. The purpose of this study was to improve students' problem solving skills and attitudes through differentiated instruction when working on lengthy performance tasks in cooperative groups. This action research studied for 15 days whether students in a treatment group (n = 28), who were grouped by learning styles (auditory, kinesthetic, and visual), would display greater ability learning the standards or display better attitudes towards problem solving when compared to a control group (n = 28) who were grouped in random cooperative groups. When the qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed, the results demonstrated that the treatment group did not show significant gains when compared to random cooperative groups. The following are appended: (1) Instructional Unit Plan: Quadratic Investigations; (2) Peer-Review Instructional Plan Rubric; (3) Unit 5 Math I Test: Factoring and Solving Quadratics; (4) Student Problem Solving Attitudes Scale; (5) Performance Task Answer Sheet; (6) Product Grading Rubric; (7) Learning Channel Preference; (8) Learning Style Menu; (9) Note Taking for Reflective Journal; (10) Reflective Journal Prompts; and (11) Learning Style Survey. (Contains 12 tables.)

Rogers (1970) suggests that group therapy may be both safer and far more effective than individual counseling and therapy in achieving conditions which encourage learning and personal growth. There are many "how to's" and "do's and don'ts" which will ameliorate conditions for creating learning, or problem solving, groups. The author delineates many of those conditions in this paper along with some requisite dimensions of leader behavior, number behavior, and group process. (Author/HMV)

I. Progress on the behavioral and the molecular biological goals: (1) We have finished, as originally proposed, the software and first actual physical system for computer-controlled training procedures with which to shape animal behavior and to perform learning-conditioning experiments. (2) We have constructed molecular biological vectors for generating muscarinic cholinergic receptor proteins pertaining specifically to all of the five known muscarinic receptors--this work follows on previous AFOSR-funded work relating to cholinergic enhancement of associative learning 14,15,11-13. II. Progress into the implications of attractors, perturbation analysis of neurons, and the use of language theory: (3) We have developed the conceptual rationale and conducted computer experiments to show that attractor gradients provide an integrative principle that globally acts on all synapses in a network of cooperative neurons. The consequences of this are extensive, and much naturally falls out naturally, e.g: synaptic strengths are optimally set with one another; the size of the Attractors, Dissipative action, learning, Muscarinic receptors, Symbolic dynamics, Finite-state automata, Neural networks, Neuron membrane perturbation analysis.

Includes bibliographies and index

"A publication of the Horace Mann-Lincoln Institute of School Experimentation, Teachers College, Columbia University."

There is growing evidence of the special benefits to be derived from self-directed learning groups, in which students operate without an instructor, determining for themselves the rate and manner in which to study course material and to evaluate their performance. At Hope College, 54 students enrolled in a social psychology course in Fall 1966 were randomly assigned to groups of 6 after undergoing pre-testing, completing a pre-course questionnaire, and receiving a detailed syllabus, explanation of course requirements and grading procedures and a manual on small group discussion. Groups met once a week and turned in individually completed sheets reporting feelings toward the group and the particular meeting. About 1/3 to 1/2 the meetings were held in an observation room where the students were observed (from behind 1-way mirrors), tape recorded and videotaped. A voluntary meeting of the entire group took place every 2 weeks. Once a week, the professor was available for free discussion. Students took a final exam on course content and evaluated their own as well as individual group member's progress and contribution. Final grades "ere determined by exam performance, a paper or project, group member evaluation, and self-evaluation. Results were generally positive. Students and investigator learned much about group dynamics, critical thinking was better and the students' satisfaction with the course was high. Students having low GPAs reported better study than in other similar courses. There were some negative reactions but evidence indicates that small group interaction combined with established values of traditional teaching techniques produces an educational experience that is total, and not merely academic. (JS)

There is growing evidence of the special benefits to be derived from self-directed learning groups, in which students operate without an instructor, determining for themselves the rate and manner in which to study course material and to evaluate their performance. At Hope College, 54 students enrolled in a social psychology course in Fall 1966 were randomly assigned to groups of 6 after undergoing pre-testing, completing a pre-course questionnaire, and receiving a detailed syllabus, explanation of course requirements and grading procedures and a manual on small group discussion. Groups met once a week and turned in individually completed sheets reporting feelings toward the group and the particular meeting. About 1/3 to 1/2 the meetings were held in an observation room where the students were observed (from behind 1-way mirrors), tape recorded and videotaped. A voluntary meeting of the entire group took place every 2 weeks. Once a week, the professor was available for free discussion. Students took a final exam on course content and evaluated their own as well as individual group member's progress and contribution. Final grades "ere determined by exam performance, a paper or project, group member evaluation, and self-evaluation. Results were generally positive. Students and investigator learned much about group dynamics, critical thinking was better and the students' satisfaction with the course was high. Students having low GPAs reported better study than in other similar courses. There were some negative reactions but evidence indicates that small group interaction combined with established values of traditional teaching techniques produces an educational experience that is total, and not merely academic. (JS)

Collaboration in the classroom was studied using the Web of Intersubjectivity (L. Albert and others, 1999), a model of collaboration, and the concept of intersubjective inquiry was developed and explored. This study represents the third phase of an ongoing research project. In the first phase, researchers identified the Web of Intersubjectivity and intersubjective inquiry. In the second phase, researchers applied the Web of Intersubjectivity in their professional practices, and phase 3 concerned the use of intersubjective inquiry as research tool to assess the Web of Intersubjectivity as a model to guide the development and support of collaborative groups in individual classrooms. Intersubjective inquiry is a combination of the components of a bootstrap group, as identified by Heron (1996) and the tenets of educational action research. Data sources for this study included recorded conversations, e-mail discussions, field notes, readings, and samples of student work. Pedagogical practices were studied with 84 college algebra students and reflections were studied with 7 graduate students in a Master's program in occupational therapy. Study findings support the use of the Web of Intersubjectivity as a metaphor for planning and modifying collaborative learning experiences at graduate and undergraduate levels. They also show the fluid nature of the Web construct and the usefulness of intersubjective inquiry. (Contains 41 references.) (SLD)

In this paper, an application of one aspect of the Internet technology, namely Internet groups, into the teaching of American and British literatures is evaluated by means of a content analysis of the Internet group which was used as the course component. The aim of this paper was to see how students used the Internet group in the learning of literature so that the effect of the use of an Internet group on learning literature can be discussed. In this study, content analysis was used to understand the nature of the activity situated in the Internet group. The results of the analysis of the Internet group suggest that the Internet group was mainly used by the course takers for formal interaction. It is seen that very little collaboration or real interaction took place amongst the course takers towards creating meaning together. The results support the view that using technology in literature learning has advantages mainly because the students were interested in working in this group although they were neither graded in the activity nor were mandated to take part in it. (Contains 1 figure.) [Abstract and Extended Summary also in Turkish.]

This project seeks to find out whether giving students a choice in some aspect of their learning benefits them, to find out whether having a choice benefits certain groups of students, and to find out whether certain choices benefit certain groups of students.

The present research aims at contributing to the understanding of the different consequences of multi-attributional diversity and activation of stereotypes for targets and perceivers in CSCL groups in higher distance education. This is done by analysing self-reported and behavioral data.

This paper identifies differences between the three ethnic groups, namely, Kadazans/Dusuns, Bajaus, and other minority ethnic groups on the beliefs about learning English as a second language based on the five variables, that is, language aptitude, language learning difficulty, language learning and communicating strategies, nature of language learning as well as learning motivation and expectation. A modified version of Horwitz's (1987) Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) was distributed to all the 254 form four students in Lahat Datu but only 193 students responded. This survey instrument consists of 34 items. Results of a One-way ANOVA test showed a significant difference among ethnic groups on motivation and expectation in learning English. Bajau students showed the highest motivation and expectation in learning English, followed by other ethnic minorities compared to Kadazan/Dusun students. Although participants scored high for motivation and expectation to learn English, they perceived that English is a difficult language to acquire. BALLI is used to identify the misconceptions or beliefs held among learners and find ways to reduce the negative impacts in learning English.

This exemplary case study describes the learning process of two sixth-graders that learn from an animated worked-out example and an accompanying self-explanation prompt in the domain of fractions. It is based on a corresponding field study. The analysis focuses on the interaction with the computer, the communication between the students, the metacognitive aspects of the learning process and self-explanations. Supported with quantitative data, the qualitative results show that worked-out examples are proper materials for learning in groups of two. Furthermore, it is shown that self-explanation prompts have positive effects on the learning process and the analysed aspects. With detailed scenes it is elucidated, how the interactive capabilities and the animations are used during the learning process. [For the complete proceedings, see ED597799.]

Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) is a structured learning model where a team leader is appointed to facilitate collaborative problem solving among students for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses. This paper presents an informed HMM-based speaker diarization system. The minimum duration of short conversationalturns and number of participating students were fed as side information to the HMM system. A modified form of Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) was used for iterative merging and re-segmentation. Finally, we used the diarization output to compute a novel dominance score based on unsupervised acoustic analysis.

This study investigated the impact of a sequence of social relationship activities on regard for classmates and teammates in middle school (grade 7) mathematics classes using cooperative learning. The sample consisted of 184 students (55% Hispanic American, 27% White, 14% Black, and 3% Asian American) in a city in Los Angeles County (California). Two teachers each taught three classes; each teacher taught two experimental treatment (cooperative learning) classes and one conventional (comparison) class. Activities were sequenced and related to the following stages of group development: (1) class-building; (2) preparation for group work/team-building; (3) communication; and (4) cooperation and helping behaviors. Students in experimental groups also received instruction in effective explaining and problem solving. Overall, the sequence of interventions was effective in increasing students' regard for one another. Class-building increased students' regard for classmates, and team-building and activities to prepare for group work were effective in increasing students' regard for teammates and cross-ethnic and cross-gender regard. The differences between classes demonstrate how cooperative learning can differ in practice even when teachers have the same instructions and students have the same activities. Statistical data are presented in 12 tables. A 33-item list of references is included. (SLD)

Project Based Learning (PBL) is a pedagogical approach that seeks to provide Year 7 pupils with independent and group learning skills to meet both the needs of the Year 7 curriculum as well as support their learning in future stages of their education. It particularly aims to improve their engagement in learning as well as practical literacy skills. This trial evaluates a specific type of PBL known as "Learning through REAL Projects", developed by the Innovation Unit--an independent social enterprise that aims to improve public sector services. A year long pilot project in 2013/2014 with eight schools (763 pupils) established the feasibility of a main trial. It provided the opportunity to develop the intervention and test the research procedures. The results contained in this report relate to a randomised controlled trial that took place between September 2014 and April 2016. Twelve intervention schools (2,101 pupils) and 12 control schools (1,973 pupils) were involved in the trial. REAL projects was delivered by teachers, supported in many instances by teaching assistants (TAs), with further support from senior leadership colleagues. It was delivered for a year in the intervention schools with a relatively large proportion of timetabled teaching (varying between 20% and 50%). In almost all cases it was delivered to mixed-ability Year 7 classes. The intervention used structured cross-subject "REAL Projects" planned by the delivery teachers who were supported by Classroom Coaches from the Innovation Unit. Schools were also supported by Leadership Coaches. REAL Projects are driven by an "essential question" which has significant educational content. The projects encouraged pupils to create an "excellent" product through drafting and redrafting and then to exhibit their work to an "authentic" audience. Visits were made to intervention schools at two time points and consisted of lesson observations, interviews, and focus groups with school leadership, project leads, class teachers, and pupils. Two case studies were also conducted in schools that it was agreed delivered the intervention well. Key conclusions are as follows: (1) Adopting PBL had no clear impact on either literacy (as measured by the Progress in English assessment) or student engagement with school and learning; (2) The impact evaluation indicated that PBL may have had a negative impact on the literacy attainment of pupils entitled to free school meals. However, as no negative impact was found for low-attaining pupils, considerable caution should be applied to this finding; (3) The amount of data lost from the project (schools dropping out and lost to follow-up) particularly from the intervention schools, as well as the adoption of PBL or similar approaches by a number of control group schools, further limits the strength of any impact finding; (4) From our observations and feedback from schools, we found that PBL was considered to be worthwhile and may enhance pupils' skills including oracy, communication, teamwork, and self-directed study skills; and (5) PBL was generally delivered with fidelity but requires substantial management support and organisational change. The Innovation Unit training and support programme for teachers and school leadership was found to be effective in supporting this intervention. Overall, the findings have low security. The trial was designed as a two-armed randomised controlled trial with schools being allocated to intervention or control groups. It was set up as an efficacy trial which aimed to test if the intervention can succeed under ideal conditions. However, 47% of the pupils in the intervention and 16% in the control group were not included in the final analysis. Therefore there were some potentially important differences in characteristics between the intervention and control groups. This undermines the security of the result. The trial results did not find that the PBL programme had an impact either on the pupils' literacy performance (as measured by Progress in English 12 tests), engagement, or attendance. The analysis did find a statistically significant negative impact on students eligible for free school meals (FSM), however no negative impact was found for lower-attaining pupils more generally, which makes it difficult to hypothesise why PBL might negatively impact FSM pupils specifically. This adds to the uncertainty of the finding.

preregistration

To investigate differences in social behavior between learning disabled (LD) and non-learning disabled (NLD) children in different size groups and to examine the association between children's social behavior and acceptance by their peers, a study was conducted of 44 LD and 50 NLD boys and 7 LD and 13 NLD girls from fourth, fifth, and sixth grade classrooms in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The children were videotaped constructing an art project during two sessions: first, in same-sex dyads, one-third of which were both LD, one-third both NLD, and another third mixed; and again in same-sex groups of six containing both LD and NLD children. In general, LD children behaved less competently than NLD children in both dyads and groups, although both LD and NLD behavior was related to gender, group size, and peer acceptance. Specific findings included the following: (1) NLD boys tended to ignore the LD boys in dyads and to engage them in the activity through instructions in groups, while NLD girls tended to positively interact with LD girls in dyads but ignore them in groups; (2) negative remarks by LD boys were less evident in dyads than in groups, while LD girls engaged in high levels of giggling in dyads but were extremely passive in the group situation; and (3) for both boys and girls, more active NLD children were more liked, while more active LD children were less liked. Detailed findings for dyads and groups by sex and an inventory of verbal exchanges are appended. (BYC)