Abstract
This paper discusses the book, "Discussion as a Way of Teaching," written by Stephen Brookfield and Stephen Preskill, in which they thoroughly describe the use of discussion as a means of enhancing the democratic environment of a classroom. The paper describes the advantages of this sort of environment for the students and for the learning process. The paper also briefly discusses ways to have a successful discussion group with students.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Discussions and Democratic Process
Benefits for growth
Preparing for Discussions
Starting Off the Discussions
Keeping Discussions Going
Cultural Aspects of Discussions
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Discussions do fail for a number of reasons, beyond lack of preparation. Hess (2005) says teachers shut them off prematurely, whether due to fear that they are losing control of the discussion, are guarded concerning the controversy that these talks may raise, or because they are just are not willing to cede the floor to the students. Hess stresses that it impossible to have valuable discussions if instructors talk too much. Not only does this monopolization prevent participants from having an opportunity to speak, it also communicates that their ideas are not valuable. In a study on how students view classroom discussion, 80 percent reported that they would speak less if they felt that their ideas were not valued (Hess and Posselt 2002). This does not mean, of course, that teachers should remain silent in discussions. Nystrand et. al (2003) found that the type of questions teachers asked accounted for the input of the students. Instructors who asked questions that elicited their ideas were much more likely to spark discussion and keep it going than asking test-like questions with one correct answer. Such thought-provoking questions communicate that the professor values what students think beyond reciting what others have said. In other words, respect of the student's thoughts plays an important role in the level of discussions."

Tags:structure, knowledge, participation, students

Abstract
The paper describes focus group discussions as well as the preparation involved and the difficulties associated with this form of research. The paper then looks at in-depth interviews, how they are conducted and their limitations.

Outline:
Focus Group Discussion
Preparing for the Focus Group Discussion
Difficulties in Focus Group Discussion
In-Depth Interview
Conducting the Interview
Limitations of In-Depth Interviewing

From the Paper
"In-depth interviews differ from focus group discussion because they are one-on-one interviews. ID's generally aim to gain a deeper understanding of the reasons that drive perceptions, behaviors, and condition of interest. Ethical considerations in ID's are very much like that of FGD's. The interviewer must obtain informed consent documents from respondents. The interviewer should also assure the interviewee of his/her privacy and the confidentially of data and/or other materials obtained from the interview. The interviewer should also ensure that the interviewee is well-informed of the purpose of the interview (RHRC Consortium 2004)."

Tags:bias, data, moderator, participants

Abstract
In this article, the writer maintains that all of Rachel Carson's predictions in "Silent Spring" have come true, and that none of them were overreaction.

From the Paper
"I would say that all of Rachel Carson's predictions in "Silent Spring" have come true, and that none of them were overreaction. In fact, I think the situation when she wrote it was like the proverbial elephant in the room. People were happily dumping toxins into the environment (the environment that is our habitat and that has to sustain us). DDT was in common usage. Yet no one ever seemed to stop and think that we might be destroying the planet we need in order to survive as a species - until ..."

Tags:environmental, studies, discussions

Abstract
This essay will discuss, compare, and contrast two approaches to psychotherapy: psychoanalysis and cognitive therapy. These two approaches are profoundly different, and so it is reasonable to think that one of them is closer to the truth, and thus might be expected to be more effective as a therapy. It will be shown that this is indeed the case. This essay will discuss, compare, and contrast two approaches to psychotherapy: psychoanalysis and cognitive therapy.

From the Paper
Psychotherapy - Discuss, compare, and contrast two approaches to psychotherapy. Discuss research that evaluates the effectiveness of each approach. Introduction This essay will discuss, compare, and contrast two approaches to psychotherapy: psychoanalysis and cognitive therapy. These two approaches are profoundly different, and so it is reasonable to think that one of them is closer to the truth, and thus might be expected to be more effective as a therapy. It will be shown that this is indeed the case. Contrasting psychoanalysis and cognitive therapy

Tags:psychoanalysis, cognitive, therapy

Abstract
This essay examines the importance of Place within an America that was finding its feet following The Civil War and The Great Depression. The importance of the distinction between the American North and South is also discussed.

Tags:american, faulkner, fitzgerald, location, scott, south, space

Abstract
One of the dominant themes in scholarly debate over Pauline texts in recent years concerns St. Paul's representation of gender relations in the early Christian community (Watson 520). These discussions have been particularly contentious, some critics have argued, because of the influence of modern thinking about female equality and social egalitarianism upon scholarly discussions of exegetical questions (Engberg-Pedersen 679). This paper will explore aspects of this debate with a particular focus upon the question of the significance of Paul's discussion of the role of women in the early Church. The thesis will be argued, with close reference to 1 Cor. 7:3-5, 11:2-16 and Gal.3:27-29, that Paul's discussion of the appropriate role of women in the early Church is significant not only in terms of gender but, in particular, in terms of how Paul envisioned a common identity in the early Christian community.

From the Paper
Topic 2 - Paul and Women What is the Significance of Paul's Discussion of the Role of Women in the Early Christian Community? An Examination of 1 Cor. 7:3-5, 11:2-16 and Gal.3:27-29 One of the dominant themes in scholarly debate over Pauline texts in recent years concerns St. Paul's representation of gender relations in the early Christian community (Watson 520). These discussions have been particularly contentious, some critics have argued, because of the influence of modern thinking about female equality and social egalitarianism upon scholarly discussions of exegetical questions

Tags:paul, christianity, women

Abstract
The paper relates that during the constitutional reform discussions that led up to the Charlottetown Accord, various government-funded aboriginal organizations were invited to participate in the debate. The paper notes that unfortunately, the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) was not invited to participate in this debate. The paper discusses how in the view of the aforementioned group, its exclusion from direct funding and from direct participation in the constitutional discussions of the day was a threat to the equality of aboriginal women. The paper notes that in particular, NWAC was troubled at the prospect that the proposals being bandied about with regards to constitutional amendments might very well result in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms not applying to aboriginal self-government. The paper discusses how NWAC went to court to prevent any further provisioning of monies to other aboriginal organizations until NWAC was provided with equal funding as well.

From the Paper
"During the constitutional reform discussions that led up to the Charlottetown Accord, various government-funded aboriginal organizations were invited to participate in the debate. Unfortunately, the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) was not invited to participate in this debate. In the view of the aforementioned group, its exclusion from direct funding and from direct participation in the constitutional discussions of the day was a threat to the equality of aboriginal women. In particular, NWAC was troubled at the prospect that the proposals being bandied about with regards to constitutional amendments might very well..."

Tags:native, women, government

Abstract
This paper examines how traditional teaching in the United States, as in other developed, industrialized nations. has been based on a hierarchical model in which a teacher has all of the authority in the classroom and in which students learn through rote drills and memorization of the facts that the teacher presents to them. It discusses how, even though some types of knowledge are best conveyed in this traditional fashion, for most other types of knowledge an non-traditional form of learning is both more enjoyable and more productive, learning. It explores one particular form of non-traditional, i.e., non-hierarchical, teaching and learning, that of constructivist teaching, which is based on the idea that learning is as natural to humans as breathing air. It shows how the goal of constructivism is an attempt to create the best possible match between the natural desire for children to learn (and their inherent skill at doing so) and the artificiality of the classroom environment.

From the Paper
"It should be clear that such a model of active learning has important implications for the process of education, for constructivist models of learning require that teachers create situations in which students are required to "construct" knowledge; that is, they are required to bring a very active mindset to bear on the problem. Thus colleges and universities should mirror natural learning situations in which cognitive development depends on active exploration of the world around one. This includes the use of discussions which will mirror in many ways the interactions that nurses will later have with their patients."

Tags:classroom, hierarchical, knowledge, students

Abstract
This paper provides brief discussions intended as online posts that are related to different aspects of writing, including editing, word choice, sentence structure, good grammar, APA format and others.

From the Paper
"The last time I used a dictionary that was not online was approximately a year ago while visiting my uncle. He does not have Internet access and we played Scrabble, so we used the dictionary to find words we believed were suspect as counting. I have not reviewed the table of contents and symbol directory in a dictionary before. However, two of the most important functions of a dictionary for me are its offering of the origin of words and perhaps even..."

Tags:learning, clarity, persuasion, review, argumentation