viewed the poster, she pointed out the various positions that some of the newspaper editorials and articles had taken on this issue, demonstrating her observation of slanted writing style as well as media awareness of this social concern.

Most of the other posters were creative, insightful renditions of these readings. I posted them on the classroom bulletin board and walls. Not only could the students visually learn from each other’s displays, but posting them served as reminders as we moved through discussions of the readings and into the writing stages of the research assignment. Furthermore, students took pride in seeing their creations valued and displayed for other classes’ viewings.

My students’ enthusiasm sparked my excitement. It was fun to see what they had created and how they had evaluated the readings. A variety of learning styles must be appealed to in every discipline, and I realized that writing is not always the only—or best—way to teach writing assignments. As students presented their posters, they often generated brief mini-discussions of related issues, reinforcing the readings and our understanding of them.

Students seemed to enjoy the change of pace as well active involvement made them smile and their eyes sparkle. As opposed to heads-on-hands, quiet responses to my previous short reading quizzes, animated faces and front-of-class presentations enhanced the learning- teaching environment. Though I do not plan to use “visual quizzes” for all reading assignments, I will use them from time to time.

Theoretically, such an approach can be applied to any field of study. This technique is particularly helpful in teaching writing, however. Employing critical thinking strategies of this nature encourages students to think for themselves as they mentally process and visually display the reading material, and to think again as they plan class presentations, so that they achieve a reader-oriented focus.

Debra Johanyak, Assistant Professor, English

For further information, contact the author at The Univer- sity of Akron-Wayne College, 1901 Smucker Road, Orrville, OH 44667.

HK

Encouraging Students to Form Outside-of-Class Study Groups

During the first class of the academic year, I encour- age students to form outside-of-class study groups. In my first year of teaching at Piedmont Virginia Commu- nity College, without my knowledge, three students who were friends and who had high grades on each test for the first quarter formed a study group.

In the second quarter and on their second test, their grades dropped slightly, and I asked about them. They explained they had not been able to have their usual study group for the last test. On the next test, the study group was meeting again, and their grades returned to former levels. I decided then to encourage all of my students to form study groups.

Since most students do not know each other and have never been in a study group before, I make several suggestions:

e Students can form study groups with students in any of my lecture sections, with students from any other biology lecture section at PVCC or at the nearby University of Virginia, or with students they have met in any of the biology lab sections.

¢ There should be a minimum of three students in a study group. (I do not tell them stories of the couple

Suanne D. Roueche, Editor

August 25, 1995, Vol. XVII, No. 16

© The University of Texas at Austin, 1995 Further duplication is permitted by MEMBER institutions for their own personnel.

that met in the biology study group at PVCC and

later married, or of the friendships they will form in

the study groups, but they are on my mind.)

¢ Study groups should meet weekly and have a meal as part of the event. (Some of my study groups started with three members and finished the year with 15.)

e Students should draw straws to see who calls the teacher with questions while the group is still meeting.

One measurable result of this encouragement is an increase in the number of students who are willing to form groups. It is common to have 40-60% of the students involved by the end of the term.

Lloyd L. Willis, Associate Professor, Biology For further information, contact the author at Piedmont

Virginia Community College, Route 6, Box 1, Charlottesville, VA 22902.

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD), Department of Educational Administration, College of Education, SZB 348, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, (512) 471-7545. Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issued weekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms. ISSN 0199-106X.