Learning that can occur through small group work is considered. Practitioners and advocates of the method describe learning through small group work as active learning that is deeper and more enduring than passive learning. The key is that students are personally engaged in the work and peer interaction is seen to be a major facilitating factor for learning. The research evidence suggests that small group discussion methods can be effectively used to transmit facts and principles, and that discussion is a superior method for the promotion of thought. It is suggested that a distinction be made between process-centered groups (primarily concerned with the learning experiences deriving from the process of active participation in a group) and task-centered groups that are occupied with completing specific tasks. The uses of process-centered groups include: understanding interpersonal interaction and the underlying dynamics of group process, and the development of skills in interpreting and manipulating group processes. Examples of task-centered group activities are: the application of principles to both familiar and unfamiliar situations, acquiring and practicing skills, making a critique, and data interpretation. (SW)