Transcript Managing effective groupwork!

Managing
Effective
Group work!
Ideas for the classroom
Objectives
 To know what is meant by effective
group work
 To understand the benefits of group
work for the learner
 To discuss different group work strategies
Outcomes
 All will identify what effective group
work is
 Even better if you can explain why it is
beneficial for the learner
 Excellent when you have developed at
least one strategy to use in the classroom
Activity – in groups discuss/key points:
Why should we use group
work as a teaching and
learning strategy?
What is the difference
between working in groups
and collaborative/
cooperative group work?
Why use group work?
Because:
 humans are social creatures who benefit from
expressing/sharing/discussing their thoughts & ideas to
others, who in turn learn more effectively when they
have to process what they have heard [synthesising]
 it enables students to make decisions with the help
of others
 it makes problem solving less daunting
 some students listen more carefully to peers than to
the teacher!
 students are more willing to challenge their peers
when they do not understand something
 teaching someone else leads to semantic processing
Common features of collaborative group work
 small teams/groups of at least 3 but usually 4 or 5
 whole class is given structured tasks where
everyone has a clear role & responsibility for the
group’s learning
 each student is involved in peer teaching specific
aspects of a topic
 it depends on mutual cooperation – each student
relies on other members of the group
 it is set out at the start that the task will culminate
in an assessment exercise where everyone
demonstrates their understanding of the
topics learned
Benefits of collaborative group work
It encourages
independence
while
fostering
accountability
and a sense
of
responsibility.
It provides the
opportunity for
everyone to
achieve, although
not always at the
same level or in
the same way,
making it truly
differentiated and
personalised
learning.
The Jigsaw technique
Based on the idea that the larger group can only succeed when they
have all the pieces [provided by individual students] of the jigsaw!
Jigsaw in 10 Easy Steps:
 Divide students into 4 or 5 person jigsaw groups.
 Appoint one student from each group as the leader [optional].
 Divide the topic into 4 or 5 sections.
 Assign each student to learn one section ensure students have access only to their own section.
 Give students time to read over their section at least twice and become familiar with it.
 Form temporary "expert groups" by having one student from each jigsaw group join other students assigned to the same section.
Give students in these expert groups time to discuss the main points of their section and to rehearse the presentations they will make to
their jigsaw group.
 Bring the students back into their jigsaw groups.
 Ask each student to present her or his section to the group. Encourage others in the group to ask questions for clarification.
 Float from group to group, observing the process. Leaders can be trained on how to intervene if someone is dominating or being
disruptive.
 At the end of the session, assess the material so that students quickly come to realise that these sessions are not just fun and games
but really count.
www.jigsaw.org
Other effective group work techniques:
Groups with an Ambassador [4]– all groups same topic
Ambassador moves to each group – listens & offers points
Ambassador back to original group – refined version with
additional input
Paper stays groups – move round and add
information/amend points and evaluate points from
previous groups - each group has a particular pen colour
[identifiable & thus accountable!]
Individual = 3 ideas  Pairs = six ideas to four ideas  Fours
= 8 ideas to 5 ideas
Promotes – thinking/listening/selecting/justifying/evaluating
Final thoughts/pointers:
Working in small groups using cooperative learning strategies supports
students to:
 think aloud, take risks, and develop deeper understandings and
higher order thinking
 become more self confident as learners
 develop oral language skills as student input into activities is
valued
 improve their relationships with other students and with their
teachers
 scaffold their learning through talk and the use of cognitive and
graphic organisers
Time to plan - in your classroom
Discuss ideas and
consider when you
could next try
collaborative group
work in one of your
lessons
Objectives
 To know what is meant by effective
group work
 To understand the benefits of group
work for the learner
 To discuss different group work strategies
Outcomes
 All will identify what effective group
work is
 Even better if you can explain why it is
beneficial for the learner
 Excellent when you have developed at
least one strategy to use in the classroom