i think that randomly assigning groups works better because it gets students to interact with new students. more times than not students will group together with their click rather than a group of different people.
An instructor can organize student work groups more succcessfully if he or she is aware of, or has a consistent knowledge base of her student's personalities. Diversity amongst the groups is more beneficial to the student. It may allow students the opportunity to work outside of their comfort zone.
Most of the time I set up a randomized system avoiding the "last kid picked for the team" issues.
I make a group of four students for short projects and 5-6 for long projects.
One major learning objective in my course is to learn to be leaders/teachers as well as subject matter experts. I group students and encourage them to help each other achieve the objective or a particular day's assignment.
Having students participate in every group
I feel one of the best ways to organize students into groups is to have them count off by how ever many participants will be in a group. If the groups are to have 5 members each, the class counts off by 1 through 5. This mixes up the cliques in class, ensures diversity, and helps increase the group dynamics.
I think that is a great idea. Next term I plan to try it.
One of the most difficult tasks that has occured in my teaching career is being able to put students into groups. One of the issues that has presented it self is dealing with individuals who are part of a click for lack of a better term. It comes down and has in some cases needing the department chairs help. Due to the entrechment of the students in their feelings about being with one another. The group is one of the most effective ways of getting the most from your students and helping the ones who are shy. It has to be done in a way that doesn't let them think that it is punitive or in any way a form of belittling them. Once this is taken care of the class runs so smoothly it is amazing
I have organized people in groups by basically putting their names in a hat and pulling them out. I hear all the time, "Why can't we pick our own groups?" I inform them that they do not get to pick who they work with so they need to learn to work with everyone. It makes them have to actually try harder when they are not with their friends. I see their interacting skills improve over time too when they are put with different people.
Hi Diane!
I like this approach!
Good job!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
I usually will break the students into groups depending on the number of students enrolled in the course. I would like to have 4 per group if posible. Some of the material that we cover in the school i instruct at does not lend to having more that 4 students per group. The smaller the size groups let me ensure that everyone in the group is doing his part in completing their projects.
I agree with you, especially if the group's task is a larger, end-of-term project. However, there are times, labs for instance, when I allow students to self-select their group. I want them to feel safe to try a new skill within a group that will act as a support rather than a threat.
But - Gordon - how do we help groups to manage the four phase group process? Do you use a rubric to let students know what they will be graded on?
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
I have small classes, so I basically divide the room in half. I find that by dividing the group in half,(for example, front of room and back of room or, at other times left and right sides) I tend to get a good mix of abilities and experience. I count and make sure there is an equal number in each group and let them get to know on another before we any formal activities take place.
Cheryl - I agree that random selection often works best. Typically, high achievers are grouped with lower achievers and serve to model good academic behavior to lower achievers, hence increasing their participation in the groups and heightening their academic performance!
Mark McMullen
I often allow students to choose the groups they would like to be in and if they would prefer to work with other students in the class. If they do not opt to work with certain students, I will assign groups either alphabetically or geographically for my online classes!
Mark McMullen
We try not to have more than 3 to a group, because then they usually all are able to do something...too many in the group lets some of them get away without doing anything. I try to roam around to find out how they are doing, or i ask one of the members how things are going.. sometimes they will let me know when someone in the group isn't doing their part. I then need to take that person aside and find out why they aren't doiong anything.
We do a "meet and greet" 3x5 card at the strt of each class and have students listage, area in which they live, level of education, work experience, married, children and then write a little something about themselves. These cards then are used to group students into diverse groups.
I love this idea! I was going to separate my class into groups, but I think using the index card method is a great idea.
