Len,
yes, more & more work places use teams to accomplish work & diverse teams at that. The more we can prepare our students for this type of environment, the more successful they will ultimately be.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Learning groups will create an environment that encourages a real world skill of working as a team while still fostering the need for strong individual contribution. Students will not only need to enhance their own interpersonal skills, but will also learn the need for meeting deadlines for personal work that has a direct impact on the group.
This point also sound interesting as it teaches them to work with others of diverse backgrounds and yet find common ground with them.
The diversity of the group help them understand and manage diferent points of view about the same issue.
placing students in learning groups not only assist the students in participating with their class mates and peers, but it also helps the instructors see which personalities may work well together.
It helps the slower students see a different view of how to do things, It also helps the group as a whole understand the lesson plan.
Kirsten,
yes and they also learn to listen to & appreciate the opinions & ideas of others.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
When putting students into groups I feel that the students are more likely to ask questions about the subject because they are more comfortable in the smaller group than in the larger setting. I also think the students benifit from the ability to "bounce" ideas off of one another to, in the long run, better understand the material.
They become more aware of the learning styles of eachother, and realize that they all learn from one another.
They learn the importance of team work, patience, and that working together can accomplish more in shorter time.
Andrea,
and this is a wonderful skill for them to learn earlier on in their lives/careers as it will help them be successful down the road.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Positive outcomes of putting students in learning groups is allowing them problem solve in groups when everyone in the group may not particularly agree on the solution(s). Allows them to respect each others ideas, space, and cultures.
creighton,
and I think helping the students to see that they are learning much from the group work is important. While they may be learning a "class concept" as a group, they are also learning all of the skills you have mentioned here.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Dale,
yes, this can be a great way of engaging all of the learners rather than allowing just a few to participate or dominate.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Group work provides several opportunitees for positive outcomes
1) For the shy student, it allows them a smaller group to become comfortable, and more likely to take part in the lesson
2) It allows for the exchange of ideas and concepts from varied points of view
3) I teach in a culinary school where team work is emphasized- so this allows the student to learn to work with one another to be come a more cohesive team.
thank you
Putting the students into suty groups helps get everyone active, and also helps them to learn by helping others with their projects. This also helps students that are struggeling and gives them a chance to ask questions and get some feedback.
Cynthia,
it really is interesting to see how some of those quieter students come alive in small groups. I think this helps bring a nice balance to the overall structure of the course.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I agree with you that positive outcomes are ones that are advance through diversity. Allowing student to interact and assess for themselves how other students of different background learn and interact, will severely impact their behavior and ability to want to learn and do better. Diversity will give student a sense of challenge to material and helps to build responsibility for some to do better in achieving their goals.
One of the most exciting outcomes for me as an instructor is to see the student that is usually quiet become involved in the group discussion and part of the planning, organization and delivery of the group project. Very often this experience will give this student more confidence when it comes to becoming a more active part of the class.
michael,
yes, the peer to peer learning is a great way to help all the learners gain more confidence in the material.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Putting students in groups helps them to learn to interact in a group situatiion, helps them learn about each other and students are able to express themselves without feeling put on the spot.
