Student Cohort groups
Small group learning is the way to go. Always make sure that during the group assignment you make some body the Group Captain.
We have cohort groups sorted by the date the student starts a modular program. In orientation, we get a picture of the entire cohort together and we tell them that they are a team in their own right. They will also graduate togehter. We find that the students will often bond because they now all have something in common. They tend to look to each other and support each other more.
Hi Susan,
One of the things I have done is to form groups but assign each member a specific task. This way I avoid some of the problems you mentioned. Each member needs to contribute to be successful but if he/she doesn't it does not affect the evaluation of the other students. It only reflects poorly on their grade.
Gary
I have an issue with 'group projects' in the online environment. There always seems to be at least one student who does not choose to participate. Then, I'm bombarded with emails like: what do we do now? can we still earn the full credit? do we have to do that students' part too? etc.
Frequently the better students in the group do all the work like compiling, editing and APA formatting.
It seems that rarely does a group project go on without some glitches or problems. I'd like any suggestions about how to avoid those I've mentioned here.
I would think they would be more likely to speak up and ask questions if they are already familiar and comfortable with each other.
I have been working with cohort groups for a few years now. I find them receptive to learning, eager to learn and not afraid to state their concerns or ask questions. I think this may be due to the limited time for studying since they are working during the day. They share conceptual knowledge with other groups as well as welcoming any new member into groups. This occurs when another student may decide not to continue in the next class.
Cohort groups are an effective way to get students interacting with students that are not as social as others. It increases the learning curve but I'm not so sure about cohort groups used for course sequencing. Professional development given over time, might be connected to a cohort group but the learning module did not indicate that. Need more information on that....
Cohort groups appear to keep my classroom comfortable and excited to work together. It is especially beneficial when there are a large number of eager learners that promote a good vibe for other students to follow.
Hi Christian,
Good to hear this about cohort groups. They can be very effective learning methods for students if they are used in a way that each member of the groups has input and experiences growth.
Gary
Cohort groups were something new to me when I started teaching in this sort of environment last year. I quickly found that there were many advantages and a few drawbacks to this system. Students have a general sense of unity, which works well for study groups, etc., and generally try to work as a team. Sometimes a new student will end up in the group (if they need to repeat a course, etc.) and sometimes the challenge is to help them become part of that group. Overall, I'm a fan of this system and find it effective in my classroom.
Hi Michael,
Good point about cohort groups. They need to mixed into the class and made a part of other groups so that each individual student can grow and learn how to work with individuals that come from diverse backgrounds.
Gary
I've had experience with Cohort groups and it hasn't been a problem. I try to mix them up with other students in group activities and this helps to get the class to become more of a team helping each other.
