Patricia,
The Peer assisted Learning (PAL) is indeed a superior way to re-enforce a lesson and material covered early on in the class. I teach Information Literacy and my student scome from a very diverse background of learning styles and informational exposure. Trying to find a methodology that doesn't leave some in the dust and bore others is a struggle. However, the peer collaboration has really helped morale in the classroom and makes the students feel they have a contribution not only in a general way but with their peers as well.
The most significant outomes in addition to mastery of the task include a feeling of accomplishment on the part of the group and as individuals. There's a synergy that takes place and students realize that through cooperation and teamwork they can accomplish more together than alone.
One teaching method that someone else has mentioned is using an outline and having the group check its progress periodically. Another that I have used is a fill-in the blank outline which can be successful unless some students just copy the work of others.
The success of group learning frequently depends on the maturity and interest of the students in the goals of the course. Appropriate group learning should facilitate understanding in both of these areas.
It seems to me that significant outcomes of group learning activities include an opportunity for each student to particiate. Some students hesitate to speak up in a class but feel more at home and willing to express themselves in a smaller group. Another essential outcome for student group learning is that like spokes in a wheel, each member's contribution is essential to the success of the entire group effort. When students aren't doing their share, peer pressure is often much more effective than the instructor's adminitions in making certain eveyone takes part in the task.
By breaking the project into subparts and requiring the group to "check in with me" and gain feedback on those subparts and get checked off, the group can learn time managment. Additionally the group gets positive feedback which helps with motivation and constructive criticism which helps the final product and grade. Never let the group dynamic issues that may come up in these check sessions be your problem. Redirect the group to set written expectations and ground rules.
I see what you're saying Jay, although the course material's edict to avoid introducing a new group member mid-project is well taken; perhaps as useful as adding the "wild car" is introducing a phase in the project wherein the groups must pitch their concept, work, whatever (working in a design college, these would be typical group project outcomes) at another group. Students get to act as client in this case, as well.
Ultimately, obviously, the instructor's assessments will be trump, but empowering the student groups with the ability to evaluate one another can be quite an unusual and valuable experience for them. Plus, it forces the group to hone their presentation skills.
These courses come as a shock to most students. Certainly traditional basic math courses do not emphasize writing. They need to be encouraged to look at problems in alternative ways, to see if the answer is consistent with intuition. Spend some class time on checking procedures. For example, it is not enough to tell students that derivative calculations can be checked by doing one or more difference quotients on their calculators--make them actually do it and share the results with each other.
What some researchers call the "Three Genius Mentalities" of Input, Processing, and Output are a great fit for group work when students are typically focusing on the output leading to a grade. Present these three concepts and adding to them "systematic search" enables the students to achieve positive results in an organized manner and tranfers this learning to other classes and real life. Keeping the students engaged and focused when they have been taught their academic life by teachers tryint to teach to the state standard or parents looking for a star in their child had drawn the focus away from long term learning and a major student goal of output. This can lead to classroom amnagement issues and the instructor has to be sure he has his lesson plan seamlessly aligned with objectives.
Instructors who devlop a rapport with their students and rotate among students in this process giving them encouragement, courage and formative assessment of the relationship of output to task typically will gain the respect of class members because they find meaning and relevance in their learning. Otherwise, loose bits of information apply to taxon memory and are lost, therefore no learning.
The biggest issue is many students seem to have issues in group work when anything is based on grades. Students from the very beginning will work with other they get along with or fit in with, usually this is high achieving with high achieving and low with low.
The instructor must be active in the class, observing how students interact and accomplish tasks in groups.
The most significant outcomes is the group project being successful.
The most significant challenges is keep the same student for the entire class because some students might miss a class or drop off from class that affect the rest of the group.
One of the teaching methods is let students form study group inside and outside the class. They have longer time to work on the group project and be more productive.
The most significant outcomes are developing more participation and more learning.
The most significant challenges are dealing with non-participation/absenteeism.
By student monitoring, suggestions, and positive feedback the instructor can help keep the groups on course.
I agree, all too often a few students may either take control of the group or do the work of the others. This is usually motivated by this core group of students seeking to improve their grades, but it results in some of the students not fully participating.
The outcome is that students learn to work together. the challanges are making sure all students participate so that it's not just a few that run the show
In regards to learning groups, I like to match up students with different strengths and weaknesses. More creative with the less creative. Extroverted with the introverted. It seems to set up particular challenges all around. Plus, it also balances out the work created. Depending on each student's strengths and weaknesses, it's also good to assign particular tasks to each individual in the groups. This way they all feel that they are contributing to the best of their abilities.
When using the student learning groups, the main challenge is to make sure that each of the students has a chance to contribute to the assignment,and that not just a couple of the students do all the work. Selecting the students at random is the best way to keep it a good mix in each group. Also, close monitoring by the instructor is essential to see what each student has contributed to the project.
Student who participate will learn from working in a group. A big challenge is when the group divides up the work and some of the member do not participate.
In the class I teach we have learning groups of 4 students each. The hardest challenge is to keep them on track focusing on the class project of the day. They do work as a team and I enjoy watching the learning dynamics of the group. They are usually good at working in this small group setting, but once in a while there is a "boss" who emerges and we need to step in to facilitate the question/answer session to allow for the other(s) to be allowed to give their opinions openly.
I teach at a vocational school (to give a little background) and I have never really given much thought to creating teams myself. I always thought that they could just pick their teams but I am noticing that when they pick their own teams, it is of course with friends and some people feel left out. I am not sure how to go about to pick the teams if it should be random or a thought out process.
One of the teaching methods that has been successful in my classroom when it comes to forming students work group, is a combination of different cultures and any related experience in the field that they may have, and ussually the person with the most experience in the group is selected by his/her piers to be the leader of the group.
I like that idea. I also do the same thing. Another thing I have also done in the past was to give them a schedule timeline. This minimizes the storming part of the group project. ļ
I found that the most challenging aspects of the group project are participation and creative or personal conflict. Most of the group projects are designed to help student share what they have done with their design work. The objective for this assignment is to give students a chance to review other student’s work in a smaller setting and be also able to discuss what changes they have done in their own work. There are occasion where some student take their peer’s critique personally, when that happen, I am there diffuse the conflict and to explained to how this exercise will help him/her in the real world. I also suggest that being open to comments and suggestion will help him/her fine-tune their design work further.
