I use the number method (1,2,3,4... Group 1, group 2, so on). In my classes I have noticed the 'clicks' of students that form. This assures that the more talented ones that tend to stick together are spread out.
dawanna,
yes, this is a great reason to use the groups & the students will experience this as they engage in their professional working environments.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I like group activities. I pulls students out of their comfort zones and allows them to work with people they might not normally get to
I will usually number off students starting at one... I feel it gives diversity.. I have given Team leaders with seniors if it is a difficult project..I have also split them up if I have had issues in the class with students..so, I mix it up according to the class I have.. I know the students would always prefer to choose..but that is not always an option..it just depends on the circumstance and how focused they are
I think that 3-5 students in a group is a good number. I would make up some cards that are color-coded with with numbers 1-4 for the number of groups. I would then have them choose a card. I would then decide if I would group the students by color or by the number on the card. This gives me the chance to see if several strong students are going to be in a group I can choose by a color instead of a number.
Karl,
I agree completely. This is a great method for helping all students learn the material & retain the information.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Organizing the student groups with "beginners" and more advanced students helps with peer assisted learning and builds confidence in the students that are further along in their course of study. It may be somewhat retro but, see it learn it, teach it, still work for me.
Jane,
I think this idea presents a nice balance & allows the structure but also provides freedom.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I find it better to randomly pick groups for short-term groups and to let the students decide their groups for longer projects...mainly due to logistics. If a student is struglling with the concept, I'll put that student with a student that is doing better.
Hi David,
I guess that aspect of it can be frustrating when the group dynamic is not productive. What do you do with the other students in the group that were non-participants in the project? Were any of these on occasions where the plan was to give all participants the same grade in the group?
Velma
Hi Michelle,
I agree that having a diverse group is helpful for the students. Your example of having a shy student with a student who is more of a leader can help encourage and be an example for the shy student. Before long hopefully, the shy student would have developed some leadership skills.
Velma
Some ways to organize students into a work group includes randomly assigning the group members or by allowing the students to choose their own groups. From previous experience I had assigned students to a group that I thought made perfect sense so the group could be successful, but got lots of complaints. With a random selection students realized that the selection showed no favoritism and they were able to become cohesive and get the task done.
The other method of allowing the students to select their groups always ended with a student or two being left out of the selection because they were not chosen. This can create ill feelings, and may even sabotage the group effort. In these types of groups more work has to be done initially to allow the group to become more cohesive. Giving them an easy assignment that showed the strengths of each student allowed the students to be more accepting of the diversity of the group
Velma
I like the idea of the numbering system and random assignment because it takes the pressure off of myself in trying to determine what is a fair way to group them and it takes the social pressure off of them.
Theresa,
I'm sure this provided for some interesting dynamics. I do think there is always room to get creative with the groupings as this helps to teach different lessons as well.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Just recently I organized two groups into male verse female which was an interested group both. Usually I mixed the groups up into 2-6 or 4-6 depends on the number of student's in my class.
Michael,
I think this is a good idea as it can use that natural competitiveness to encourage creative thinking & engagement.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I like to organize students into groups that compete like teams in learning activities or study contests. I've found that injects a real energy into the class setting!
When choosing groups in the practical setting, I take into account the ability levels of the students and try to make sure that the groups are well distributed. This brings out the emergent leaders and can empower students to be more confident in thier skills.
I like the idea of giving each member of the group a roll in the activity. It will help the students that are more quiet come out of their shell. It will also give each student responsibility that they have to complete for the whole group to succeed.
Ann marie,
this is a great strategy. If the groups get too big, then it's easier for some to hide so to speak.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
