Students learn to accept and interact with people from different backgrounds,cultures, and upbringings. It helps to bring the class together.
Instructors use most of the time interacting with students using formal materials. Students can learn to work together, accept diversity, and participate in active learning with each other.
It is great when students get together and have a positive experience. I have had online students in various regions / time zones of the world. They have learned great leadership lessons because they had to figure out how to connect and meet around their time and other differences. It was always 5-8pm somewhere. It was not fair for the same person to sleep or rise, so that was a challenge to overcome. Cheerful attitudes are a must as well as collaborative attitudes so that all succeed. I try to foster this and be a good example / role model.
When placing students in learning groups, you can see the dynamics of the diversified group with their ideas and different ways of thinking. This brings about a successful environment for each student's learning outcomes. We know that a learning group needs to remain around 6 to 8 in a group to enable positive outcomes to take place in the teaching and learning environment.
Kim Riley
Sometimes students feel more comfortable information from peers. Also, when a student helps another student, the concepts tend to sink in even more.
I have found putting students into learning groups such as those discussed in this module helps create a class dynamic that gives every student an opportunity to benefit from a participatory learning experience. I assign the groups research topics, as well as projects for class presentation, with the requirement that each group member must contribute to the presentation. I grade them as a group, so each member feels an obligation to the others to jump in and be a part of the process.
Jennifer,
these are all great reasons to use the groups & as you pointed out the students can really help one another understand the concepts in a different way.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
It helps students feed off of each other... many gain a greater understanding of the material becuase of the explanation from their peers... it also allows for studentst that are more comfortable in small groups to actively participate
Sean,
and the ability to articulate your opinions while listening to others'.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Student interaction; sharing of experiences; better discussions; better results are a few of the postive outcomes of putting students into diverse groups.
Mickey,
yes the working in groups is a great way to help our students learn how to work well with others & expand their own skills.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Mickey,
yes the working in groups is a great way to help our students learn how to work well with others & expand their own skills.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Putting students into learning groups can be a positive experience especially as working in groups or with others is required in most if not all work places. Working in groups helps give the students experience in working with others as they will have to do so in their future jobs.
Zachary,
team based organizations are everywhere & you are right that much of the students' future work will probably occur through teams.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Teaches them to work together as a team. Chances are when they start a creer they will be have to work with others to achieve a common goal. Group activities are great preperation for the work force.
Ethel,
all of these are excellent reasons to put students into groups & also it helps learn to express their own opinions & listen to those of others.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
The positive outcome of putting students into groups are:
1. They learn how to work as a team
2. They become familiar with their own strengths and or weakness
3. They also learn to discuss ideas that allow great outcomes for their success.
Jennifer,
this is great information to use in why the groups are important & yes I've found the 3-5 number tends to be the best.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I noticed by putting them into small groups of 3-4, they learn off of one anothers feed back on the assignment given. The turn around with test shows improvement by 80% in my classes
Working in groups can be uncomfortable, especially if one or more learners are not holding up their end. Unfortunately, this occurs in the workforce every day. It is important to learn how to not focus on the negative side of group work, and push through it in an effort to have a good outcome. Working in a team atmosphere is common in the workplace.
