Edson,
yes, the students tend to be more engaged in these situations & can allow the groups to key in on ideas that are really important & interesting to them.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I also think that students are more receptive to learning when they have control over some of their learning process. This gives them self ownership and allows for student buy-in.
When you put students into groups they can collaborate an bring new ideas, concepts and perspectives. It caqn also help draw out students who are withdrawn and help them become more acclimated to the classroom enviroment.
O ifetn find that the students can learn from each other just as well as they can learn form the instructor. They have a way of expalining things to each toher that i may have overlooked.
ivy,
yes, so many career fields require this type of group or team collaboration. By using the groups in our classes we are helping to prepare them for the work environment.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Chad,
yes the smaller learning groups can be very beneficial in these type of core courses. Often there is a group member who gets "it" & can explain in a different way which can help with the diversity of learners.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
one main positive outcome of putting students into learning groups is that the student could become more comfortable with navigating an environment of medical professional peers as they experience roles as different types of contributing participants
Since I am teaching a "core course", math, and not a major specific course, I have students from various majors. The biggest advantage of learning groups to me, since I have 30 students in a class is to have students who can help each other with the frequent, short exercises I give during instruction. This minimizes the number of questions I need to address individually, since hopefully someone in the group can explain a problem and if my help is needed, I am explaining to 3-4 people at a time. Unfortunately, room/workspace configuration makes it difficult to make arrangements more conducive to group work and facilitate getting to some groups.
Joseph,
yes & if this person is reluctant to speak up in front of the large group, the small group format can really help him/her to engage with the learning.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
One that stands out that I have encountered is when there is an introvert in the group. This individual will begin to relax once they realize that their input is considered important and gets the entire group involved.
carlos,
and it is really exciting to see these students really start to open up & grow through the process.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Joe,
this is a great point as it puts the "power" back into the hands of the students & they are able to pursue areas that matter most to them.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
The students feel more comfortable in a group setting. Their confidence level is increased. If they don't know the technique or answer, the group comes up with a solution by approaching different learning styles or personal learning experiencs.
Students can become more interactive and involved. This will help them crack out of their shells
Students generally do better if they feel like they have some control of their learning process and groups has that effect for most students
Jimmy,
the power of collaborative learning really is incredible & many students perform better in these groups than from our lectures alone.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Carol,
this is a great point. We often will try to develop public speaking or presentation skills for our students, but tend to neglect the small group interaction skills that are so vital to most careers today.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I think some positive outcomes from student learning groups are building teamwork and collaborative learning. I think more students find success when they learn from one another.
In my career, positive personal interraction is a must. I find it helpful to put the students in groups to help them learn to speak, listen and have discussions with people they may not normally have to interract with. It is a small start but I find it has a way of opening dialogue that might never have happened.
Jennifer,
yes the learning groups or group projects are a great way for students to appreciate the diversity of opinions & abilities that are all around them in the class & by extension in the work place.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
