Student learn to sink or swim together. Work as a team for a common goal.
this is a great way for students to communicate with one another and work well together!
Regina,
Groups really are a great learning tool for several reasons. As you stated this allows those quieter students to feel a little more comfortable contributing. Also, this does helps students learn how to utilize groups for brainstorming & problem solving, a valuable skill in the workplace.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Some positive outcomes would be getting to know other people, having each person feel important, and letting everyone know that they are part of a whole and not just a single individual. Group settings are usually great unless you have students who still will not participate.
I think that using groups as a learning method helps students feel that they can contribute as much as any other student. As long as the group stays on track, students may actually learn more quickly by bouncing ideas off each other in a group rather than face the entire class.
Anna Marie,
Students often learn better from their peers & small groups are a great way to get them connected with one another.
Ryan
Dr. Ryan Meers
Positive outcomes are archived by placing students in groups because they interact with their peers in a more comfortable way. The interaction is more diverse and the student can learn from the different experience levels of their peers.
Student interaction is facilitated.
Jeanie,
I think you point out another great benefit of group work here: peer to peer learning. These smaller groups can be a great place for students to help one another & I have found that some students learn better from their peers than from me!
Ryan
There is more than one way to achieve a desired goal. Having students in a group exposses them to many different thought processes and really builds on the team approach to solving problems. Most will be on some kind of team when they finally grauate and land a job.
Putting students into groups will lesson the stress of being pointed out, this way they can get confortable with the group and even look to them for guidance if need be.
Learning in peer groups brings out the quiet or detached student into the learning environemnt
Vilma,
Yes groups are a great way for the students to learn from each other & to demonstrate that leadership. And it is a great way for them to learn how to disagree appropriately.
Ryan
Julia,
Thank you for pointing out a side benefit of group work. Often this does help students to feel like a greater part of the overall environment/culture.
Ryan
I think it helps students to get to know each other. I also think it has the potential to create a sense of ownership among the individuals in the group. Lastly, group work brings together different levels of skill, knowledge, experience, and viewpoints to the table wehere the members of the group can learn from each other.
The students like being part of a learning group because they each get a chance to voice their opinions. They enjoy the exchange of information and learn from eachother, which is a positive experience for them. They have a chance to show any leadership qualities.
by putting students in groups they have a better opportunity to learn from sach other and the instructor
Putting students into learning groups helps them feel connected to others at our community college. Completing a task together as a group, builds the groups' confidence.
I have found this to be true as well. And when we can give our students some tools on how to effectively listen to others & respect others' opinions, they have an even greater opportunity for learning.
Ryan
I've come to realize that putting students in learning groups is helpful for them because they tend to speak more freely around their peers than in a typical classroom environment. In a classroom setup, a student may be afraid to ask a question. But in a group, they'll speak more freely about their thoughts and ideas.
