Students Working in Groups
I find when I teach Medical Coding to the Medical Assistant students I get a better response by working in a group. I usually have 5 to 8 students in a class. I will sit at the same table with all of the students. We will all work on the coding assignments together. It's interesting in the coding field how we come up with the same answers but found it in different ways. The students really get involved with the assignments. I usually give a new assignment and I would be coding it for the first time. The students find out how coders in the field look up codes.
I have always found it to be true, that when students are working as a group, they seems to enjoy helping one another....it could be for an assignmen,exam, etc. Students seem to participate more, even the quiet students seem to join in and want o be a part of the team.
Shawne,
yes & this is when we must make sure that we are monitoring so that the weaker get help but not just coast.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I think working in groups does help a student who might be struggling, but sometimes you may have a student sit back and let the others do the work.
I can agree with your points, but I want to also bring to the discussion that it really depends on the kind of class you are teaching when it comes to putting students in groups for different projects.
I have been teaching in various educational settings over a span of about 13 years and I have found that when I put students together you have to know a little bit about thier background and when you pair or group the students you trally find out alot about your students which is so super because it adds to the culture of the classroom. I agree with all of your points.
I have found that if you put 5-6 students together ,not onkly do they learn how to work as a team but you see at least 1-2 of them take up leadership roles. They also quiz each other in a fun way which strengthens there knowledge and challenges them in areas where they maybe weak.
