Small Groups

Posted on by Nattasit Dancholvichit

PURPOSE

To help students practice complex problems, experience productive failure, and synthesize new information in a comfortable, intimate setting. 

DESCRIPTION

Students are gathered and taught in small groups that allow for the teacher to more directly address gaps in their learning. The small-group setting also allows students to engage with content, tackle complex problems, and make mistakes in the company of their peers. 

UNDERLYING EDUCATIONAL THEORIES

active learning, collaborative problem solving, team-based learning, productive failure 

PEDAGOGICAL BENEFITS 

  • The comfortable setting of small groups can encourage students to self-advocate, think aloud, and interact with their peers’ perspectives. 
  • Small groups allow the teacher to more easily identify and address gaps in each student’s knowledge. 
  • The small-group setting can support productive failure, in which students tackle complex material and make mistakes alongside their peers. Doing so helps prompt students to discuss the problem with others. 
  • The small-group setting provides opportunity for students to test their ideas against those of their peers. 

STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION 

  1. Develop an activity or complex problem that can be completed in a group setting. For example, use open-ended prompts or questions to prompt discussion among students. 
  2. Pair the activity with a tutorial or introduction that engages the group and prepares them to complete the task. Use the introduction space to set parameters for group work (e.g., “If you have questions, ask your group first”). 
  3. Encourage students to explore one another’s perspectives during the activity and to share their thoughts with their group. 
  4. Give the group space to work on its own, but continue to monitor the group(s) throughout the activity. Periodically check in and ask questions of students to test their understanding. Use the group space to address gaps in understanding (e.g., by calling on other group members to help answer a student’s question). 
  5. At the close of the activity, prompt groups to share their results. This can be a good opportunity to open a larger discussion space, as well as to have one-on-one discussions with students for which their peers are present. 
  6. Prompt the group to reflect on their experiences during the activity (e.g., What did they learn? What mistakes did they make?) 

REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING 

Sottilare, R. A., DeFalco, J. A., & Connor, J. (2014). A Guide to Instructional Techniques, Strategies and Tactics to Manage Learner Affect, Engagement, and Grit. In R. Sottilaire, A. Graesser, X. Hu, B. Goldberg (eds.), Design recommendations for intelligent tutoring systems, US Army Research Lab, 2, 7-33  

Mills, D., & Alexander, P. (2013). Small group teaching: a toolkit for learning. The Higher Education Academy, 1-36.