Consulting Guides

Classroom Asssessment Techniques

Effective assessment

Reporting Observations

Reviewing the Use of Small Groups

Small Group Instructional Diagnosis

 

Using Student Ratings to Evaluate Teaching

Teaching Guides

Using small groups effectively

Using Classroom Assessment Techniques

Reflecting on your teaching

Team Learning

Creating a Student Rating Instrument

Myths about Student Ratings

Syllabi

Advanced Syllabi

CATs

Useful Links

CELT

 

 

Peer Consulting:

Navigating the (sometimes) rocky shores

of teaching and consulting

Reviewing the Use of Small Groups in the Classroom

Some things to consider when reviewing an instructors' use of small groups.

Interaction with the groups:

• Is the instructor circulating between the groups?
• Is he/she asking meaningful questions (something other than, "How are you doing?")
• Is he/she joining the discussion, when appropriate (sitting with students, acting as if he/she has time to talk things over with them and is intersted in their progress, frustrations, and questions).
• Is he/she picking up on problems in groups?
• Is he/she helping to keep the group on task? providing appropriate direction?

Group assignments and grading:

• Are groups assigned randomly? If not, is there a specific rationalization for the way groups are assigned?
• Are groups rotated or permanent? Is there reasoning behind this decision sound?
• How well does the assignment meet criteria for effective group assignments?

  1. The task should require "group" interaction - not be able to be divided into smaller parts and done individually and then put back together with no need for the group to meet and discuss to accomplish the task.

  2. The task should have a definite outcome and deadline. Telling groups to "discuss" this, does not tell them when they are done or give them a focus to work toward.

  3. The group task should require them to use the knowledge/skill you want them to learn. Discussions which require them to produce a product beyond defining terms are best. Michaelson suggests projects which focus on why or how. Is the outcome clearly articulated?

  4. There must be individual and group accountability (also part of grading assignments). Often a pre-group task which requires students to be prepared in some way for the group task is helpful.

5. Having all groups work on the same project and then report out simultaneously (or as close to that as possible) creates another learning opportunity as they compare results with other groups.

Resources:

Designing Effective Group Activities (pdf file) (Michaelson, Fink and Knight's article on designing group assignments)

Cooperative Learning for New college Teachers (article on why and how to use cooperative learning groups)

Putting Cooperative Learning to the Test (Harvard Education Letter article about the benefits of cooperative learning)

Cooperative Learning (quick overview of cooperative learning)

Cooperative Learning: Effective Teamwork for Engineering Classrooms (brief overview and essential elements of cooperative learning, including the instructor's role)

Resources on Collaborative Learning (links to four sites discussing and/or giving specific ideas on how to do collaborative learning)

Collaborative Learning: Group Work and Study Teams (article from Tools for Teaching by Berkeley professor, Barbara Gross Davis)