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The Jigsaw Method allows students to create their own learning. Students are arranged in groups and each group is assigned a different piece of the project or assignment. Next, “group members then join with members of other groups assigned the same piece of information, and research and/or share ideas about the information”. Students then return to their own groups and fill in the blanks using newly learned information. This method works well in a high school social studies class. I have utilized this method by assigning members of a group to collaborate with members from other groups. These newly formed flexible groups discussed and researched a portion of the overall assignment. Once completed, the members would join their original teams and share the new information with their group. They would then use this knowledge to work through the project. This process has been invaluable and has allowed for a more complex knowledge transfer to take place.

Education World . (2019). The "Jigsaw" technique. Retrieved from: https://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/strategy/strategy036.shtml

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Making each member accountable is necessary to create a positive team dynamic. Teams of four to five eliminate the ability of students to hide among large groups and coast. I actively use group roles which allows me to quickly assess how a team is doing and identify the weak link. Roles I have used in my high school social studies classes have been presenter, manager, recorder, and analyst. Each role has a list of responsibilities. An example would be if a team is not meeting deadlines, I will ask the manager why there is a timing issue as this is part of his or her role. Another aspect to creating accountability is counting a group peer review as part of the weighted project final grade. This allows for both the finished team project and the individual contribution to be factored into the grading method.

Burns, M. (2016). 5 strategies to deepen student collaboration. Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/article/5-strategies-deepen-student-collaboration-mary-burns

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Preparing students to be part of a team 

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Preparing students to be part of a team 

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When establishing groups, students must be instructed first on how the team dynamics will operate.  The first step is “we have to help students understand the what, why, and how of collaboration”. Students need time to build trust and affect team building strategies. Norms and expectations should be established and how conflict will be handled. Students should be expected to actively listen to all group members. In my classroom, group rules were created collectively, and teams were given time to establish member expectations. The expectations are part of the peer review process used to grade each student individually.

Burns, M. (2016). 5 strategies to deepen student collaboration. Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/article/5-strategies-deepen-student-collaboration-mary-burns

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This collaboration strategy builds in the necessity for group interaction to successfully complete the assigned task. The project should be complex enough that group members must rely on their team to fulfill the assigned scope. By creating a critical thinking task, groups will be required to research, debate, and draw conclusions as a team. This form of collaboration works well in a high school social studies class. When covering critical current events, I require students to complete a project taking a stance as a group for or against the topic. The team is required to research the opposing view and validate their stance with statistics and write a five-point proposed solution. This approach has created a deeper understanding of the topics that affect our world today.

Burns, M. (2016). 5 strategies to deepen student collaboration. Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/article/5-strategies-deepen-student-collaboration-mary-burns

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This grouping allows for students with similar interests to work in an assigned small group. An example would be students that are interested in computer applications might be assigned to work on a shark tank group project that requires a business concept and product created that could be marketed. This approach would work well in an economics high school setting where students would need to create and pitch an application-based product. This grouping would allow students who have a common interest to brainstorm and collaborate on a product that is more complex than could have been accomplished as individuals.

Shalaway, L., & Opitz, M. (2019). Organizing small groups: Do you know all the options? Retrieved from: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/organizing-small-groups-do-you-know-all-options/

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This strategy allows for a “temporary way for students to work together in a variety of ways and configurations depending upon activity and learning outcomes”. This method allows for the needs of all students to be met and allows for students to attain a level of independence as well as learn to work collaboratively. This method works well in a high school social studies environment and allows for varying ability levels to mix while allowing the flexibility of differentiated learning as needed. Daily activities and discussions could be addressed using a more mixed approach while comprehensive projects could be tailored to learning abilities.

Cox, J. (2019). Flexible grouping as a differentiated instruction strategy. Retrieved from: https://www.teachhub.com/flexible-grouping-differentiated-instruction-strategy

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Student Group – Grouped according to same skill level 

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Student Group – Grouped according to same skill level 

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This method is used to group those students with similar learning levels together which creates an opportunity for differentiated learning. This method works well for layering an exercise and creating opportunities for all levels to shine. Ability specific tasks can be incorporated and students that are more advanced can be challenged as well as those students that have learning differences. This method works well in a high school social studies setting, and I have utilized this to challenge groups of varying abilities by slightly altering the questions on projects to increase the level of critical thinking required. An example would be an exercise that asks students to consider the cause and effect of the proposed wall as a solution for the immigration issues and the impact on the caravans of people heading to the border to seek asylum. A differentiation made for those groups that can process more complex topics was the additional consideration of the United States Central American policy during the 1980’s and if those policies created the refuge crisis from this region.

Catapano, J. (2018). 30 ways to arrange students for group work. Retrieved from: https://www.teachhub.com/30-ways-arrange-students-group-work

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Student Group - Grouped to mix skill levels

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Student Group - Grouped to mix skill levels

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The method is used to group students according to varying learning abilities. By intermingling stronger students with those students that have learning differences, students on both ends of the spectrum can grow and develop new skills. Students that are academically more advanced become leaders in their groups and increase their knowledge by teaching others in the group. Those students with learning differences will hear the information again taught from the perspective of their peers and may connect with the information in a new way than how the subject has been previously covered. This method works will in a high school class setting. I have students of varying ability levels, to include ESL learners, and this method has increased self-confidence in these learners while raising comprehension and retention levels through group discussions. The stigma of lower learning levels is banished with this approach and this method has allowed the creation of a wide social and economic mix in the classroom.

Johnson, B. (2014). Student learning groups: Homogeneous or heterogeneous? Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/student-grouping-homogeneous-heterogeneous-ben-johnson