Group Activities
3.1 Group Activities
Why is it important?
Group activities are teaching strategies that provide students with a platform to work with others to complete a task, such as solving a problem or creating a product. Hammer’s (2014) study showed that group work enhanced students’ academic knowledge and collaborative abilities and provided a sense of affiliation and support, crucial for academic and social relief. Similarly, Poort et al. (2020) reported that group work significantly enhanced behavioral and cognitive engagement in the classroom. Arthurs & Kreager (2017) analyzed the prevalence of different classroom learning activities and how they influence student engagement and performance. For an instructor, group activities provide a path to foster collaboration, enhance learning through diverse perspectives, help identify what they understand or still struggle with, and prepare students for real-world teamwork.
How can we implement it?
Group activities are a great way to enhance participation in your course. They allow students to build trust with each other and decrease the anxiety associated with speaking up in class. When selecting group activities for your course, consider using varied group activities like discussions, debates, presentations, and team projects that cater to different learning styles and help students learn from each other. Additionally, think about how to build effective groups. Consider group composition, structure, and member contributions when building groups. Similarly, create group guidelines to set expectations and create and assign self-evaluation rubrics to allow students to reflect on their contributions to the team.
Reference
Arthurs, L. A., & Kreager, B. Z. (2017). An integrative review of in-class activities that enable active learning in college science classroom settings. International Journal of Science Education, 39(15), 2073-2091. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2017.1363925
Hammar Chiriac, E. (2014). Group work as an incentive for learning – students’ experiences of group work. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 558. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00558
Poort, I., Jansen, E., & Hofman, A. (2020). Does the group matter? Effects of trust, cultural diversity, and group formation on engagement in group work in higher education. Higher Education Research & Development, 41(2), 511-526. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2020.1839024
Resources 3.1: Group Activities
Checklist for this section:
- Group activities
- Varied group activities
- Group composition
- Structure
- Member contributions
- Group guidelines
- Self-evaluation rubrics
Group Activities
- Think-Pair-Share: Pose an open-ended question, have students think about it individually, then discuss their thoughts with a partner before sharing with the class.
- Improv Games: Use improvisational activities to break the ice and encourage spontaneous thinking.
- Brainwriting: Instead of brainstorming out loud, have students write down their ideas. This can help quieter students participate more comfortably.
- Jigsaw: Divide the class into groups, each responsible for learning and teaching a segment of the material to their peers.
- Concept Mapping: Have students create visual maps of the concepts being discussed. This can help in understanding and retaining complex information.
- One-Minute Paper: At the end of the class, ask students to write a quick summary of what they learned and any questions they still have.
- Real-Time Reactions: Use tools like clickers or apps to get instant feedback on questions or topics during the lecture.
- Chain Notes: Pass a note around the class where each student adds a comment or question related to the topic.
Varied Group Assignments
Faculty can promote group work and peer-to-peer learning through several strategies:
- Structured Group Assignments: Design assignments that require collaboration, such as group projects or presentations. Clearly define roles and responsibilities to ensure equitable participation.
- Peer Review Sessions: Incorporate peer review activities where students provide feedback on each other’s work. This can help students learn from their peers and improve their own work.
- Discussion Groups: Create small discussion groups to explore course topics in depth. Rotate group members periodically to expose students to different perspectives.
- Collaborative Learning Activities: Use activities like think-pair-share, where students first think about a question individually, then discuss their thoughts with a partner, and finally share with the larger group.
- Study Groups: Encourage the formation of study groups for exam preparation or project work. Provide guidelines and support to help these groups function effectively.
- Digital Collaboration Tools: Utilize online platforms and tools that facilitate collaboration, such as discussion boards, shared documents, and virtual meeting spaces.
Group Composition
Identify a mechanism that best aligns with the assignment objective. Instructors often use different group assignment strategies throughout the semester based on their students' needs.
| Selection Type | Benefits | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Random Selection Students are assigned to groups without any specific criteria. | Promotes fairness and prepares students for real-world scenarios where they must work with diverse individuals. | The instructor uses a random number generator to assign students to groups. For instance, students are given numbers, and those with numbers 1-5 form Group A, 6-10 form Group B, and so on. |
| Self-Selection Students choose their own group members. | Increases comfort and autonomy, often leading to higher motivation and satisfaction. | Students are allowed to choose their own groups based on their preferences. For instance, they might form groups with classmates they feel comfortable working with or work on a topic they are interested in. |
| Instructor Selection The instructor assigns students to groups based on specific criteria such as skills, academic performance, or diversity. | Ensures balanced groups with diverse skills and backgrounds, which can enhance learning and problem-solving. | The instructor assigns students to groups based on their strengths and weaknesses. For instance, a group might consist of students who excel in different areas, such as research, writing, and presentation skills, or based on their class performance. |
| Mixed Pair (Semi-Random) Selection It combines elements of randomness and instructor selection, where some criteria are used to form groups but with an element of randomness. | Balances fairness with the benefits of instructor oversight, promoting diversity while maintaining some level of student comfort. | The instructor first identifies key criteria, such as ensuring each group has at least one student with strong leadership skills. Then, within these criteria, students are randomly assigned to groups. |
Group Structure
Here are some potential roles for students working in a group:
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Facilitator/Leader | Guides the group’s discussions, ensures everyone participates and keeps the group on task. |
| Recorder/Note-Taker | Takes detailed notes during meetings and shares them with the group. |
| Timekeeper | Monitors the time to ensure the group stays on schedule and meets deadlines. |
| Presenter | Prepares and delivers the group’s findings or presentations to the class or instructor. |
| Researcher | Gathers information and resources needed for the group’s project. |
| Devil’s Advocate | Challenges ideas and assumptions to ensure thorough consideration of all perspectives. |
| Harmonizer | Mediates conflicts and ensures a positive group dynamic. |
Member Contributions
Here’s a short rubric faculty can use to help students evaluate the contributions of each team member toward a final project:
Instructions for Students
- Rate Each Member: Use the rubric to rate each group member (including yourself) on the criteria listed.
- Provide Comments: Add brief comments to justify your ratings and provide constructive feedback.
- Submit Evaluations: Submit your completed evaluations to the instructor by the specified deadline.
| Criteria | Excellent (4) | Good (3) | Fair (2) | Poor (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participation | Consistently active and engaged | Usually active and engaged | Occasionally active and engaged | Rarely active and engaged |
| Quality of Work | High-quality contributions exceed expectations | Good quality meets expectations | Acceptable quality meets most expectations | Low quality, does not meet expectations |
| Communication | Communicates effectively and frequently | Communicates effectively most of the time | Communicates occasionally, needs improvement | Rarely communicates, ineffective |
| Collaboration | Works very well with others, always cooperative | Works well with others, usually cooperative | Sometimes works well, occasionally cooperative | Rarely works well with others, uncooperative |
| Dependability | Always reliable, meets all deadlines | Usually reliable, meets most deadlines | Sometimes reliable, misses some deadlines | Rarely reliable, misses most deadlines |
Group Guidelines
Group guidelines are essential as they provide a clear framework for collaboration, ensuring that all members understand their roles, responsibilities, and expectations, which leads to more effective and harmonious teamwork.
| Strategy | Description |
|---|---|
| Set Clear Goals | Ensure everyone understands the project requirements and deadlines. |
| Assign Roles | Assign specific roles (e.g., leader, note-taker, presenter) to each group member to ensure balanced participation and accountability. |
| Communicate Effectively | Establish regular meeting times and communication channels (e.g., email, messaging apps). |
| Collaborate Actively | Share ideas and listen to others’ perspectives and make decisions as a team. |
| Manage Time Wisely | Create a timeline with milestones and deadlines to keep the project on track and avoid last-minute rushes. |
| Contribute Equally | Support each other and share the workload evenly. |
Self-Evaluation Rubrics
Self-evaluation rubrics can help students understand how they are expected to participate and allow them to develop teamwork skills.
Rubric Example:
Consider your contributions to the team to complete […]
| Does not apply | Strongly Agree | Agree | Neutral | Disagree | Strongly Disagree | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I prepared for this activity (e.g., completed the readings) | O | O | O | O | O | O |
| I shared my views or what I learned from my preparation. | O | O | O | O | O | O |
| I worked with others to complete the activity. | O | O | O | O | O | O |
| I listened carefully to others. | O | O | O | O | O | O |
| I encouraged others to share their views and ideas. | O | O | O | O | O | O |
Based on your self-reflection, give yourself a single global grade for your contributions to this activity: A B C D F