Page 11 - Formal learning groups-Self Paced Guide
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Step 3- Prepare your class list
This step requires you to spend quality time to create your class list. In doing so, you can
highlight variables such as student abilities, age, gender, performance in a previous course
or performance on an assessment you conducted at the beginning of the semester. If you
are working with new groups of students, you can administer a simple questionnaire or ask
students to write an essay about themselves at the start of the semester. Other activities
that you can use are ice-breakers and encouraging students to create online learning
profiles via platforms such as Edmodo. From these activities, you can clarify how you will
assign groups along with developing an understanding of your students’ interests, needs,
strengths, and weaknesses.
Step 4- Decide on the method to assign your groups
Now that you are acquainted with who your students are, decide on the method that you
will employ to assign them to their respective learning “Groups should be small enough
groups. so that students can participate
fully and build confidence in one
First, decide on the group size. For formal another, yet large enough to
have sufficient diversity and the
learning groups, research has shown that the necessary resources to
ideal group size should be five to six students accomplish the learning task.”
Barkely, Major & Cross, (2014)
working collaboratively. (Kooloos, Klaassen,
Vereijken, Van Kuppeveld, Bolhuis, & Vorstenbosch, 2011) Other writers suggest
group composition of no more than five since large groups diminish the quality of
learning tasks in terms of logistical issues.
Decide on the selection method. Will you allow students to form their own
groups? Will you use a random selection? Will you use a stratification technique?
Ideally, when building formal learning groups, it is more appropriate for
instructors to lead the group selection process, by using the stratification
technique, to ensure diversity within groups.
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