Keep
group sizes manageable - if there are too many in the home group the
final sharing overshadows the learning process occurring in the expert groups.
Members get tired of listening to all the parts being presented.
Give guidance as to what is expected but not so structured as to stifle the creativity of the experts in how they choose to share with the home group. Students working in groups for the first time need considerably more guidance than experienced group members.
Monitor group interaction - it may be necessary to teach some group work strategies to some or all of the students if you see there are problems with negativity, participation or others aspects of the process.
Incorporate evaluation of process as well as product since process is a large part of why you would choose to use jigsaw groups over another teaching strategy. Peer evaluations are often a good idea, as are incentives to achieve as a group rather than as individuals. Having the students participate in the development of rubrics and checklists gives ownership of the evaluation process.
Keep meticulous records of who is in what home group and what expert group. This avoids buck-passing when shortcomings are revealed during the process. If the master list is available students can always check to see that they are pursuing the right topics.
Be patient with chaos since the first time you attempt this strategy you wonder why you tried it. As students internalize what is expected and what their level of control is, they will become more organized and focused. It is a learning process that must be experienced to work and you need to grow with it.
Choose your content carefully - topics that are sequential in nature are not generally good choices for jigsaw groups since the segments cannot be effectively learned in isolation from one another. Topics that are unique but related such as several ways to accomplish the same goal are a better choice for jigsaw activities.
Give guidance as to what is expected but not so structured as to stifle the creativity of the experts in how they choose to share with the home group. Students working in groups for the first time need considerably more guidance than experienced group members.
Monitor group interaction - it may be necessary to teach some group work strategies to some or all of the students if you see there are problems with negativity, participation or others aspects of the process.
Incorporate evaluation of process as well as product since process is a large part of why you would choose to use jigsaw groups over another teaching strategy. Peer evaluations are often a good idea, as are incentives to achieve as a group rather than as individuals. Having the students participate in the development of rubrics and checklists gives ownership of the evaluation process.
Keep meticulous records of who is in what home group and what expert group. This avoids buck-passing when shortcomings are revealed during the process. If the master list is available students can always check to see that they are pursuing the right topics.
Be patient with chaos since the first time you attempt this strategy you wonder why you tried it. As students internalize what is expected and what their level of control is, they will become more organized and focused. It is a learning process that must be experienced to work and you need to grow with it.
Choose your content carefully - topics that are sequential in nature are not generally good choices for jigsaw groups since the segments cannot be effectively learned in isolation from one another. Topics that are unique but related such as several ways to accomplish the same goal are a better choice for jigsaw activities.
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Best Practices: Pieces of the Puzzle Copyright 2003 Regina Public Schools and Saskatchewan Learning |
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