Gilberto Teixeira (Prof.Doutor FEA/USP)
Too often it seems the only justification for organising students into groups for lectures, tutorials or exercise classes is that everyone else has done it and continues to do it. Given the resource limitations for institutions and students, it is essential that every element of a course meet a real need, in particular so that resources can be appropriately allocated.
Teaching and learning needs
Parts of the syllabus may require students to work together in groups. Many subjects now incorporate group project work to provide a more practical experience for students.
Most common student errors, problems, misunderstandings and queries can be predicted and covered in the course material, but not all. The effort required to provide additional explanation in the material may not be efficient, particularly given the many ways that students can interpret content. Discussing one student’s difficulty in a group can efficiently answer several students with the same difficulty, and reinforce the understanding of those without the problem.
The tutor can sort students into mixed-ability groups to encourage peer tutoring. Sometimes tutors find it difficult to simplify their language to a level everyone can relate to, but students who have mastered a concept will usually describe it in terms that other students can understand. A student is more likely to appreciate the nature of the difficulty that another student is trying to explain. Even when there is no student with all the answers, discussing a problem as a group can discover the answer or a deeper meaning through brainstorming or debate.
Students unable to see the big steps taken by the lecturer and the course material can, as a group, discover the smaller steps toward the same end. Solving problems as a group helps generate a sense of community, and improves morale.
One of the obstacles to effective communication in formal group sessions is the reluctance some students feel in seeking help from the lecturer. Seeking help from a fellow student may not be such an obstacle.
Left to their own devices, students can be convinced they can satisfactorily answer any self-assessment questions in the course material. However, when faced with the task of publicly explaining or defending their understanding, the student may realise their comprehension is not as deep as the course requires. By encouraging students to challenge each other’s understanding, the group benefits from peer tutoring in two ways: those who don’t understand hear explanations in language they can appreciate, and those who do understand, get to test their arguments. Of course, care has to be taken by the tutor to ensure the arguments accepted by the group are accurate.
Social needs
Studying in isolation can be dangerous. Isolated students can become demoralised by their difficulties, believing that they alone find the subject difficult. Being able to see in a group that other students are also struggling reassures them that they are not alone. On sharing the problem with others, it becomes less daunting; comprehension can result from peer debate. Of course, it can be a major blow to morale if a student is alone in the group in finding something difficult. It is crucial that the tutor step in at this stage to provide individual attention and reassurance.
Pacing is difficult for independent learners. Maintaining the self-discipline to study a little every night, to refuse invitations to social gatherings in order to read material, or to isolate oneself from the family environment, is very challenging. Peer pressure at group meetings can be a motivator. Knowing that a group will be discussing the next section at its next meeting can spur the student to resist temptation.
For some students, it is the act of meeting that is important. Not everyone is totally convinced of the equivalence of distance education to conventional education. Many strongly identify with the need to be in a classroom with other students, listening to the expert. For such students, formal group sessions establish within their minds that they are students in the conventional sense. Distance education purists may belittle this need, but formal group meetings could be very important to students wanting to establish their credibility within a skeptical society.
For large population courses it may be necessary to divide students into smaller groups for support activities. This ensures that individuals can receive attention as well as gain a sense of belonging, which is difficult when there are too many people.