Teaching with Small Groups with Large Class Sizes Dan Thompson Manager of Instructional Design and Educational Technology

Learning Objectives Identify positives and challenges in implementing small groups in a large class setting Recognize various methods of implementing small groups Utilize small groups as effective instructional methods Appropriately align learning objectives and assessments with small group activities

Positives/Challenges Why are you interested in using small groups? Why do we use small groups in education? What are challenges that you experience when implementing small groups? If you have not used small groups in your instruction, what challenges do you anticipate?

Objectives/Assessments Your learning objectives, teaching/learning activities, and assessments should all be appropriately aligned. Objectives describe the depth at which students will learn and/or utilize the information Activities prepare students to complete assessments at the appropriate level Assessments evaluate if students have learned information at the desired level

Student Grouping Formal vs. Informal Group size: 4 – 6 students max per group Pairs

Instructional Methods Flipped Classroom Students watch a pre-recorded lecture or complete a reading assignment prior to class Acquiring the content about which you would typically lecture Implement active learning activities in class that require students to think at a higher level than they normally would during a lecture-based class

Instructional Methods Case-based learning Can be used with introductory material or to reinforce a previously introduced topics Team-based learning For all three techniques, students can create presentations (live or recorded) and/or upload answers to LCMS

Instructional Methods Nearpod/Kahoot Think-Pair-Share Team competition Peer review Require students to give feedback on their peers’ submissions Recommend for use when students are creating original work or answering short answer/essay questions ExamSoft allows this to happen anonymously “Bookend” Procedure Brief lecture blocks interspersed with group discussion and/or assessments

Assessments Formative and summative assessments can both be utilized Formative assessments: Most beneficial for low achievers Creates opportunity to positively change instructional methods Research indicates students learn more with criterion-referenced assessments

Grading Group scores Individual scores Each task/answer can be graded Groups can receive points on a range of scores Example: Full points if students answer > 90% answers correctly, Partial credit for > 80%, and so on. Individual scores Students can receive points for participation Group members can score each other to ensure that each member is participating

Tips/Takeaways Regardless of the technique used, make sure to provide students with a clear conclusion to the learning activity If you run out of time in class, you can always create a Pantopto addendum video Provide students with visuals when possible All activities should be timed to maintain an orderly process

Tips/Takeaways In small group work, the instructor should not control the dialogue Students should do most of the talking Do not answer your own questions “Wait time” Most importantly – be prepared, organized, clear, and transparent with students This builds a solid foundation for any group exercise

Resources Gillies, R. M. (2007). Cooperative learning: Integrating theory and practice. Sage Publications. Jaques, D. (2003). Teaching small groups. BMJ : British Medical Journal,326(7387), 492–494. Smith, K. A. (2000). Going deeper: Formal small‐group learning in large classes. New directions for teaching and learning, 2000(81), 25-46.

Thank you!! Questions/Comments? dan.thompson@okstate.edu @danthompsonidts