Small Group Teaching Doctoral School

Intended learning outcomes On completion of this session it is hoped that you will be able to: Confidently plan and prepare for active learning within small group teaching sessions Develop strategies that will build your confidence in dealing with challenging situations in teaching sessions

Outline Advantages and disadvantages of small group teaching (benefits and issues in terms of learning and teaching) Techniques for encouraging group interaction in small group teaching Managing difficult situations How are we going to achieve these aims? Through the discussion of the following topics

Advantages and disadvantages of small group teaching Activity Individually, consider the following question and make some notes (3 minutes)(Think) What are the advantages and disadvantages of small group teaching? Turn to the person next to you: share and compare notes and ideas (3 minutes)(Pair) Feedback to the tutor (Share) Feel free to draw on own experience Consider student experience – benefits and issues Consider learning - benefits and issues Consider teaching – benefits and issues Ask the students how the activity felt? What were the advantages and disadvantages of working in this way? Is it a technique that they have used? Did they know it was called Think, Pair, Share?

Encouraging group interaction in small group teaching Activity Individually, read the case studies: common difficulties in group work. Make a few notes in responding to the questions on each of these – use the document as your notemaker (5 minutes) Share the ideas in terms of how you might address each of these situations. (10 minutes) This is a modified version of the Think, Pair Share activity If this was a bigger group, I would have selected the groups, rather than letting people self select who they worked with – this also has advantages and disadvantages as a method

What are the difficult situations in group work that worry you the most? Following contributions – distribute handout on managing difficult situations

Encouraging group interaction in small group teaching - considerations Importance of planning and purpose of small group activity Consider ‘ground rules’, group membership, size, room size and lay-out, type of group activity, timings and the ‘life’ of the group Communicating tasks and activities – structure, briefings and clarity Monitoring and supporting group interaction – the role of the tutor Importance of plenary activities and round-ups There is a summary/ handout to support this slide

Summary Plan, plan, plan (and have a back up plan) Keep things activity based if possible Mix it up Use different activities Vary the group composition Reflect: what worked? What didn’t? Remember that all groups are different Keep calm! Things may go wrong; think on your feet!

References Atherton J S (2013) Learning and Teaching; Using the group [On-line: UK] retrieved 18 September 2015 from http://www.learningandteaching.info/teaching/usingthegroup.htm Brookfield, S and Preskill S (2005) Discussion as a Way of Teaching: Tools and Techniques for Democratic Classrooms. 2nd Ed. San Fransisco: Jossey Bass. Exley K and Dennick R,(2004) Small Group Teaching: Tutorials, Seminars and Beyond. London: RoutledgeFalmer Jaques, D (2000) Learning in Groups: a handbook for improving group work .(3rd Ed) London: Kogan Page.* Race, P. (2009) In at the deep end – starting to teach in Higher Education. [online] Leeds: Leeds Metropolitan University. Available from http://phil-race.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2013/05/In-at-the-Deep-End.pdf [Accessed 18 August 2015].