Small Group Work as Teaching Strategy By P. Anand Ganesh Resource person & PGT ( CS) K V 2 Golconda, Hyderabad

The initial task of a teacher in small group instruction is grouping students following one of the methods given Academic performance grouping Random grouping Socio-metric grouping Psychological Grouping

Buzz Group Technique Brain Storming

Buzz Group Technique The buzz group technique is a patent discussions group technique with a high degree of student involvement. This is employed when the students become very motivated and seized with the issues involved. With a view to channeling the plentiful energy aroused in arguments, the teacher employ this technique particularly when the interest generated is at its peak and is so immense that it will ensure students active participation and goal oriented motivation.

problems in using Buzz groups Some times the use of buzz group will threaten a class Buzz groups also take time

Principles for effective buzz groups: Some pit falls can be avoided if the teacher will carefully observe some basic principles which facilitate the effectiveness of buzz group teaching. Plan the class time to allow for moving chairs, explaining the techniques, answering reports. These items will usually take longer than you anticipate. Make clear to the class what the roles of group leader and recorder should be. This is done before the entire group so that everyone will know how he is to react to the leader and recorder in his group. Set a definite time limit for discussion (The teacher should "float" from group to group to motivate better involvement, help them over any hurdles, and generally spread enthusiasm around the room).

Brain Storming Brainstorming is basically and activity designed to promote creativity. It is a discussion from which enables the group to do collective inventive thinking. The emphasis in brainstorming is upon eliciting as many numbers of ideas from the students as possible for a more careful consideration at a later time

STEPS 1. Define your problem or issue as a creative challenge. A badly designed challenge will lead to lots of ideas which fit to solve your problems. A well designed creative challenge generates the best ideas to solve your problem. Creative challenges typically start with: "In what ways might we? or "How could we"? Your creative challenge should be concise, to the point and exclude any information other than the challenge itself. 2. Give yourself a time limit. The reasonable time is 25 to 30 minutes. Larger groups may need more time to get everyone's ideas out. 3. There must be absolutely no criticizing of ideas. All ideas must be written down. 4. Once the time is up select the best ideas. Make sure everyone involved in the brain storming in agreement.

Visual Brainstorming: Brainstorming verbally frequently does not work. Visual brainstorming that in brainstorming with images, objects and actions frequently works spectacularly. Visual brainstorming is about collaboratively generating ideas without using the Spoken or written work. You might use objects which teams put together to solve problems. You might use art and craft materials. You might use people to create improvisational role play. There are several reasons whv a brainstorming session might fail to generate great creative ideas: (we should avoid them) 1. Badly formulated topic 2. Poor facilitation 3. Dominating personalities 4. Too much noise

Case Discussions Case discussions are based on 'Case' details presented to students in the form of written material and have been read by them with a view to discuss them in the class. These are different ways of classifying cases. They are background case, situation case decision case and complex case

The case study may be used: 1. To present in detail to a group of problem with which the group is concerned. 2. To present and study the solution of a problem similar to the one confronting the group. 3. To teach the problem solving process.

Some Advantages 1. Gives a detailed accounting of the case under study. 2. Helps the learners to see various alternative solutions to the problem. 3. Helps people develop analytical and problem solving skills.

Procedure: 1. Materials are put into the hands of participants in advance if the case study is in written form. Participants should need these.2. Appropriate techniques to use during the presentation and discussion are selected and parts rehearsed. 3. The teacher/moderator introduces the topic, and explains what the case study is and the responsibility of each individual. He/She guides the discussion and other activities.

Assignments: An assignment is a piece of academic work or academic responsibility accepted by a student or a small group of student or in some cases the whole class. The assignment may be difficult or easy, lengthy or brief, specific or differentiated and pertinent to a single unit or topic or to a full course. Assignments are classified as unit or course assignment, or non-text book assignment and individual and group assignment. Whatever the classification may be the major purpose of giving assignment is to encourage and assist students to attain specific goals in the learning process.

Three important characteristics of good group assignment I Good group assignments shou14 be effective in promoting students' mastery of basic conceptual material and enhancing higher level thinking and problem solving skills. 2. The single best way to gauge the/effectiveness of group assignments is to observe the level of energy that is present during the total class discussion stage of the assignment. 3. The surest approach for creating effective group assignments is to maximize the extent to which the learning tasks promote the development of cohesive learning groups.