Group Work

During my in school observation, I was able to apply Gallagher’s theories on group work and watch how they worked in practice. The first thing I noticed that related to the Gallagher’s chapter was the ineffectiveness of large groups. The problem I encountered was a result of two group discussions occurring to close in the classroom to one another. The two smaller groups merged into one larger group and there was almost no effort to answer the questions assigned by the teacher. The two groups were more interested in talking about their personal lives.

            The other problem I noticed was students waiting to be given the answers by the group member they considered to have the best answers. The assignment asked for the students to give their own opinion on the topic and provide a solution, and yet they were waiting for only the perspective of the one student. Even in an assignment that did not have a right answer, they students wanted to have what the perceived to be the best answer. Rather than trying to arrive at a solution with an array of opinions, only one view point was expressed. I should also note that the group member providing all the answers was not taking the assignment seriously and derailed the other member’s opportunities to benefit from the activity.

            To fix these problems, I think smaller groups would be effective. As well, the groups should be more separated from one another. Classrooms don’t provide the best environment for group work. It might have worked better if one of the groups was sent to another location in the school for the activity.

            If the groups had been 3-4 members, it would allow all students an opportunity to express their opinion and make for a more effective activity. For the quieter students, they may be more comfortable sharing their opinions in a smaller group. At the same time, it is still likely that one student will dominate the discussion. The hope with a smaller group is that the other students will be able to add their opinion within the topics raised by the other student.

            Overall I believe that group activities are an effective way to engage students. Through group work, students are provided an opportunity to express their opinions and become part of the learning process. Rather than rely on the teacher for answers, group activities put the onus on the students to learn. I will use group work in my classes, but will be careful to set parameters that allow the most effective outcomes from the students.