OER4Schools/Supporting reasoning and managing group work: Difference between revisions

{{OER4S

}}{{OER4SchoolsWSInfo

|success criteria={{ OER4SchoolsWSInfo/criteria intro}}

*  participate in a magic microphone reasoning activity, suggesting a specific example of when group work could be used in the classroom with reasons

*  watch a video and discuss 'carousel' group work, thinking particularly about its use in a limited resource environment

*  (optional) concept mapping software.

* You will do a lesson with your students that involves Geogebra, slideshows, or (optionally) concept mapping software.

= {{name for review of follow up}} =

= Reinforcing understanding of group work: Using the Magic Microphone for reasoning =

[[Image:oer4s groupwork general2.jpg|300px|thumb]]

{{activity|Individual activity| on answering the question:  'When would you use group work in your classroom and why?' .|10}} Think of answers to the question below. You can write them on a mini-blackboard or sheet of paper for reference during the activity. Think of as many answers as possible and '''give a reason in each case.''' (Tip: think of the Powerpoint presentation about questioning strategies that you saw in the previous session and draw on your own experience of carrying out group work in the classroom.)

QUESTION:  '''When would you use group work in your classroom and why?'''  

Give concrete examples of specific lesson activities where possible. For example:

* when a topic has many sub-topics '''because''' the sub-topics can be mastered by small groups and then taught to other groups, as in different types of pollution

* when summarising the topic that has extended over many lessons (give example) '''because''' pupils can remind each other about the things that they have learnt without repetition by the teacher  

* when applications of a topic (give example) are being discussed '''because''' there can be many answers for this

We did a simple version of the magic microphone activity in [[OER4Schools/2.1_Introduction_to_whole_class_dialogue_and_effective_questioning|Unit 2 Session 1]]. Now we are taking this to the next level to explicitly promote '''reasoning''' among participants as well as pupils.

{{activity|mm| activity on group work.|5}} Pass a prop around. Whoever has the prop answers the question above and gives their reason(s).  

= Managing group work =

Place three containers (or sheets of paper) on the table. Label them ‘same task’, ‘different tasks’ and ‘both’.

{{activity|practical activity|: Indicating your progress with group work.|5}} Write your name on a slip (small piece) of paper and fold it. Drop your name slip in the ‘same task’ container if you are confident about carrying out same task group activity in the class. Similarly, drop it in the container ‘different tasks’ if you are confident about carrying out different tasks and ‘both’ container if you are confident about ‘both’.

Pull out one name from each container and group them together as Group 1 (G1). Similarly form groups G2 and G3. If there are too many names in one container and too few in another, adjust the numbers taken from each container whilst trying to maintain a level of similarity in group composition. The aim is to form groups that have the same level of 'expertise' in managing group work.  Alternatively you could choose another strategy of forming groups from the document ‘Group composition and formation’. Try to manage this process of forming groups swiftly. 

* G1: Group composition and formation ({{File|Group Composition and Formation.pdf}})

* G2: Ground rules during group work ({{File|Ground Rules.pdf}})

* G3: Group size and seating arrangement ({{File|Group Size and Seating Arrangement.pdf}})

{{activity|group presentations| on managing group work.|15}}  At the end, present what you have learned about managing group work for the benefit of other participants (see details in your document).

{{: video/How_to_Involve_Students_in_Setting_Up_Their_Own_Ground_Rules.mp4 }}

= Classroom organisational strategies and carousel group work =

The video below shows some classroom organisational strategies mainly around group work.  We will watch the first 10 minutes of the video now and the rest can be watched after the session in participants' own time. Although the video describes science teaching in the UK context, the principles are generic and can be applied in various curriculum areas and contexts. The organisation called the ‘circus of activities’ is commonly known as a ‘carousel’ because the children move around the classroom like the hobby horses move around a carousel (see image).

{{: Video/Primary_Science_-_Classroom_Organisation.mp4 }}

The '''TESSA''' resource ''Investigating Number and Pattern : Learning through games'' consists of five traditional number-based games that you can play with your students to help enhance their mathematical understanding.  They range from mental arithmetic games played with the whole class to more complex board games to be played in groups as part of a carousel of number-based activities. Useful case studies and an interesting context (a story of a boy whose arithmetic improved because he entered puzzles into a competition) are also included with the resource.

[[File: Learning_through_games.pdf]]

{{activity|wcd|: Discussion on Video on classroom organisational strategies and carousel group work.|10}}

{{activitytag|Carousel}} group work is an important concept, for instance in situations where there are not enough ICTs available to 'go round'. Rather than distributing available ICTs 'thinly', you can do carousel group work instead. We have already alluded to this when introducing typing practice in the classroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

{{fup|A}} Try the magic microphone activity with '''reasoning '''in your class. Form an open question that is related to the topic that students are learning followed by ‘why’. Encourage students to answer the ‘why’ question.

 

{{fup|B}} During the second activity you read one document on managing group work. Read the other two documents. Make a note of any questions that you might have about them.  List examples of objectives that can be achieved through different types of groups in the document ‘Group composition and formation’.

 

{{fup|C}} Try one new organisational strategy that you saw in the video in your classroom, in any curriculum area.

 

 

We are grateful to '''Prof Tina Jarvis and colleagues''' for permission to use their [[ Video/Primary_Science_-_Classroom_Organisation.mp4 |  Primary Science - Classroom Organisation ]] video, produced by the SCIcentre (National Centre for Initial Teacher Training in Primary School Science).