Jim Crooks

242-2230

Small Group Homework Review

GIFTS Workshop

January 19, 2010

Rationale: I noticed a problem with how I reviewed homework in class. Talking through each question was boring to me, the students and I saw it as a chore, and homework was not producing improved skills like I had hoped. I consulted some books and read that homework can improve student understanding, cooperative learning can improve student engagement, basic skills students need a high degree of structure, and knowledge is socially constructed. As a result, I tried the small group review described below.

Materials: Posted instructions on the process of reviewing homework in a small group.

Description:

1. Divide the class into those who did the homework and those who did not.

·  The “did-nots” may sit by themselves during the group review and individually finish the homework for partial credit.

·  Sort the “dids” into groups of three.

2. TELL. Each person in the group tells his or her answer to the first question without justifying or persuading.

·  Was each answer in the group the same? Then the group goes to step 5.

3. SHARE. Was any answer different? The group members describe how they arrived at their answers.

4. VOTE. After hearing how all the group members arrived at their answers, the group votes on what it now thinks is the correct answer.

·  Each person records the group’s answer next to his or her individual answer.

5. The group goes to the next question, and so on through the homework assignment.

6. When most groups are done, reassemble the class as a whole. The instructor reviews only the questions that went to a vote in the groups, first asking the groups to explain their answers.

7. Students may informally keep track of whether they or their groups are more reliable.

Tips:

·  Walk through the process as a class first.

·  Perhaps begin with get-to-know-you activities the first couple of times.

·  Visit the groups and help them with the process.

·  Occasionally have groups self-evaluate their effectiveness.

Debrief: Students liked this process better than the one I described above. I liked how we discussed only the questions that people had trouble with. This process can be time consuming and requires attention to helping students improve their small group process.

This is the low-intensity rubric I occasionally use to get students talking about their group’s effectiveness.

Exceeds Standard / Meets Standard / In Progress
Group Skills / Group members:
* Worked extremely well
* Can be a model for other groups
* Were supportive of one another / Group Members:
* Worked well
* Were productive
* Met all objectives
* Listened to one another / Group Members:
* Did not function well
* Failed to meet objectives
* Were unable or unwilling to collaborate
* Were off-task