Teaching Small Groups

1. Teaching Small Groups Dr Kate Exley

2. Outline Programme • Defining features of Small group teaching • Beginnings • Managing student interactions • Common problems • Roles and responsibilities • Methods and techniques • Inclusivity

3. Defining features Getting students to think Getting students to talk Getting students to share What are yours?

4. Effective Seminars / Tutorials • Active participation • Face to face contact • Thorough preparation • Purposeful activity

5. T T T Table T T T Optional room layouts From Jacques, 1991 learning in groups

6. Beginnings How do you start? Imagine a new group of students - what can you do, what can they do, in the first 10 minutes of the session?

7. Ground-rules - an example • Everyone turns up on time • Students do prep. reading • No one dominates discussion • Everyone should try to contribute in each class • All contributions are valued • The class will end on time • Confidentiality??

8. Setting ground-rules - benefits • Make expectations explicit • Help involve all • Increase ownership and responsibility • Agreed ‘concrete’,can be referred to if things go wrong

9. Considering individual needs e.g Students with a disability Disclosure? Being proactive Inviting a conversation Thinking ahead Responding to ‘reasonable’ requests e.g. Providing materials electronically in advance

10. Tutor roles • Instructor / leader • Facilitator /guide • Observer / commentator • Drop-in monitor • Giver of feedback • Assessor • Counsellor / mediator

11. Tutor’s Responsibilities • Starting discussion • Keep discussion going • Involving everybody • Closing discussion

12. Some difficult situations • The ‘know-it all’ • The confrontational student • The passive aggressive • ? • ? • ?

13. Skills of small group teaching • Explaining • Asking questions • Listening and responding

14. Tutorial Seminar Problems class Tutorless tutorial Self help group Workshop Problem based learning (PBL) Role play Case study analysis Simulations Set problems Cross over groups Buzz groups Syndicate work Snowballing Methods of SG Teaching

15. Techniques to try ? • Pass the Pen • Choose an item • Rounds (e.g complete this sentence in turn) • Mind or topic maps • Brain storming • Jigsawing • Reciprocal interviewing Exley and Dennick 2004

16. Responding to difference • Disability issues • Mixed ability • Mixed degree option • Cultural differences • Non-traditional learners • etc

17. The Silent Group • You are preparing to meet a group of 12 students for a third session – they have been very unresponsive & quiet to date – how will you design the next session? Please produce a plan.

18. Further reading suggestions • Grace and Gravestock, (2009), Inclusion and Diversity. (Chapter 3.) • Exley and Dennick, (2004), Small Group Teaching: Seminars, Tutorials and Beyond • Jaques and Salmon, (2007), Learning in Groups (4th edition)

19. Being an ‘on-line’ Tutor (Salmon 2000) • Stage 1 Welcome & encouragement, Guidance on technical support • Stage 2 Introductions, Ice-breakers, Ground rules • Stage 3Facilitate structured activities + discussions, Assign roles & responsibilities, Support use of learning materials, summarise findings. • Stage 4 Facilitate activities and learning process by asking questions + encouraging reflection. • Stage 5Support & respond when required. Encourage reflection and SCL.