Jigsaw Cooperative Learning
Jigsaw Cooperative Learning
Jigsaw Cooperative Learning is a teaching technique that encourages students to work together through a lesson being interrupted into different parts. Every student is given the task of being a 'specialist' in a certain segment of the lesson, which they then pass on to their peers, thus involving them in the learning process and simultaneously improving their results by having peer interactions.
What are the key steps involved in implementing Jigsaw Cooperative Learning?
Introduction of Jigsaw Cooperative Learning requires a series of fundamental steps which include: Initially, the instructor splits the course content into different sections. Next, the learners are clustered into 'home' groups, where they confer on the part assigned to them. Subsequently, they establish 'expert' groups, along with other peers who were given the same part, to further their understanding. Lastly, every student takes part in a meeting in the home group, where he or she returns to speak about the acquired knowledge, thus confirming that that's the only way they can learn from each other.
What are the benefits of using Jigsaw Cooperative Learning in the classroom?
Jigsaw Cooperative Learning has a wide range of benefits, including greater participation by students, higher academic performance, and skills development, like communication and teamwork, which are important social skills. For example, the more the learners play the role of the teacher, the more they consolidate what they learn and of course they get more self-confidence, hence, a study environment becomes more inclusive, and supportive.
How does Jigsaw Cooperative Learning cater to diverse learning styles?
The jigsaw cooperative learning technique is highly effective, as it includes learners of various styles by making it possible for them to interact with the material in different ways. For instance, visual learners will see the benefits of employing diagrams during their preparation, while auditorial learners will be able to promote their understanding with the help of discussions during the expert groups. The method goes beyond, as it allows the learners to use their talents to the fullest in order to make a meaningful contribution to the group.
Can Jigsaw Cooperative Learning be used in online education settings?
Indeed, Jigsaw Mutual Learning can be very well adjusted to the conditions of online courses. In a virtual setting, for instance, a teacher can make breakout rooms for expert group discussions and collaborative tools for sharing teaching materials. A practical example of this would be a case of Jigsaw in a remote learning environment where the students use shared documents to compile their research on a specific topic, and then they would deliver the findings to their home group during a video call.