Jigsaws
JIGSAWS:
The notion of a jigsaw is to establish a small group learning context where each participant is allocated a specific role. In our Bodyworks project, each jigsaw group was composed of 6 members. Each member was to be responsible for the collection and research of raw data relevant to a given body system. We investigated 6 systems.
Effectively, each member was a 1/6th part of the main jigsaw group. Once the jigsaw groups are established, each piece of the puzzle (body system representative) breaks from the main group and re-forms as a research group with members of the other jigsaw groups that are researching the same system. So, all the Respiratory student, for example, would break from their original group to form a Respiratory Research Team. The team then share resources and work together (interpersonal learning) to collect data. When the research task is complete, the system member reports back to the main Jigsaw Group. In fact, all ‘pieces’ return to their respective groups and report back their findings (personal learning).
Each group is required to discuss methods of presentation and, on completion of pieces, provide a final class presentation of all 6 systems from each Jigsaw Group representative.
Phew… it’s a lot to take in but a very affective model for learning collaboratively. Each group gave themselves a name, shared ideas, reviewed each other’s work and elected their own preferred method of task presentation. Below are examples of the projects completed.
Cluster Dots from 2008 -2009
Feed Burner
Brain Models and Geometry
See our page links to find out more about these
