Specific Strategies for Using the “Jigsaw” Technique for Working in Groups in Non-Lecture-Based Courses

Abstract

The “jigsaw” technique is a versatile strategy that can be used in many different ways to increase the involvement of students in their own learning and to create an effective learning environment in a course that de-emphasizes lecture. Teams of students are assigned to investigate different aspects of the same problem or issue. Each team might, for example, analyze a different but related data set or read an article on different aspects or viewpoints on the same topic. Once each team member thoroughly understands his/her team's aspect of the problem, new groups are formed, with at least one representative from each original team. Each individual then explains her/his team's aspect of the problem to the new group. In this way, every student learns every aspect of the problem. Each group then uses the combined information to evaluate a summary issue. The technique works most successfully if 1) there are different but overlapping assignments for different teams, 2) individual students prepare before teams m...