Jig-saw Method
The idea behind the jig-saw activity (also known as the expert method) is that people learn more when they need to explain. Students will each study a particular aspect of the subject matter (thus becoming ‘experts’ in it) and share their knowledge with others, so everyone will have a full overview of the subject matter by the end of the exercise (because all the jig-saw pieces will have fallen into place)
Every student has a piece of the jig-saw puzzle, but this piece only acquires meaning if the student succeeds in explaining to the other students how the piece fits into the other pieces that they hold. Although the technique is an exercise in methodical reasoning, it also stimulates both the structuring and social communication skills. This method helps students to see their own work in a bigger perspective, to look for solutions together with other students, and to get insight into the relevance of sub-solutions from a general problem.
On-campus
The activity takes about 30 to 60 minutes and could be done with the maximum of around 60 students in an on-campus setting.
It could be used as a blended learning activity. Whereas students study their subject at home and come to class
Manual
Supplies Needed
- Literature to study divided in seperate parts. It is important the literature pose different views, philosophies or perspectives regarding a topic.
- A way for students to note down the jig-saw
- Optionally: Pitch2Peer or FeedbackFruits – Peer Review
Step 1. (Preparation)
Prepare the literature and divide students among the pieces of literature of the jig-saw.
Step 2. (Preparation/During class)
Students are informed which piece of literature they have to study. This could be done before class, so students do the preparation at home and the processing during class.
Optionally: Students hand in a summary, eyeopener or key-findings up front using Pitch2Peer or FeedbackFruits – Peer Review.
Step 3. (During class)
Students firstly meet up with other students having the same pieces of literature. The homogenous group share their findings and discuss their similarities and differences in their interpretations. Together they come to a shared conclusion in what information to include or exclude.
Step 4. (During class)
Students share their findings within a heterogenous group of students with findings from the other pieces of literature. It is important to create a full overview of the important literature. Eventually, related parts could be specifically noted down, so the students are forced to get to know the relations between different sections.
Step 5. (Evaluation)
The groups present their findings to the group. As a teacher it is important to adjust certain findings, so students don’t miss out on important information.
Source
Smit, K., Hoe bereik ik mijn lesdoelen in een online setting volgens de Jigsaw-methode? Onderwijs Advies & Training Universiteit Utrecht. Retrieved from: https://www.uu.nl/onderwijs/onderwijsadvies-training/hoe-bereik-ik-mijn-lesdoelen-in-een-online-setting-volgens-de-jigsaw-methode
Online
The activity takes about 30 to 60 minutes and could be done with the maximum of around 60 students in an online setting.
It could be used as a blended learning activity. Whereas students study their subject at home and come to online class.
Manual
Supplies Needed
- Literature to study divided in seperate parts. It is important the literature pose different views, philosophies or perspectives regarding a topic.
- A way for students to note down the jig-saw
- Microsoft Teams
- Optionally: Pitch2Peer or FeedbackFruits – Peer Review
- Optionally: Microsoft Whiteboard
Step 1. (Preparation)
Prepare the literature and divide students among the pieces of literature of the jig-saw.
Step 2. (Preparation/During class)
Students are informed which piece of literature they have to study. This could be done before class, so students do the preparation at home and the processing during class.
Optionally: Students hand in a summary, eyeopener or key-findings up front using Pitch2Peer or FeedbackFruits – Peer Review.
Step 3. (During class)
Students firstly meet up in their break-out room or channel with other students having the same pieces of literature. The homogenous group share their findings and discuss their similarities and differences in their interpretations. Together they come to a shared conclusion in what information to include or exclude. They note it down for themself.
Step 4. (During class)
Students move to their next designated channel to share their findings within a heterogenous group of students with findings from the other pieces of literature. It is important to create a full overview of the important literature. Eventually, related parts could be specifically noted down, so the students are forced to get to know the relations between different sections. Students could collaborate with each other using a Microsoft Whiteboard.
Step 5. (Evaluation)
The groups present their findings to the group. As a teacher it is important to adjust certain findings, so students don’t miss out on important information.
Source
Smit, K., Hoe bereik ik mijn lesdoelen in een online setting volgens de Jigsaw-methode? Onderwijs Advies & Training Universiteit Utrecht. Retrieved from: https://www.uu.nl/onderwijs/onderwijsadvies-training/hoe-bereik-ik-mijn-lesdoelen-in-een-online-setting-volgens-de-jigsaw-methode
You are free to share and adapt, if you give appropriate credit and use it non-commercially. More on Creative Commons