IF YOU WANT TO:
Dividing the class into smaller groups.
An education professor divides his class into groups of six to eight students. Each group is assigned a specific question or topic to discuss, selected from a list of questions prepared in advance. But, because students do not know beforehand which questions their group will be assigned, they must be prepared to discuss all of them.
The professor assigns one student in each group to be the discussion leader, another to be the group's summarizer, and a third to be the group's evaluator. Each group conducts its discussion in what it feels is the most effective manner. During discussion the faculty member moves back and forth among the groups, noting any issues he may want to bring up or clarify at the end of the class.
After the groups have discussed their respective topics, they are called back together and each group summarizer presents the results of that group's discussion, highlighting key terms or other information felt to be important. Each group's evaluator then provides some observations on how well the group functioned and makes suggestions as to how it might have functioned more effectively. During the course of the term, each student serves at least once as a group discussion leader, a summarizer, and an evaluator."
Limitations on Use of Suggestion
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