 |
|
|
|
Group Research
Description
Group research involves presenting an issue or question about a text
to a small number of students and allowing them to work together to find
information. Students may use the library, the Internet, or a given set
of texts to research their subject. After researching, students should compile
and synthesize the findings of the group.
Teachers can begin a Group research project by dividing the class into groups
of four or five and giving each group a specific area or issue to investigate.
(These issues should be different from one another, but all should relate
to the text.)
Each group should find primary sources that give them insight into the issue
at hand. If there is time, teachers may ask students to interview people
who have firsthand knowledge of the subject, or to record sounds and images
that detail some aspect of the issue they're investigating.
The groups should then compile their information and create a brief presentation
for the class as a whole. The presentations may be textual, or they can
be dramatic, involving image, movement, sound, and spoken stories.
The class as a whole should discuss how the information presented changes
their understanding of the literary work they're reading.
Benefits
By allowing students to find answers independently with the aid of their
peers, Group research teaches students to be proactive in their education.
Instead of listening to information "packaged" by a teacher, students
learn to find information and process it for themselves.
Group research also encourages students to rely on each other's experiences
and to develop respect for their peers' perspectives. By using the findings
of each member to create a group presentation, students learn to build consensus
and to synthesize various ideas.
|
|
|
Cultural Immersion