Jigsaw Learning  (Peer Teaching)

OVERVIEW

Jigsaw learning is a widely practiced technique that is similar to group-to-group exchange with one important difference: Every single student teaches something. It is an exciting alternative whenever there is material to be learned that can be segmented or "chunked " and when no one segment must be taught before the others. Each student learns something which, when combined with the material learned by others, forms a coherent body of knowledge or skill.  

PROCEDURE

1.  Choose learning material that can be broken into parts. A segment can be as short as one sentence or as long as several pages. (If the material is lengthy, ask students to read their assignment before class.) Examples include:  

• A multi-point handout  

• Parts of a science experiment  

• A text that has different sections or subheadings  

• A list of definitions  

• A group of magazine-length articles or other kinds of short reading material  

2.  Count the number of learning segments and the number of students. In an equitable manner, give out different assignments to different groups of students. For example, imagine a class of 12 students. Assume that you can divide learning materials into three segments or chunks. You might then be able to form quartets, assigning each group either segment 1, 2, or 3. Then, ask each quartet or "study group" to read, discuss, and learn the material assigned to them. (If you wish, you can form two pairs of “study buddies” first and then combine the pairs into the quartet to consult and share with each other.)  

3.  After the study period, form “jigsaw learning” groups. Such groups contain a representative of every "study group" in the class.* In the example just given, the members of each quartet could count off 1, 2, 3, and 4. Then form jigsaw learning groups of students with the same number. The result will be four trios. In each trio will be one person who has studied segment 1, one for segment 2, and one for segment  3.  

4.  Ask the members of the “jigsaw” groups to teach each other what they have learned.  

5.  Reconvene the full class for review and remaining questions to ensure accurate understanding.  

VARIATIONS

1.  Assign a new task, such as answering a group of questions, that depends on the accumulated knowledge of all the members of a jigsaw learning group.  

2.  Assign to different students the responsibility to learn a skill rather than cognitive information.   Have students teach one another the skills they have learned.  

In many instances, the number of students cannot be divided evenly into the number of learning segments. If this is the case, you can adjust by using learning partners instead of subgroups. Divide the learning material into only two segments, assigning one segment to one member of a pair and the other segment to his or her partner. For example, in a seven-part assignment, one person can be assigned parts 14 and the partner can be assigned parts 5-7. You can easily create study buddies with the same assignment. Then have the original pair teach each other what they have studied.