Jigsaw Blog By Daniel Vint

The jigsaw learning method is a unique way of teaching your classroom utilizing cooperation and teamwork. You start by dividing the class into groups. Once you have decided on a subject you want your students to learn, you divide that subject into separate parts, one part for each member of the group. For example if there are four students in each group you would divide the subject into four main parts. Now each member of each group has a particular part to study and master before eventually teaching it to the rest of their group.

By giving each student in a group a specific part to study, it allows students to work together. Before teaching their part to the rest of the group, the student meets with members in other groups who are studying the same specific part of the assignment. This allows for students to become experts in their areas and then after mastering their part in the assignment they then teach and explain it to the rest of their group. It forces each member to listen and work together and forces everyone to participate equally. You can run into problems with this method if some students are slow learners, or simply don't care or aren't trying. This would impact the rest of the group because they would be missing an important piece to their particular subject because of one persons lack of effort. For the most part this problem can be avoided by carefully supervising and properly utilizing the ten steps to this system.

A good time for teachers to use this technique is in computer labs were there aren't enough computers for each student. For example, lets say there are twenty five students and only five computers in the lab. Divide your students into five groups of five. Assign five different pieces to a particular research project four each group. Now, each group should have five members with five different areas to research. You will then have one student from each group who shares the same area of research. Each of these members who share the same area of study can utilize one computer to research their part in the project. This would give you five students on each computer all studying the same specific piece to their group project. After becoming experts in their areas the students can then go back and teach the rest of the members in their group what they have learned. Now, each student will have the chance to research on a computer and learn a specific subject of event in less time and utilizing the limited resources the classroom has.

Overall, I think this is a very cool approach to teaching whether you are working on a limited classroom budget, or simply trying to promote teamwork and cooperation amongst your class. If used correctly this system will allow for very effective learning in your classroom.