Report #
FIPP Activity Report
Funded by the Basic Skills Initiative
Name Jackie Freedman
Date
FIPP Partner Matt Cheung
Section #5004
Activity /Strategy JIGSAW
Category #1, CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Briefly describe the activity/strategy.
Introduction This activity was meant to be a review for the first exam. Students
were instructed to use the information that they had studied in preparation for
analyzing an image. The focus of the group discussion was to help students
articulate for themselves their interpretations of the image chosen by their group
and to interact with other students and appreicate the different perceptions of
others.
2. Set up & Supplies At the end of the class on Monday, I had my students number
themselves 1-4 . They were given a review sheet for the first exam. From the
review sheet, the 1's were responsible for knowing formal elements and their
definitions, were listed on the sheet. The twos were responsible for knowing
the composition principles, also listed on the review sheet. The threes were
responsible for understanding themes in art, which related to a specific chapter
we had studied in the book, listed on the review sheet. The fours were
responsible for understanding the different methods of critique for analyzing an
image, all methods of critique were listed on the review sheet.
3. Directions Students were placed in groups of 4, each group comprised of a #1,
#2, #3 and #4. Each group had to choose an image from the four on the
screen. Then each # was asked to contribute to the discussion what they had
prepared for in the homework from the previous class; for example, #1's would
disucss two formal elements which best related to the image chosen, .ie, color
and space. #2's would discuss one composition principle, for example,
emphasis and subordination, and relate it to the content/meaning of the image.
The images were in the text and we had previously discussed them in class. I
wanted this to be a review of vocabulary for the first exam as well as a review
for the essay question that would be on their first exam.
4. Conclusion I think that this was more than each group could handle. The review
should have been more focused and maybe broken in two parts over two
classes. In the first review, just the principle vocabulary words could be
reviewed by each group. In the second review, the group could relate form to
content, in their group discussions.
What worked well? I think what helped in this jigsaw strategy was getting different
studetns together to discuss in small groups vocabulary and concepts that previously
had only been given to them in lecture and reading. After reading the comments on
their survey sheets, it seemed that some felt that the review helped, as long as they
were in a group in which everyone had prepared. From the results of the first exam, I
would say that this class did better overall than my other class which did not have the
benefit of this strategy for review. Also, I gave two of the images discussed in the
review, on the exam in an extra-credit essay; so, reviewing these specific images in the
activity helped students gain valuable extra -credit points on the test.
What would you change? I might give them a short in class quiz of the vocabulary words,
before dividing them into their jigsaw groups. Also, the review strategy needs to be
more focused; a few vocabulary words in relation to an images. Asking them to use the
methods of critique was perhaps too sophisticated for them at this stage; perhaps, the
critique methods needed to be in a separate review.
Would you use the activity/strategy again? Why or why not? Yes, definitely.
I think it could be more and more effective in helping students do better on their exmas,
as I become more aware of what works and what doesn't.
Please describe any student learning outcomes/changes that you observed after the
implementation of the activity/strategy. Students were able to use formal elements and
composition principles to analyze an image.