Report #1
FIPP Activity Report
Funded by the Basic Skills Initiative
Name Christina Gold
Date 1/24/10
FIPP Partner Juli Soden
Section # History 1B - 2312 and History 122 - 2389
Activity /Strategy Jigsaw
Category Classroom Activity
Briefly describe the activity/strategy.
1. Introduction
This activity is a collaborative learning strategy called the Jigsaw. It is used to
generate a deeper understanding of the course themes. This activity offers
learning at four levels. In level one, students will have solo time to think and
reflect on course themes. In level two, students will have time to discuss it with
their peers so that they learn from others and become an expert in particular
themes. In level 3, as an expert in a course theme, each student teaches it to
others, generating a deeper understanding. In level 4, students will integrate
their learning and work together to answer questions which require a broad
understanding of the content and themes which they have taught to eachother.
The jigsaw discussion was conducted twice in History 1B and twice in History 122.
2. Set up & Supplies
No special supplies are needed. Students just need to stand and move about the
classroom and arrange their desks into groups.
3. Directions
1) Have students get into their discussion groups. Once in groups, have students
sequentially call out numbers 1-4 to determine which historical person or theme
they will investigate and teach to their peers.
2) Level 1. Solo Thinking and Learning. Students are provided with primary
historical sources to read and consider for their historical person or theme.
Even though they sit in groups, this time is solo time for them to think, read,
and reflect on course themes. (about 20 min)
3). Level 2. Collaborative Learning Through Discussion with Peers. Students then
go to "expert" groups based on their numbers and assigned historical person or
themes. These "expert" groups discuss the primary documents and related
questions. They achieve consensus on the best intepretations of the
documents and answers to the questions. Students write down their answers
on individual papers to be handed in and graded. (about 10 minutes)
4. Level 3. Mastery Through Teaching Others. Students return to their "home"
groups (from Step 1). Each student makes a presentation to the home group,
teaching the group about their historical person or theme. (10 minutes)
5. Level 4. Integrative Learning. Students listen to each other and then each
group jointly answers questions which require integration of all the content and
analysis presented by the students. They write down their answers to be
handed in and graded . (about 15 minutes)
4. Conclusion
Students submit all their work. Each discussion group submits their joint answers
and each student submits his or her independent work. The work is graded
and forms part of their participation grade in the class.
Sample Topic: African American Reformers. Students were each assigned one
African American reformer from the late 1800s and early 1900s (i.e. Ida B.
Wells, W.E.B. Dubois, etc.). Students independently read and answered
questions pertaining to a primary document source written by the reformer.
After meeting with their expert groups, students rejoined their discussion group.
Each student taught the group about their reformer. The groups then
answered a series of questions that relate the beliefs and actions of each
reform to the historical context. Throughout the activity, students experience
historical empathy. The final question asks the group to consider the historical
context and vote to pick a reformer that they would have followed if they were
an African American living in the South in late 1800s. They need to describe
the ramifications of their decision given the historical context.
What worked well?
This activity was used two times in two classes (four times total). I adapted discussion
group activities that I have been using for many years. Compared to the graded work
submited by students in past years, who worked solely in traditional discussion groups,
the work submited by students who completed the jigsaw activity was far superior.
While completing the independent work, students were each much more careful about
reading the document and fully answering all the questions. In the expert groups,
students were anxious to determine a "correct" answer so that they could accurately
report back to their peers. The answers to the integrative questions by discussion
groups revealed a deeper understanding of the course themes and more careful
attention to the specifics of the historical context.
In conclusion, compared to traditional discussion groups, the jigsaw activity led students
to more fully analyze primary sources, to more carefully synthesize historical content,
and to use the sources and content to engage the broader themes of the course.
What would you change?
I would include visual and written instructions in the course reader so that less time
could be spent explaining the logistics of the activity
In the "Mastery Through Teaching Others" portion of the activity, I would give each
student 2-3 minutes to present their results and announce when the next person should
begin. Without specific cues from me about when to allow the next student to "teach,"
some students dominated the discussion, while some shyer students avoided speaking.
Would you use the activity/strategy again? Why or why not?
I would absolutely use this strategy again. Although it is much more time consuming
than using traditional discussion groups, it encourages students to more fully critique
historical sources and conduct informed historical analysis. If important and central
themes are selected for the activity, it is a terrific way to help students engage the
material on a variety of levels in a variety of ways.
Please describe any student learning outcomes/changes that you observed after the
implementation of the activity/strategy.
This activity addresses each of the three SLOs for history courses:
1. Primary Document Analysis. The activity encourages students to carefully read,
analyze and explain historical sources.
2. Historical Content. The activity requires that students fully understand the historical
context.
3. Historical Analysis. In the final stage of the activity, students work together to create
and prove an argument that blends their analysis of primary documents and historical
content.