Report #4
FIPP Activity Report
Funded by the Basic Skills Initiative
Name Robin Bouse
Date 12/17/2009
FIPP Partner Briita Halonen
Section #1322
Activity /Strategy Homework Jigsaw
Category IV- Feedback and Evaluation
Briefly describe the activity/strategy.
1. Introduction This homework jigsaw encourages students to provide helpful
feedback to their classmates on their homework and lab activities and
promotes student interdependence. In this activity, students listen to each
other, provide positive peer review, and teach eachother course content. I had
20 students and 10 tables (2 students per table) in my class, but different
numbers of students and table configurations will work. The goals of this
activity were for students to: 1) teach course content to one another; 2)
understand homework questions; 3) move around the classroom; and, 4) build
community support among the students in their quest to be successful in
science class.
2. Set up & Supplies Clearly label the tables with a number. Decide on a clear flow
path before you start. Assign appropriate (discussion type) homework
questions in the previous class to all students. Instructors should adjust the
number of homework questions given by the number of students and tables in
their class.
3. Directions In my class, ten homework questions were assigned to all students
the week before. At the beginning of the next class, the two students at table 1
would be responsible for teaching question 1 to eachother, the two students at
table 2 for teaching question 2 to eachother and so on. Then one person
from table 1 would move to table 2 while one person stays at table 1. At the
same time one person from table 2 moves to table 3 while one person stays
behind and so on throughout the tables. The person from table 10 will go to
table 1.
4. Conclusion This activity encouraged students to complete their homework
assignments on time. The peer review and exchange of information engaged
the students in the activity. Through teaching the course content to eachother,
the students learned to material
What worked well? Changing up which students move around and which students stay
at their desk with each homework assignment.
What would you change? Nothing about the jigsaw part. I need to rewrite some
questions so that each question roughly takes the same amount of time for each pair of
students to discuss.
Would you use the activity/strategy again? Why or why not? Yes, I most definitely would
run this activity again. The students thought it was an engaging way to learn the
material. It was a great way for the students to learn from eachother.
Please describe any student learning outcomes/changes that you observed after the
implementation of the activity/strategy. The homework assignments the students turned
in were more complete and correct.