Pair and groupwork activities for BSL sessions
Pair and groupwork activities comprise a broad and substantial range of learning activities that includes open discussion, structured debate, formative peer assessment and review, collaborative annotated readings and viewings, group problem-solving tasks, literary circles, performance and demonstration.
When choosing an activity type, consider the alignment of the activity with subject learning outcomes, disciplinary and/or professional practices (for example remote/global workforces, performance genres) and skills, and the complexity level of the task.
The key functions of pair and groupwork activities are:
- To develop or sustain a cohort experience for learners, promoting a collective, constructivist and collaborative learning environment
- For learners to develop, apply and evaluate the skills and graduate attributes of communication, collaboration and collegiality
- To demonstrate how knowledge is constructed cooperatively and critically through dialogue, debate, and divergence.
A key consideration for pair and groupwork activities in BSL classrooms is to ensure that both remote and on-campus learners have an equivalent learning experience. For example, Zoom break-out rooms are as effective for collaboration as classroom small table discussions, provided students know how best to use break-out room functionality. While it might be desirable for remote and on-campus cohorts to interact synchronously and dynamically in a BSL event, it is important to accept acoustic and audio limitations that compromise such interaction. This could mean making groups with all online or all on-campus students, to enable effective collaboration.
How to implement this in your BSL session
Step 1: Design collaborative activities to support intended learning outcomes
Plan your activity to align with intended learning outcomes, and design it so that students can make the most of the opportunity to collaborate and co-create.
In the activity brief, let students know that the activity requires collaboration to achieve these outcomes.
Be prepared to tightly regulate the timing, or alternatively be ready to adapt the session if there is a benefit in letting the activity run over time.
Step 2: Prepare and set up the activity prior to the BSL session
These activities sometimes require preparation prior to the session, both by you and your students.
For you, this may include allocation of groups, allocation of roles within groups, or providing the brief or spark for the activity beforehand in the LMS so that students know what is required and can prepare.
This brief can contain clear instructions on what is expected, the steps needed to complete the activity, and a statement explaining why the activity has learning merit (such as aligned to outcomes or authentic and inspiring). For BSL sessions, it is recommended that you provide instructions for both campus and remote students which may include the online tools to be used.
However, if spontaneity and surprise are integral to an activity, clearly outline tasks and timing and check in on tables and breakout rooms.
Step 3: Manage time during the session
Regulate the time so that all students have the opportunity to participate, and to fit in with the rest of your planned teaching and learning activities.
Check in with pairs and groups as they engage in the activity if appropriate and be available for questions.
Step 4: Facilitate feedback
Feedback during and after the synchronous collaborations may include:
- Self-reflection, with students assessing their performance, and their perception of the value or benefit of the activity to their learning
- Peer review of the products processes of the collaboration
- Staff feedback during and after the activity.
Suggested pair and groupwork activities
When planning pair and groupwork activities, think about discipline and professional practices, and alignment to learning outcome and assessment. Also consider equitable student experience and BSL classroom practicality.
Some activities, such as a reading or quiz, may be more meaningful and authentic when students do them individually and independently in the LMS rather than in the BSL classroom. However, pair and groupwork activities may be designed to build on and extend those individual activities.
Social annotation/collaborative annotation
Ask students to collaboratively note-take and ask questions on the weekly reading directly. Students can comment on passages, respond to directed prompts provided by the instructor, or answer other students' questions and points of confusion.
Literature circle
Students discuss a reading in breakout rooms and around tables. Students might be assigned specific roles (for example discussion facilitator) or text sections (such as the methodology section), so that the whole text is aggregated via collaboration and discussion.
Listening triads
Present a statement or question for discussion and divide students in groups of three. In each three, two pupils volunteer to discuss. The third student is the observer. While the two students discuss, the third takes notes. Provide a set of criteria on which students can focus. When the time is up, the observer feeds back to the two discussers. Repeat with role changes.
Team quiz tournament
Prior to the session, students complete a quiz individually in the LMS. They receive no feedback at this time. Then during the session, students in groups or pairs collaborate to complete the same quiz in breakout rooms or around tables, using a platform such as Qualtrics. Healthy rivalry between teams encourages discussion and peer learning while supporting cohort-building. Staff meanwhile can observe the breakout rooms and round tables for a sense-check and to spark thought with questions.
How to provide feedback
Feedback might be provided at multiple stages across (and after) an activity (see Step 4 above).
As the students prepare, check-in on their understanding and progress. Acknowledge students’ participation once the activity is completed and provide any observations and insights on the pair or groupwork process and product to wrap up the synchronous event.
Asynchronous alternatives
- LMS Discussions
- Padlet
- FeedbackFruits
- Microsoft Teams
- LMS Groups
- Qualtrics.
Support and resources
- Team-based quizzes on no budget (White 2021)
- Melbourne CSHE resources for dual delivery (includes BSL operative).
Pedagogical tags
groupwork pair teamwork peer review engagement collaboration cohort development
This page was last updated on 29 Feb 2024.
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