Course assessment: small groups

A number of students indicated that they felt most engaged in class when you broke into small groups for discussion. Why are the small group discussions engaging?

Comments

[Hailey Hummer]

Small group discussions are engaging because there are less people than the whole class. You can also develop ideas within your small group and feel affirmed that other people feel the same way as well as develop your ideas before you present them to class. It also gives you an opportunity to talk and explain yourself more and view different perspectives. I think sometimes speaking in front of the entire class can be intimidating.

[Connor Thompson]

I think that the small group discussions are more engaging because they allow for each student to voice their perspective in a smaller environment. I think that people are more likely to feel comfortable in this smaller environment. This also allows for students to give greater detail when talking about their opinion and it allows for each person to see if the other members of their group agree, or disagree with them.

[Peter Nguyen]

I agree with connor completely. I think in smaller groups people that are shy open up a bit more and let others know there ideas. and also things are less intimidating because you are not in the spotlight when you raise your hand to comment on something to the entire class. I do also agree that these group discussions whether with group or with class were the most engaging.

[Morgan Taylor]

Being apart of the small discussion groups allowed students to gain a better understanding of the topic. In a small group, students can get into a deeper conversation about the topic. Students can debate and each say their opinion. After hearing everyones opinions, than students can agree with others or disagree. Small groups helped me better understand because I was able to think aloud and express my thoughts and then other students responded with their thoughts.

[Samantha]

The groups allow some of the quieter people to talk more. Also you can really get more different perspectives by bouncing ideas off of your group. It's more interactive and really I thin more collective and better answers are presented we we come back together as a class. I get a better understanding from hearing other perspectives.

[Samantha]

The groups allow some of the quieter people to talk more. Also you can really get more different perspectives by bouncing ideas off of your group. It's more interactive and really I thin more collective and better answers are presented we we come back together as a class. I get a better understanding from hearing other perspectives.

[Regan Garrett]

I would agree with Samantha's comment about small groups. They actually do help people more in my opinion to bound ideas around to see if anyone agrees or if your idea is way off in left field. I felt like their was more understanding of who and how a person was after speaking with them in class. I just wish I could have done more.

[jenae]

I just like small groups more because I don't like talking to a large class. Or a large-ish class. I don't mind talking to like 4 people in a group. I just feel more comfortable.

[Nicholas Ham]

I agree with Samantha on this one as well. Small groups encourage the quieter members of the class to share their opinions as well. As a member of the class who spoke quite often, I have to apologize, because I know that not many people appreciate that, but for me its about the only way that I keep engaged, and I feel like it helps keep the class moving. I personally like the small group discussions more than the large class because its truly conversational, there is no motive or need to retain the information, just simply a free exchange of ideas in a conversational setting.

[Jalene Alviar]

I think the small groups are engaging because you are able to discuss which you peers in a smaller group. Being in a smaller group kind of forces you in a way to talk to each other. The downfall of a small group would be having people in your group who don't talk which would cause an awkward silence. Overall small group discussions helped me learn more about the topic. Talking to my peers really helped me understand the concepts learned in this class better.

[Madeline Magnuson]

I like class discussions a bit better than small groups. I feel like in class discussions the most engaged and interested people speak up and you can hear more classmates' opinions. With smaller groups, if the people in your group is not engaged in the conversation about the topic like you are, you miss out on some great ideas or opinions.

[Danyelle K]

I agree with many of the ideas above. I think group discussions are more engaging because it gives you a better view of cultural geography from different perspectives besides your own. Whether those are similar or different to your own.

[Adeline Ndayishimiye]

I think group discussions are more engaging than class discussions. Because it provides opportunities for students to talk to each other about the topic and become more comfortable with sharing ideas.

[Cindy Rosales]

I feel like being in smaller groups helps students feel less intimidated than talking in front of the whole class. For me I enjoyed breaking up into smaller groups because I felt like what I said actually mattered and I felt more comfortable speaking up.

[annie]

I love the idea of small groups. It's a way to get to know people in the class It provides more opportunities to hear different thoughts about the topic being discuss in class that day. The small groups helped me learn and helped refresh my memory on certain things.

[Devon Davis]

For me personally, I enjoy working in small groups because I am more engaged in small groups rather than one large group. Working in small groups allow for other members to listen more intently to what others in the group are saying. Students often times feel like they are going to fall asleep during lectures so they don't really fully grasp what the professor is explaining. At least from my experience, students are more alert in small groups and are more will to be more vocal rather than sitting through a lecture.

[Kameron Acebo]

I think working in small groups is engaging because you are forced to socialize. Also, you are able to listen to other people's ideas on the topic. From working in small groups you are able to meet new people, which is good because in a classroom you are not really given the opportunity to talk to others. I am not a big fan of class discussions, so small groups are a lot more comfortable for me personally.

[Baylee Andersen]

I agree with what has been said above. Small groups are more comfortable, especially for quieter people. They allow for you to get your ideas out and bounce them off of a few other people before having to share them with the whole class. I am personally much more likely to be engaged and participate in small group discussions than I am in class discussions.

[Brayde Rothe]

Small groups create a more interactive environment and also suggest students to go outside of their comfort zone. In addition it also gives introverts the chance to let their opinion shine some light to other fellow colleagues. From my personal experience I like small discussion groups because you get a chance to hear other people's opinions and sometimes it makes you take a different approach to ideas. Some of my views have been persuaded into another direction because of someone else in my class having me look at it another way.

[Courtney Phelps]

Small groups felt the most engaging to me because I am not one to just blurt out in the class, and with a smaller group I am able to speak up and still hear other opinions. I also just like the opportunity of getting to know some of my classmates on a more personal level, that doesn't really happen in a classroom setting.

[Shyla Banos]

I dont usually like to work in groups, but when it comes to having simple discussions about the course I do actually like it. It is helpful to hear about information from class from another student, when its put in different words its easier to understand than if just trying to understand the teacher. It also can just make the students feel more relaxed and this helps the classroom become more of a outspoken place. This can help students ask questions more, and helps with overall grades. Small group discussions can go a long way.

[Daniela Diaz]

I enjoy working in small groups because me being a really shy person this helps me meet my fellow classmates and give my opinion with out saying it in front of everyone. This also gives me more of the opportunity to listen to what others have to say about the subject and get some ideas and opinions. I also feel like it is not as much of pressure to be called in front of the class and be worried about getting the wrong answer. While in small groups it is more of listening and helping each other understand the context.

[Sapphire Dorfman]

Personally, I believe that working in small groups is very beneficial to every student's learning. In a small group, everyone gets to share their opinions and discuss their different ideas. I think it also really helps to discuss a certain concept in a small group before having a large class discussion because then we get to make sure that our opinion is correct, and that our phrasing of it makes sense. So if I say something in a particular way to my small group, and no one understands what I'm saying, I could rephrase my comment, reconstruct my idea, or come up with a better example in front of a couple of my peers before being put on the spot and having to answer in front of the whole class. Therefore, I believe that small groups are a great tool to use in the classroom.

[Kaitlyn Parr]

In my opinion, working in small groups is most engaging because people that may feel less comfortable speaking in front of the class and being on the spot, it allows them to voice their opinions and thoughts comfortably. I'm not one to always raise my hand because I get embarrassed easily and working in small groups has allowed me to not only hear more ideas and thoughts but has helped my fear of speaking in front of the class. Also, I feel as though I can ask more questions to my peers in smaller groups and get a better understanding of the topic. Sometimes in class, we may cover the subject or not go in much dept and in smaller groups, someone might explain the topic in simpler words. All in all, I agree with a majority of individuals, that small groups are a great tool to use in the classroom.

[Jennifer Bietschek]

I feel that small group discussions are engaging because I don’t feel as pressured to have the right answer. When I am speaking up in front of the whole class and I have the wrong idea or answer, I feel like I am being judged by the entire room. I also feel like I talk to much and need to give someone else a chance to peak up. This leaves me feeling like I shouldn't speak up, and if everyone feels that way then no one says anything. In small groups everyone can talk and it doesn't take a long time. When I am in a small group discussion I can have a different idea from someone else and not feel badly about it. I can also refine my own idea by using my group mates as a bounce board. I feel safer talking in a small group than I do in a large group. Small group discussions are also really good for connecting with classmates. If we are all on the same page and move past the discussion before the other groups do, we can talk about the homework or a topic that I didn’t quite understand. My group can also catch me up if I miss a day.