Group Investigation has a strong foundation in John Dewey's philosophy of education where he believed that the students would have experienced meaningful learning if they have been exposed to the stages of scientific inquiry. So, this would help students "learn how to learn" (Sharan & Sharan, 1992). However, it is equally important to create a cooperative learning environment that involves interaction among students, interpretation of information and findings as well as intrinsic motivation where students are motivated to take an active role in determining what and how they will learn so that Group Investigation can then be effective.
Learning...
Students have a role in implementing the learning tasks from the start.
Communication and cooperation between students is necessary.
Students also take a role in evaluating the final project.
Teaching...
The teacher does not dispense the knowledge.
The teacher’s role is to guide and offer advice.
Dimensions in the Group Investigation Model
Topics must be general enough to encompass a number of subtopics.
The subtopics must constitute a level of challenge that requires its own independent group.
There must be frequent interaction and integration of work between groups.
The teacher must create an environment where all this can take place.
Employment of the Model
The teacher selects a general topic.
Brainstorming is done with the whole group or class.
Students should answer...
What shall we study?
How do we study it?
For what purpose are we studying it?
How will we share the knowledge we gain?
Organization of the Class
Students join a group of their choice. The teacher may need to offer advice to keep the groups a manageable size.
Students decide how the various groups will interact with each other.
Students organize the classroom itself to facilitate their needs.
Small Group
Groups set goals and identify subtopics that will be addressed.
Groups divide the tasks among its members.
Carrying Out the Investigation
Students put their plans to work, collecting information, analyzing it, and drawing conclusions.
This often takes longer than planned, but should be allowed as long as students are working productively.
Preparing the Final Product
Within a group, it must be decided how to present their information to the others.
Planning must also take place between groups to decide how their presentations will be coordinated.
Effectiveness
In 1984, a large scale study was done to study the effectiveness of Group Investigations and Student-Teams Academic Divisions.
Both models showed slightly higher scores on low-level questions over whole-class instruction.
Group Investigation showed significantly higher scores on questions requiring complex thinking skills.
Disadvantages-
Gifted students often end up doing all the work in a heterogeneous group.
Students sometimes are not taught social skills prior to the implication of the model.
Teachers sometimes are not extremely flexible.
Advantages
Students can find unlimited resources with a single computer and internet service.
Students could possibly interact with other groups through distance learning.
Sights and sounds are available at the click of a button to enhance any presentation.
Some Online References
http://intranet.cps.k12.il.us/Training/Courses/DOS/Technology_Integration/Activity_3_TI_Class/Small_Group_Investigation/small_group_investigation.html
http://www.ucc.uconn.edu/~wwwgt./robinsoa.html
http://cal.bradley.edu/HyperNews/get/forums/ETE653/58.html
Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.(Proverbs 3: 13-18)
DIVINE CARNATION
- Education For All
- I am creative, outgoing and love nature. I am at the top of it all and I know who got me there. My daily Prayer to the Most High God is-- "Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!"
Welcome
Greetings from The Commonwealth of Dominica.
Dominica is The Nature Ilse of the Caribbean.
Simply natural, green and alive.
The Commonwealth of Dominica is an island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago. It is the largest and most mountainous of the Windward Islands, with volcanic peaks, mountain streams and rivers, beachesof both black (volcanic) and golden sands, dense forests, quietlakes, waterfalls, geysers and boiling volcanic pools.Dominica is a major eco-tourist destination.
The island, which was originally occupied by Carib Indians(some of whose descendants remain), was discovered by Columbus in 1493 and colonised by the French in the 1600s. In 1805, the island became a British possession and remained under British rule until 1967, when internal self-government was granted, followed by full independence in1978.
The Capital of The Commonwealth of Dominica is Roseau. The official language of Dominica is English. A French patois Creole is spoken by most persons on the island.
The island, which was originally occupied by Carib Indians(some of whose descendants remain), was discovered by Columbus in 1493 and colonised by the French in the 1600s. In 1805, the island became a British possession and remained under British rule until 1967, when internal self-government was granted, followed by full independence in1978.
The Capital of The Commonwealth of Dominica is Roseau. The official language of Dominica is English. A French patois Creole is spoken by most persons on the island.
The Commonwealth of Dominica became an independent state on November 3rd 1978.
The flag of The Commonwealth of Dominica is
Dominica Coat of Arms
The shield is supported by two Sisserou parrots (Amazona imperialis). They are perched on a strip of parchment on which is written in Creole, the national motto: "Apres Bondie C’est La Ter". In the established form accepted by Creole linguists today it would be written: "Apwe Bondye Se La Te." It means, "After God it is the Land". However "La Te" can be translated to mean, the land, the Earth or the soil. But the message of the motto for the people of a mainly agricultural island is that after praising God first, the next most important thing is the land in the form of bearing fruit. It can also be extended to mean the land in the nationalist sense that after your commitment to God then comes your commitment to your country. The use of Creole represents also the influence of France on the island and the part played by African traditions and language in the creation of the Creole heritage.
Dominica
Nature Island
No comments:
Post a Comment