EFFECTIVE LEARNING IN GROUPS

Instructional Strategies for Adults

Virginia Commonwealth University
ADLT 603 – Spring 2010
Brandy Peterson, Kris Tritschler, Jonathan West,
Eunjin Yoo
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

To share prior experiences of meaningful

and effective learning in groups

To recognize key factors that impact

meaningful and effective learning in groups

To practice the Readiness Assurance

Process

To identify key learning take aways and

make action plans for applying
PRIOR EXPERIENCE OF LEARNING IN
GROUPS

Factors Factors
that that
Positive
Benefits Challenges
experiences
contributed detracted
to your from your
learning learning
TYPES OF GROUP LEARNING

• learner’s work on task leading to

acquisition of subject matter
Cooperative • discover existing knowledge – objective,
rational definitive, & scientific

• shared inquiry – individuals work

together to construct knowledge
Collaborative • Social sciences, leadership, org
behavior, management

• Revision of underlying expectations,

assumptions, or perspectives
Transformative • Changing behavior, attitudes, practices,
or career
MEANINGFUL LEARNING

• (Veridical is getting right answers)

Nonveridical • Reflection
learning • Comparison
• Approximation

Activities that • Narrative

increase • Journaling
cognitive • Autobiography
complexity • Case study, problem based learning

• Activated attention enhances learning –

‘Aha! What’s this?’
Teaching as an • Perceived threat – brain less available,
act of care flight or fight
• Balance of support & challenge
GROUP LEARNING WORKSHEET 1

 Set 1
 Eliminating bias against group activities
 Keeping the activities on track

 Set 2
 Ensuring group participation
 Keeping awareness of speed and flow

 Set 3
 Establishing ground rules
 Creating a climate for learning
READINESS ASSURANCE PROCESS

Individual
accountability

Active,
Rewards for
energetic group
group success
discussion

Immediate and
meaningful
feedback
EXAMPLES OF GROUP LEARNING
STRATEGIES
Discussion

Gaming

Role play

Simulation

Projects

Experiential activities
MAKING THE CONNECTION

 What are your key learning takeaways from this

session?

BRIDGING THE GAP

 How will you put these into practice?