Jigsaw Classroom

     As educators, we are constantly looking for new ways to teach and engage our students. It helps to try and research different techniques, and one system that is tried and proven, is the Jigsaw method. The Jigsaw method is a cooperative learning technique in which students work in small groups, and are given a specific task that is a part of the group. Each student is given a topic to do research one, and once their research is complete, the students will come together to present what they have learned to their group (meanwhile becoming experts on their topic). But before they present their information to their groups, the students doing the research do not immediately take it back to their jigsaw group. Instead, they meet first with students who have the identical assignment (one from each jigsaw group), and confirm that the information that they have is accurate.
     Jigsaw groups enable students to become efficient at learning material, while more importantly encouraging important social skills among students such as listening, engagement, and empathy. It also encourages accountability because the only way for the group to succeed, is for them to all work together and share the information that they have obtained. No student can succeed completely unless everyone works well together as a team.  
     So how do we incorporate technology (or limited technology for that matter...) into the Jigsaw method? What if we only have access to 5 computers in a classroom, but we have several groups of students who need to conduct research on their topic? One way, could be to have each topic group come together to do their research, taking turns and focusing on particular aspects of their topic. This would enable the students to learn first hand about sharing a task, and breaking it into smaller, more manageable pieces. 
     Though it seems that the Jigsaw method is the answer to many teachers' prayers, there are several disadvantages to it. Groups could be dominated by one student who is competitive and wants to monopolize conversation, or students who refuse to work as a group because they don't like another person in their group, or there could be students who lack the necessary social skills to properly conduct themselves in a group activity. As long as the teacher keeps those lines of communication open, and is flexible when it comes to addressing certain issues such as those mentioned above, the Jigsaw method could prove to be an invaluable asset to any teacher's curriculum. To learn more about the Jigsaw method, please visit one of these websites, http://www.jigsaw.org/overview.htm, or http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/coop/page4.html.