Using the jigsaw technique in Chemistry.

1. Collaborative Student
Learning in Chemistry
Using the Jigsaw
Technique in the
Chemistry classroom
to enhance learning
by
Richard Zahra
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2. Our Shared Goal:
To try out new and more effective
Chemistry teaching strategies (within our
system constraints) in order to motivate
our students to learn and turn our labs
into more effective learning communities
where students of different abilities are
given the opportunity to achieve their full
potential.
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3. By the end of the module
you should be able to:
Define the Jigsaw learning technique.
Explain the educational benefits that
collaborative learning methods such as
Jigsaw bring about.
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4. By the end of the module
you should be able to:
Explain how the Jigsaw technique can be
applied to the Chemistry classroom
effectively.
Analyse a real classroom situation in
which Jigsaw was tried out and reflect on
and evaluate its effectiveness.
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5. By the end of the module
you should be able to:
Adopt a positive attitude towards the
introduction (trial) of the Jigsaw technique
in your Chemistry classroom after
evaluating its effectiveness.
Apply the Jigsaw technique to your the
Chemistry classroom as an alternative to
(often ineffective) transmission teaching
of information-laden topics.
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6. Points to Ponder 1
Superteacher
Do you feel that it is
often taken for
granted that we
teachers are very
familiar with
differentiated teaching
but that in reality we
Knows it
all
lack expertise and
experience?
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7. Points to Ponder 2
Do you honestly
believe that
differentiated and
collaborative
learning
techniques can
be feasibly
implemented
within the
constraints of our
local system?
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8. Points to Ponder 3
Is collaborative learning worth using
in the Chemistry classroom? Why?
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9. Benefits of Collaborative Learning
If students are to make sense of scientific
and mathematical concepts, then they will
need opportunities to share, discuss and
work together.
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10. Benefits of Collaborative Learning
Research has shown
that cooperative small
group work has
positive effects on
learning, social skills
and self-esteem.
(Askew and William,
1995)
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11. Benefits of Collaborative Learning
However, success is dependent
on:
– Shared Goals for the group
– Individual accountability for the
attainment of these goals
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12. Collaborative learning
reflects real Science
“Science is a
collaborative enterprise,
and the traditional
environment for
scientific collaboration is
the laboratory.”
HROs
T. A. Finholt, G. M. Olson, From Laboratories to Collaboratories: A new
Organizational Form for Scientific Collaboration, Psychological
Science, 8(1), pp. 28 – 26, 1997.
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13. Jigsaw Can Improve Chemistry Education
Research has indicated that the jigsaw strategy is an
effective way to develop students’ collaborative skills,
scientific knowledge and positive attitudes towards
science.
Very useful for
expository topics
like Atmosphere,
Nitrogen, Sulfur.
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14. Jigsaw Classroom
Six Key Phases
•Teacher assigns group structure
•Students become ‘experts’ by researching their sub-topic
(teacher ensures that info is accurate)
•Students return to their original mixed groups to teach each
other
•Teacher assesses students’ understanding of the topic
•Teacher asks each group to solve a problem that requires
students to synthesize what they have learnt
•Students reflect on their collaborative work and find what they
can improve
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15. Jigsaw Classroom
The Jigsaw technique
is a way of practising
Differentiated
Teaching in a subtle
way. All students’
contributions are
valuable, no matter
the academic level of
the content they are
assigned.
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16. Jigsaw Classroom
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17. Jigsaw Classroom
Observe this video of 2
Jigsaw Chemistry Classes.
Analysis suggestions:
• Student ownership
• Motivation
• Involvement
• Behaviour
• Accountability for learning
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18. The teacher’s role
during groupwork
Also
discuss
what the
teacher’s
role should
be during
the
groupwork
activity. R. Zahra 18

19. Jigsaw Video Analysis
1) Take notes
individually during
video. Jot down your
observations (15
mins)
2) After the video
briefly discuss
your observations
in pairs (5 mins)
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20. Jigsaw Video Analysis
Each two pairs will
then unite with another
pair and prepare a short
presentation (max 4
mins) of your
observations. (You will
be given a handout
about the teacher’s role
during groupwork and
one about ground
rules). R. Zahra 20

21. “Improvement
begins
with
I.”
Arnold H. Glasow
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22. Thanks for your attention
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