Jigsaw

Definition:

Jigsaw is a cooperative learning technique in which students work in teams to become experts on a topic or a portion of a topic, then share the information with members of other teams.

Steps:

Divide students into groups of three or four members.

Identify each group with a topic or name. These groups are called Expert Groups.

Each group should have different material to master. This material may be primary source or secondary source readings. Each member of the group must become an “expert” on their topic and material.

Re-divide groups. This group is called a Home Group. Each Home Group has a representative from each of the Expert Groups.

Ask students to teach the topic they mastered in the Expert Groups to their Home Group. Students in the Home Group are accountable for all of the shared information.

When To Use:

This strategy can be used in any subject area, and either at the beginning of the unit of study, in the middle, or at the end.

Resources:

Aronson, Elliot, and Patnoe, Shelly (Contributor). (1996). The Jigsaw Classroom: Building Cooperation in the Classroom. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

Ellis, Susan S., and Whalen, Susan F. (1996). Cooperative Learning: Getting Started. Scholastic Trade.

Slavin, Robert E. (1990) Cooperative Learning: Theory, Research, and Practice. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

http://discoversd.tie.net/teacher/get_started/jigsaw.html