Supporting Groupwork withOnline Learning

Kelli McGrawhttp://kellimcgraw.wordpress.com/

NSW DET G&T PolicyTeachers may use a variety of teaching and learning strategies to

support gifted and talented students, including:

• various grouping strategies • accelerated progression • extension activities within and across classes • enrichment • negotiated contract work • open-ended questions, activities and assignments • online learning • hypothesis testing and problem solving • individual research and investigation • opportunities for peer tutoring and assessment • mentors with specific expertise.

Renzulli

Renzulli identifies three traits of giftedness

1. above average though not necessarily superior general ability;

2. high level of task commitment or intrinsic motivation;

3. and creativity

Grouping Strategies

Term 1: Friendship groups (groups designed a magazine cover)

Term 2: Special interest groups (students selected a novel to study and worked with others who had selected the same novel)

Term 3: Mixed-ability groups (based on pre-testing of student knowledge of

familiarity with video games)

Key Observations: Groupwork

• Friendship groups can limit creativity unless scaffolding e.g. jigsaw grouping is used

• Special Interest groups foster intrinsic motivation, but organisation must be flexible and the product must be clear

• Mixed Ability groups require a high level of task scaffolding e.g. use of specific ‘roles’; mandatory communication etc. to foster group cohesion

Key Observations: Online Learning

• Engaging students in online spaces encouraged dialogue and creative thinking

• Online communication enabled (most) ‘quiet’ students to have a ‘voice’

• Groups appreciate an online space that they can take ownership of and be accountable for

• Students appreciated timely, personalised feedback

• Students require boundaries and guidelines for successful online working

The End

Kelli McGrawhttp://kellimcgraw.wordpress.com/