facilitating inclusivity in groups and disscussions
TRANSCRIPT
Facilitating InclusivityDuring Group Work and Discussion Activities in Seminars
Laura SchnableggerUTTP 2015
Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to: Identify the causes of a lack of student participation in
group work and discussions during in-class activities; and Identify and apply approaches and strategies to develop
inclusivity in group work and discussions activities while analyzing case studies that are representative of multilingual and multicultural higher education classrooms.
Outline
DISCUSS: Your experiences with participation LEARN: Barriers to Inclusive Discussions and Group Work
Activities ENGAGE: Case Studies
Strategies for Facilitating Inclusive Discussions and Group Work
Reflection Questions
How did the large group questioning make you feel?
As a learner, what challenges do you experience when participating in in-class discussions and group work?
Discuss with a Partner
Share your responses to the previous questions with a partner
Think about: What type of participation is commonly expected
in higher education classrooms? Are these participation activities inclusive? If not,
why?
Barriers to Inclusive Discussions/ Group Work Activities Cultural Differences Learning, Studying and Personal Preferences Differences in Experience and Knowledge
Video: The Use of Silence in Japan
High Context vs. Low Context Cultures
Student-Centered Learning Approaches Culturally rooted approaches to student learning Dependent on oral communication Silence/lack of participation = social isolation, deficits in
critical thinking skills or English language Don’t reflect learning traditions of other cultures (Turner,
2013) Value individual reflection and silent critical contemplation
Why might international students struggle to participate in discussions and groups?
Culture Cultural communication styles / cultural learning traditions
Have less experience with participation than North American peers Feeling marginalized or excluded
Use of cultural references in classrooms Language
Lack of confidence in oral language abilities Challenges in processing speech rate of native-English speakers
Why might international students struggle to participate in discussions and groups? Different understandings of collaboration
(individualistic versus collectivist) Different expectations of group member behaviour Different methods of communicating conflict Different goals (individual versus group reward)
Why might any student struggle to participate in discussions and groups? Different levels of knowledge or experience Talkative students Need more context/ knowledge to contribute Challenges with establishing team dynamics and
processes (Popov et al., 2012) Planning and task coordination Decision making Timeline adherence Agreeing to group behaviour
What can we do as instructors? Participation as a Skill
Consider group work and participation as skills that need to be developed
Don’t assume all students have participation skills Explore student participation on a smaller scale
Assess student participation in different ways Don’t assume student integration will occur
naturally or over time
What can we do as instructors?
Give thought to task and logistics (Edmead, 2013) Do all students have the cultural related knowledge and
experience to answer the questions? Do all students have an equal opportunity to participate
(given time and class size)?
What can we do as instructors? Structure and Support Group Work
Based on research, the following elements will foster the involvement of all students and will lead to increased motivation (Kimmel and Volet, 2010)
Teacher support Allow class time to work on group projects Assign reasonable workload Monitor free-riding
Continued from previous slide…
Emphasize relevance of group work (Pfaff and Huddleston,2003)
Include in learning outcomes Clear task instructions Establish group dynamics
Better group dynamics result when students know how to act and what to expect from their counterparts in group situations (Popov et al. (2012)
What can we do as instructors? Consider alternatives to instructor-driven
evaluation Student-self assessment Peer evaluation or input See Mainkar (2008) who developed a peer
evaluation sheet for discussion contributions
Debate: Group work used as assessment Might not promote group work skills as the pressure to
succeed overrides student desire to engage with the process (Edmead, 2013)
Vs. Individualists are more likely to “loaf” if individual contributes
to group are not rewarded or noticed (Popov et al., 2012)
My Recommendation: Evaluate BOTH individual contributions and final group product (also consider having peers assess each other)
Debate: Monocultural vs. Multicultural Groups Culturally diverse groups
Differences in prior knowledge, experiences and understandings become more apparent
BUT it increases opportunities to Share knowledge, cultural backgrounds, experiences and
learning traditions Help students value diversity Help students think critically about their biases and assumptions
Kimmel and Volet (2010)
Benefits Builds confidence in expressing opinions and views Capitalize on diverse and multicultural environment
(Edmead, 2013) Creates a more supported learning environment for all
students Students who actively participate retain more
information (Mainkar, 2008)
Final Activity
Group work – scenario analysis Assign group roles (recorder, time keeper, presenters) Determine instructional strategies you would use to
address the scenario provided Large group discuss – share your strategies
Questions?
Please feel free to write down questions on cards with your e-mail address
Laura SchnableggerEnglish-as-an-Additional Language Specialist Learning and Curriculum Support Team [email protected] X 52086
References Edmead, C. (2013). Chapter 1: Capitalising on a multicultural learning
environment: Using group work as a mechanism for student integration In J. Ryan (Ed.) Cross-Cultural Teaching and Learning for
Home and International Students: Internationalisation of Pedagogy and Curriculum in Higher Education. New York: Routledge.
Kimmel K. and Volet S. (2010). Significance of context in university students’ (meta) cognitions related to group work: A multi-layered, multi-dimensional and cultural approach. Learning and Instruction, 20. Retrieved from www.lib.uoguelph.ca
Mainkar, A. (2008). A student-empowered system for measuring and weighing participation in class discussion. Journal of Management Education, 32 (1). Retrieved from www.lib.uoguelph.ca
References
McGrath-Champ et al. (2013). Chapter 2: Exploring new frontiers in an internationalised classroom: Team-based learning and reflective journals as innovative learning strategies. In J. Ryan (Ed.)
Cross-Cultural Teaching and Learning for Home and International Students: Internationalisation of Pedagogy and Curriculum in Higher Education. New York: Routledge.
Pfaff E. and Huddleston P. (2003). Does it matter if I hate teamwork? What impacts student attitudes towards teamwork. Journal of Marketing Education, 25 (1). Retrieved from www.lib.uoguelph.ca
References
Popov et al. (2012). Multicultural student group work in higher education. An explorative case study on challenges as perceived by students. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 36. Retrieved from www.lib.uoguelph.ca
Turner, Y. (2013). Pathologies of silence? Reflecting on international learner identities amidst the classroom chatter. In J. Ryan (Ed.) Cross-Cultural Teaching and Learning for Home and International Students: Internationalisation of Pedagogy and Curriculum in Higher Education. New York: Routledge.