Jigsaw Method Active Learning

[HigherEd7]

Has anyone used the jigsaw method in their classrooms? If so how did you use it and was it effective for student engagement and learning?

[aphid]

Yes and yes to answer the first and last questions in your post.

How to do it: Part 1: Divide your class up into groups. Each group (let's call them Groups A, B, C & D) is assigned a specific topic (different topics for each group). Give the groups an appropriate amount of class time to learn about their topic, if necessary assign reading material beforehand, and give each group 3-5 questions to answer about their topic. Part 2: Create new groups (Groups 1, 2, 3 & 4), the new groups each contain one member from each original group (so group 1 contains one person from A,B,C, &D). Each member of the group teaches the others about their specific topic. Give each new group questions to answer that requires them to apply the knowledge of multiple topics. I find this active learning technique works best in smallish classes (or else it becomes too logistically challenging) when you have multiple comparable class topics that you want students to learn about.

[HigherEd7]

How would you give students weekly credit for this assignment? What if a student does not do the reading?

[sprout]

Bookmarking.  I'm curious about implementation too.  Possibly related to HigherEd7's question, what do you do if, say person 1A just does a really terrible job learning their topic and/or explaining it to the rest of group 1?  How do you prevent that, or correct it if you can't prevent it?

[HigherEd7]

Also is this something I can do every week. For example, for a class that meets every Tuesday and Thursday I will assign each member of the group a topic on Thursday to learn and be ready to discuss on Tuesday. Students will present their topic to the rest of the group and Tuesday; I will use Thursday as time to lecture on some of the important points in the chapter and invite discussion followed by a quiz.