TABLE 1.
Key characteristics of common group-learning formats
| Format | How groups are used in class | How groups are formed | What groups do | How groups are assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Informal group formats | ||||
| Collaborative/cooperative learning | Intermittently | Self-selected or instructor formed, with students possibly assuming rotating roles | Address questions or problems to process ideas in class | Occasional in-class work for a group grade or participation points (optional) |
| Peer discussion | Intermittently | Self-selected groups of neighboring students | Address questions or problems to process ideas in class | Occasional in-class work for a group grade or participation points (optional) |
| Formal pedagogical approaches using groups | ||||
| Peer instruction (PI) | Consistently as the primary mechanism for processing content | Self-selected groups of neighboring students | Discuss questions after individual students have responded using polling devices; students possibly follow up with a revote | Individual responses via polling systems for a grade or participation points (optional) |
| Problem-based learning (PBL) | Consistently as the primary mechanism for processing content | Instructor-formed groups of four to five students, with students possibly assuming rotating roles | Address complex and/or real-world problems over multiple sessions | Group problem solutions for a group grade; peer review |
| Team-based learning (TBL) | Consistently as the primary mechanism for processing content | Instructor-formed groups of four to seven students | Address application questions, with all groups addressing the same question and answering simultaneously using color-coded cards | Individual and team quizzes on preparation; group application exercises for a team grade (optional); peer review |
| Process-oriented guided inquiry (POGIL) | Consistently, but may be the primary mechanism for engaging with selected content | Instructor-formed groups of three to four students, with students assuming rotating roles | Engage with structured materials to build conceptual understanding from examples or data | Group problem solutions for a group grade or participation points (optional); group quiz (optional); individual follow-up quiz (optional) |
| Structured group format external to class time | ||||
| Peer-led team learning (PLTL) | Supplemental to class and usually voluntary | Self-selected groups (by registration) of six to eight students with a trained peer leader (1–2 hours per week) | Engage with structured materials to build conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills | Ungraded or graded depending on whether students receive separate credit; assessments (if warranted) directed toward preparation activities and/or activities during the session |