Overview: The jigsaw classroom is a research-based cooperative learning technique invented and developed in the early 1970s by Elliot Aronson and his students at the University of Texas and the University of California. Since 1971, thousands of classrooms have successfully used jigsaw.
"The Jigsaw Strategy is an efficient way to learn the course material in a cooperative learning style. The jigsaw progress encourages listening, engagement, and empathy by giving each member of the group an essential part to play in the academic activity. Group members must work together as a team to accomplish a common goal; each person depends on all the others. No student can succeed completely unless everyone works well together as a team. This 'cooperation by design' facilitates interaction among all students in the class, leading them to value each other as contributors to their common task."
-Schreyer Institute for Teaching
How to Use Jigsaw in the Classroom:
1. Divide the reading material by sections/segments.
Example:
Texas, My State
Geography of Texas
The First Texans
Republic of Texas
Government in Texas
2. Create the number of groups needed. One group per topic. Assign a number for each student in the group.
Example:
Group One: Students 1, 2, 3, 4
Group Two: Students 1, 2, 3, 4
Group Three: Students 1, 2, 3, 4
Group Four: Students 1, 2, 3, 4
Group One: Students 1, 2, 3, 4
Group Two: Students 1, 2, 3, 4
Group Three: Students 1, 2, 3, 4
Group Four: Students 1, 2, 3, 4
3. Appoint one student from each group as the leader.
4. Assign each group a different segment.
Example:
Group One: Reads Geography of Texas
Group Two: Reads The First Texans
Group Three: Reads Republic of Texas
Group Four: Reads Government in Texas
5. Give each group time to read over their segment at least twice and become familiar with it. Allow time for them to discuss their information.
6. Form temporary “expert groups” by taking one student from each jigsaw group. Join them with one student from each of the other jigsaw groups, thus creating all new groups.
Example:
Expert Group: All #1 students
Expert Group: All #2 students
Expert Group: All #3 students
Expert Group: All #4 students
7.Ask each student to present his or her segment to the new jigsaw group.
8. Float from group to group, observing the process.
* Follow up by giving them an assignment or assessment that covers all the information in the reading material assigned.
For more information and ideas on this topic click on the following links.
