The "Jigsaw" Technique
The jigsaw technique is a method of organizing classroom activity that makes students dependent on each other to succeed. It breaks classes into groups and breaks assignments into pieces that the group assembles to complete the jigsaw puzzle.
Just as in jigsaw puzzle, each piece- each student's part is essential for coming to grips with a final product. Group member must believe that each person's efforts benefit not only him or herself, but all group members as well. Learners perceive that they need each other in order to complete the group task "Sink or swim together".
Important cognitive activities and interpersonal dynamics only occur when students promote each other's learning. It includes oral explanations of how to solve a problem, connecting present learning with past knowledge, speaking one's mind openly, providing feedback.
Unfinished jigsaw puzzle screenshot - butterfly on...
A "whimsy" from a nautical-themed wooden jigsaw pu...
3D Jigsaw puzzleSome more advantages of the jigsaw classroom are that:
Most teachers find jigsaw easy to learn
Most teachers enjoy working with it
It can be used with other teaching strategies
It works even if only used for an hour per day
It is free for the taking
By means of jigsaw technique students create their own learning. Teachers arrange students into small groups of 5-6 students. Each group member is assigned a different piece of information which he need to suss out. Group members then join with members of other groups assigned the same piece of information, share ideas about the information. Eventually, students return to their original groups to try to bandy about tasks.
On the other hand, as every medal has two sides, there are also disadvantages of this technique. First of all, some...