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 schnable@uoguelph.ca 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.