ON DEMAND: Interactive Exam Preparation for Students: A Jigsaw Technique (5 mins)

Abstract

Providing students with effective opportunities to deeply understand concepts can be difficult. Especially in preparation for exams, students could benefit from an activity session that challenges them to actively engage in theoretical classroom content. A modified jigsaw technique is utilized. In a class of 20-25 students, 5 groups are formed with 4 or 5 students in each group. Each group is assigned a distinct topic and tasked with becoming the ‘resident experts’ on their topic. After 30 minutes of compiling all information on the given topic, new groups are formed. The new groups consist of one representative from each of the original groups. Students are then tasked with leading the discussion/teaching the material on their given topic within their new group. Each student in the new group discusses/teaches their content until all students in the new group have delivered their respective material. This session has been delivered to undergraduate Kinesiology majors in KINE 410 Exercise Physiology II. Providing students with an opportunity to articulate concepts to others helps them to synthesize the material. Moreover, students seem to enjoy the interaction and helping peers prepare for exams. Participants from a variety of disciplines will be able to devise a modified jigsaw study session. This interactive, peer teaching and learning technique has worked well in a science-based course but could be implemented in a multitude of subjects.