Some of the common fears about working with groups include student fears that each member will not pull their weight as a part of the group. Students are scared that their grade will be lower as a result of the group learning vs. learning they do individually. One way to address this issue is to use a group activity to allow the group to outline acceptable group behavior. Groups then can use this as a way to monitor individual contributions to the group and as a way to evaluate group participation. The Double Entry Journal can be used as a way for students to take notes on articles and other resources they read in preparation for class discussion.
Students bring their journal notes to class.
Once in class, students may use their double entry journal to begin discussion, to do a paired annotation, or for other classroom and group activity. The goal of this activity is to generate discussion among student groups about a specific topic or content area. Faculty may assign a reading or written assignment as well. Instructor then gives the students a set of generic question stems. Students work individually to write their own questions based on the material being covered.