How students learn: Mental maps

We all learn by acquiring information from our environment (through visual and auditory systems). We map the information in the brain in a unique and personal way that reflects how we relate to it. We use these mental maps to structure and code knowledge, store it, decode it, and recall it. As students learn about a topic, their minds creatively construct unique maps that place the new information in the context of their existing maps. Students will have myriad of unique experiences, learning styles, perceptions of their needs, and even perceptions of shared experiences. Although two students may read the same passage from a textbook, they will come to the discussion with different mental maps of the information. For example, a student who grew up near a beach may relate a biological process to the movement of water in the tides. Another student who worked in a laboratory may relate a process to a similar process in his/her research area. In the discussion session, students will bring their own mental maps to the group. By sharing understandings of the material and questions about it, the entire group will come to a consensus on the topic—a group mental map—that will be richer than the mental map of any individual. The multiple connections will enable participants to solve problems and apply the concepts in multiple ways, increasing their mastery of their knowledge. Students will then apply their extended knowledge on exam questions based on the discussion topics.

Logistics of discussion groups

Each discussion group typically consists of 12–14 students and one group leader. In Introductory Biology at Rice University, the discussion groups meet on pre-determined dates during the semester. Meetings should occur in locations that foster face-to-face communication (not rows of chairs facing a lecturer’s podium).

During each discussion session, students discuss two pre-assigned topics. Topics are assigned in class and by email or posting on the course website. Students have one week to research the topics and complete a Preparation Form for each topic. Completed Preparation Forms will be brought to each session and handed in to the group leader at the end of the session.

Roles

Before the session begins, the group leader prepares a list showing who will fill each role. Only at the beginning of the session, the group leader announces the roles for particular students. To motivate students to prepare, group roles are kept secret until the session begins. The roles are as follows:

Time management

Each of the two topics is discussed for approximately 20 minutes:

When discussion of a topic concludes, the group leader then comments on the group’s discussion for 1–2 minutes.

Organizing the first session

During the first meeting, use a few simple techniques to establish a friendly atmosphere. Then use the rest of the meeting time to have a “practice” discussion in which you take the role of presenter.

Establishing a friendly atmosphere

First, spend a few minutes to establish your credibility as a group leader. Introduce yourself. Here are simple questions you might answer for the students. What year are you? What is your major? If you took the course earlier, when did you take it? Tell the students a little bit about your experience with group discussions. Have you been a group leader before? As a student? What did you find most helpful about discussions? What were the biggest challenges you faced? How did you overcome them?

Now, ask the students to introduce themselves. Invite them to tell the group a little about themselves, such as what they are majoring in, why they considered the course important, where they are from, what their hobbies are, what kind of music they like, etc. Earlier group leaders have found these questions inspire more camaraderie.

To be recognized in the larger lecture course records and sessions, each group needs to come up with a name—the more original, the better. Let each group spend a few minutes brainstorming its group name. Discourage obscene names. Inform the students that their team’s name may be recognized in class if they excel as a group. In some courses, for example, multiple groups compete to provide the best summary on each topic and receive points for quality. Following each session, the course instructors announce (in class and online) the group(s) that submitted the best summaries.

The first discussion

After these activities, explain to the students how discussions work and that today will be a “practice” session. Assign students roles, but take the role of presenter yourself. Model a thorough but concise presentation on the assigned topic. Use a whiteboard or legal pad, if necessary. Finish on time and invite discussion to follow. In some courses, students are not graded on their participation during this practice session (although their preparation forms are checked and graded). Although not essential to the success of discussion sessions in a course, the practice session does help to familiarize students with the process.

Establishing the tone

It is important to establish a tone in each session that encourages students to feel comfortable sharing their ideas with one another. Students can be insecure about what they know, and few, if any, students may have participated in small group discussions in a large lecture class. As the group leader, you must establish a tone in which students know that everyone has a right to speak and, in fact, is expected to do so.

Whenever possible, have group members sit in a circle or facing one another. Try to relax the students. Establish ground rules for the discussions: The primary presenter should not be interrupted during his/her presentation. During the discussion, only one person should speak at a time—no talking over others! Students should listen respectfully, without attacking or making fun of another’s ideas or interpretations. If a student disagrees, he/she must disagree with the idea, not with the person.

Providing feedback to your group

When the discussion ends, you will evaluate what the group accomplished. Answer such questions as the following: Did they reach a consensus about the topic? Were there any points of confusion to clarify? What were the highlights of the discussion? What questions about the topics remain? How might the group work better next time?

Note exceptionally insightful or helpful comments and explain their value. Use communications (email or verbal) outside of the group discussion period to compliment contributions or encourage shy students to participate in the future.

Giving feedback to disruptive participants

Psychologists have urged instructors, managers, and parents to place the pressure for positive participation on disruptive individuals through DESCRIBING the behavior’s effect on the group or on another individual instead of LABELING the behavior.

DON’T SAY:Harold was a complainer; he whined about the traffic during our discussion time.

DO SAY:The group got off to a slow start because after Jean presented, Harold spent the first full minute talking about the traffic on the way to school. The best time to refine the explanation is right after the presenter finishes.

Once you’ve described the effect of the disruption, the responsibility shifts to the person who caused the problem. The ball is then in his or her court. Obviously, the list of disruptions we might mention could be long, but four types are probably the most problematic.

Unless the entire session appears to be headed toward disaster, it’s best to let group members try to deal with the offensive folks themselves. The best response during the feedback session is to point to the good outcomes or benefits of NOT doing the disruptive behaviors. Here are some samples:

Preparation forms

Students can earn from 0-2 points for their preparation forms:

Presentations

Students can earn from 0-12 points for a presentation. You will evaluate student presentations using the form on page 15 of this handbook.

Discussion participation

Students can earn from 0-2 points for participation in discussions:

For each discussion session, you will have a list of all the students in your group. Next to each student’s name, make a mark for a marginal contribution (for example, a checkmark √). For positive contributions, make a different mark (for example, a plus sign +). At the end of the session, you will be able to determine whether students have earned 0 points (no marks), 1 point (only checkmarks, √), or 2 points (one or more plus signs, +) for their discussion.

Summarizing

Students can earn from 0 to 2 points for their role as summarizer/synthesizer. Give them points for adequately summarizing and synthesizing, for example:

Reiterating presenter’s main points

Incorporating the discussion comments into the presenter’s material

Synthesizing the multiple areas of the discussion into a coherent summary

Many students have difficulty with this task. A handout on summarizing/ synthesizing, with poor and good examples, is provided on page 12 of this handbook.

Written summaries

Students can earn from 0-12 points for a written summary. Course instructors will also recognize groups with excellent written summaries by posting their summaries on-line and the announcing the names of the “winning” groups in class.

You will evaluate the written summaries using the evaluation form on page 14 of this handbook.

Contribution to student’s grade in class

In Introductory Biology at Rice University, the maximum points earned from discussion session assignments is 100 points. The maximum points come from the following five categories:

In Introductory Biology at Rice University, there are four one-hour exams (100 points each) during the semester plus a final cumulative exam (200 points). The lowest exam grade of the four exams taken during the semester will not be counted in the final tally. Thus, a student can earn 600 points in the course, of which 100 points are discussion session points.

Schedule of Discussion Sessions

Procedure for students to submit papers

Students must email their completed written summaries to their group leaders, sending a copy to the course instructors no later than the specified time. Include the author’s name and the group name in the header of the report.

Grading and returning

Group leaders must grade and return the completed form (and the written summaries, if notes were made on it) no later than the specified time.