Questions and Challenges

These models would work best for a small class, no more than 10-15 students. Larger classes and team-taught courses could also be divided into small groups (as may be necessitated anyway for in-person distancing), and at least one of our models—the Discussion Tutorial—is designed with larger classes in mind.

Small-group models can work well for all levels of courses. In introductory courses, students are new to college anyway and are open to whatever structure the professor presents. The first year is a good time for students to get immediately engaged in their classwork through small-group models. Intermediate courses are ideal for honing writing and response skills. Advanced courses, where the material is complex and challenging, can be optimal for students to master sophisticated concepts with more individualized attention.

These models are shown to work well in the humanities and social sciences, but we believe they are also adaptable to STEM subjects. The skills that small groups hone—of creative problem-solving, effective writing, giving voice to ideas, and contributing to intellectual partnerships—are vital to all three areas.

Students may be nervous about interacting with peers and professors in small settings. They are likely to have done group work throughout their schooling, and may think negatively of it (smart people do all the work; passive people can kick back and coast). Yet these small-group models tailored for college will be new to their experience. Instructors can prepare them and set the lens for how they view small-group work by discussing the aims and describing the richness of intellectual partnership at the beginning of the semester (see syllabus excerpt in Resources).

Depending on the number of small groups, these models could end up making significant demands on the instructor’s time. Theoretically, the total amount of contact hours for the instructor would remain the same (e.g., one-hour meetings with 3 groups of 8 per week), but this does not take into account additional time spent on such things as recording video lectures and meeting with students individually.

Whatever assessment method is used, students may be more focused than usual on grades as the economic uncertainty of the pandemic places more importance on scholarships, professional school admission, and other competitive GPA situations. Even a non-traditional or holistic method that seems designed to lower grade anxiety could create preoccupation and worry. Instructors should work harder than ever to communicate transparently about assessment and to give frequent feedback.