Description --
In this model, the instructor would record weekly video lectures on the assigned material (either one longer lecture or - perhaps preferably - a number of shorter bite-size lectures) for students to watch asynchronously. Instead of full class meetings, students would meet with the instructor on a weekly basis in smaller groups of 4-8 for 45-60 minutes (depending on the total size of the class). For example, in a class of 24 students, there might be 3 groups of 8 students each meeting with the professor for one hour a week.
Discussion in small groups might be structured in a couple of different ways. The video lecture(s) for the week might end with a question or prompt for students to think about and which could provide an initial focus for discussion. Alternatively (or additionally), students could be asked to submit a short reading response in advance of the small group meeting, which the instructor could use to help direct the discussion to points of interest or confusion. Another possibility would be to have one or two students write a short “position paper” to be distributed to members of the group in advance. This would allow students to get feedback on their ideas before revising the paper into a longer and more polished version to be submitted for grading. (Depending on the numbers in each group and the frequency of position paper assignments, students might have the freedom to choose which of their position papers they wanted to develop into a full paper.)
Advantages --
This model incorporates some of the advantages of the “Oxbridge Model” (greater engagement and interaction, smaller groups facilitating social distancing) in a format that could still be used for larger classes of 20-30 as well as smaller classes of 10-15. The combination of asynchronous video lectures with small group discussion would provide students with an initial orientation within the text (through the video lectures) whilst also allowing an opportunity for more in-depth and interactive discussion. The “position paper” model would allow students to give and receive feedback on each other’s ideas in a low-stakes format that emphasizes the value of critical feedback as a part of the writing process.
In practical terms, this model allows for a great deal of flexibility in terms of in-person / remote students. There could be some small groups composed entirely of students learning remotely, and others composed entirely of in-person students. If individual students in the in-person groups needed to be quarantined or isolated, their group could move to a remote format or that student could switch to a group that was already meeting remotely. In case of the campus needing to go into lockdown / fully remote mode, all groups could continue to meet remotely.
Assessment --
As with other models, small group participation could be assessed in the usual way (perhaps with the help of self-assessment etc.) and shorter assignments (reading responses, journal entries, etc.) could be assessed in a quick, efficient way (check grading, final portfolio). Full-length papers would be assessed by the instructor in the usual way.
Challenges/Dealbreakers --
Depending on the number of small groups, this model could end up making significant demands on the instructor’s time. Ideally, 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 the time spent recording video lectures. There would also be the same challenges associated with small group work as in the Oxbridge model - i.e. the instructor would need to attend to interpersonal dynamics and relationships within each group. In addition, some students may be resistant to the idea of only getting to spend time with a limited number of students in the class (particularly if they were not keen on the other students in their assigned group).