Teachers as group facilitators: Challenges of group work in the classroom

Abstract

The efficacy of student working groups in face-to-face and virtual (synchronous distance learning) classrooms, with regard to cognitive development and subject learning, has been widely researched in recent decades in order to determine the conditions under which this method is effective. However, teacher attitudes and practices regarding this teaching–learning tool have been less extensively investigated. This paper focuses on the effectiveness and the applicability of a specific student group work model. This study addresses: (a) the types of difficulties encountered by prospective secondary education teachers who have been trained to use a student group work model when implementing it in practice, and (b) how they assess the applicability of this model. To answer these questions, a questionnaire was administered to prospective teachers after the completion of their group work teaching in real classrooms. The main findings are: (a) prospective teachers most frequently report difficulties in selecting appropriate open-ended tasks for group work and in handling student questions during the group work phase; and (b) the majority consider that the model can be used regularly in everyday school practice, despite some manageable difficulties.