Jigsaw Cooperative Learning Activity - Entry #3

How could you use the jigsaw method in your classroom if you only had 5 computers?
Break all the students into five groups. Assign each group the topic and the five members a separate part of the overall topic. Each of the five computers would be used for one of the sub -topics and students would take turns finding research on their particular part. Students from other groups could also look on as a member from the other groups gathered their information for their part. Once completed each computer could then be assigned to a one group for use of compiling their information together or preparing a presentation.

What could be an advantage of this method?
The method promotes and encourages students to work efficiently together to complete a project or presentation. It may in the end also bring students together that would not have associated with one another because of stereotypes or social grouping.

What could be a disadvantage?
The main disadvantage that I see and have come upon in may school career, was that there is always one super over-achieving student (me) and one student that is uncaring about either the subject or his grade. This left the over-achieving student to either be lacking in that areas information or extra hours researching and preparing the final documentation for a grade. Usually this was still done even if the research was done acceptably (B ish grade) to get the superior grade (A).