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Buzz-groups

Students brainstorm or discuss a question or problem in small groups.

Promotes: Analysis and critical thinking, problem solving

Buzz Groups can be done in large auditoriums or regular classrooms with very little preparation. The main benefit of buzz groups is that you can rapidly create group configurations of four so that the students are immediately engaged in responding to questions or problems you present throughout the class. By simply calling out assigned lettering and numbering of rows, students can conveniently identify which group they belong to so they can begin dialoguing with each other quickly with minimal confusion or delay.

This diagram illustrated the Buzz Groups classroom formation. There is a large class group of 144 figure drawn students and the instructor seated in a conventional, front facing theatre or auditorium seating setup. The diagram shows the example of assigning a letter and number to all rows seating from the front of the classroom to the back as A1, A2, B1,B2, C1, C2, D1, D2 to allow the instructor to organise students into groups using the letter and number rowed seating. The illustration also shows an insert diagram illustrating the creation of groups of four so the figure drawn students can setup and work in teams by following the pre-assigned letter and number rowed seating with A1, A2, B1, B2 displayed in the insert diagram.

Buzz Groups

This diagram illustrated the Buzz Groups classroom formation. There is a large class group of 144 figure drawn students and the instructor seated in a conventional, front facing theatre or auditorium seating setup. The diagram shows the example of assigning a letter and number to all rows seating from the front of the classroom to the back as A1, A2, B1,B2, C1, C2, D1, D2 to allow the instructor to organise students into groups using the letter and number rowed seating. The illustration also shows an insert diagram illustrating the creation of groups of four so the figure drawn students can setup and work in teams by following the pre-assigned letter and number rowed seating with A1, A2, B1, B2 displayed in the insert diagram.

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References and resources

Active learning spaces: Teaching and learning experiences in active learning classrooms at McGill. McGill University.
Ambrose, S.A., Bridges, M.W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M.C., Norman M.K., Foreward by Mayer, R. (2010).  How learning works: Seven research-based principles for smart teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Anderson, L.W., Krathwohl, D. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching and assessing: A revision of bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. New York: Longman. Barkley, E., & Major, C. (n.d.). The K. Patricia Cross Academy. Retrieved Dec 6, 2022, from https://kpcrossacademy.org/.
Barkley, E. F., Cross, K. P., & Major, C. H. (2014). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty. John Wiley & Sons.
Barkley, E. F. (2009). Student engagement techniques: A handbook for college faculty. John Wiley & Sons.
Barkley, E.F. (2010). Student engagement techniques: A handbook for college faculty. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Biggs, J. (1999).Teaching for Quality Learning at University.SHRE and Open University Press
Bloom, B.S., Engelhart, M.D., Furst, E.J., Hill, W.H., Krathwohl, D.R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives. The classification of educational goals. Handbook 1: Cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Company, Inc.
Bunce, D. M., Flens, E. A., & Neiles, K. Y. (2010). How Long Can Students Pay Attention in Class? A Study of Student Attention Decline Using Clickers. Journal of Chemical Education, 87, 1438-1443.
Casale-Giannola, D., Schwarts Green, L. (2012). 41 active learning strategies for the inclusive classroom. London: Sage Publications.
Doyle, T. (2011). Foreward. T. Zakrajsek. Learner-centered teaching: Putting the research on learning into practice. Sterling, Virginia: Stylus Publishing.
Freeman, S., Eddy, S.L., McDonough, M., Smith, M.K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H., Wenderoth, M.P. Alberts, B. (ed.). (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 111 (23), 8410-8415; first published on May May 12, 2014; doi: 10.1073/pnas.1319030111
Jubain, Lin. “Using Collaborative Note-Taking to Promote an Inclusive Learning Environment.” UGuelph Office of Teaching and Learning, 2020.
Loadman, N. (2016, Jul 10). Punctuated Lectures: Classroom Assessment Technique. YouTube. Retrieved Dec 6, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AttIxRWxYF4.
Nash, R. (2009). The active classroom: Practical strategies for involving students in the learning process. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Nash, R. (2012). From seatwork to feetwork: Engaging students in their own learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Silberman, M. (1996). Active Learning: 101 strategies to teach any subject. Needham Heights, Mass: Simon & Shuster Co. 
Small G., Vorgan, G. (2008). iBrain: surviving the technological alteration of the modern mind. New York: HarperCollins.
Twilight of the Lecture. Harvard Magazine.
What is active learning? University of Minnesota, Center for Teaching and Learning.
Why do active learning? Queen’s University.
University of Toronto Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation. (n.d.). Active Learning and Adapting Teaching Techniques. Retrieved Dec 6, 2022, from https://tatp.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/Active-Learning-and-Adapting-Teaching-Techniques1.pdf.

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