Instructional Intelligence

Place Mat

Cooperative Learning

Learning is socially constructed - we seldom learn in isolation

“Group work that is not structured thoughtfully is one of the least effective approaches in the teaching and learning process.” page 141 Beyond Monet

Place Mat is a form of cooperative learning that combines writing and discussion to ensure accountability and participation of all students.

Groups of students firstly work alone and then together around a single piece of paper (the ‘place mat’) with all the members generating and sharing their ideas and information.

Materials required Large sheets of paper (e.g. butcher’s

paper), pens and pencils. The paper is divided into sections based

on the number of members in the group with a central square or circle (see the example images).

Other organisers can also be used within the place mat to help students to structure the information.

The process

1. Carefully construct the activity - the student’s outcomes/learning will depend upon your organisation

2. Think about the goal of the activity – are you aiming to: Brainstorm / generate / introduce a new idea? Use it as a tool to provide depth to the session? Encourage team problem solving? Help learners distinguish between primary ideas,

secondary ideas and supporting detail? Structure thinking around an event or issue or to

consolidate / review what has been learned? Other?

Setting up the activity

1. Group the students: In smaller groups (that might feel ‘safer’) In larger groups (that can generate more

information)

2. Provide the instructions with the place mat

3. Students work alone first and write down their individual ideas in their section of the place mat. Think about - How long do you want this bit to last? Do students have the skill of respecting the learning time of others and working quietly? If not, what can you do to pre-teach the skill?

Analysing the information

Students then share their information with the group and the common ideas, or consensus information is recorded in the centre of the place mat. How structured will the information sharing be?

You can use another tactic such as Round Robin or Three-step Interview for the sharing process.

How much time will they have and in what order will they share the information?

How will accountability for listening be built in? Will any formal group roles be assigned such as will they

have a designated ‘recorder’? Is the student’s primary purpose here listening, or

probing deeper as each member speaks, or both? What pre-skills need to be taught to make this effective?

(Active listening? Questioning? Critical thinking? Effective communication?)

Sharing the information Once all the group’s information has been

captured in the centre of the place mat sharing then takes place between groups. This can be done with Walkabout, Round Robin, reporting to the whole class or a number of techniques depending on your purpose or time.

Who will speak for the group? Again, how will accountability be built in? How will note taking occur, so that everyone

has all the information? What plan will you have for the shy, or the ‘non-

participators’ etc.?

Some things to consider

How will you assess the place mat activity and the process?

What criteria will you use?

How will the students be made aware of your criteria for assessment?