Community Learning Development Resource 201 – 10
TYPES OF LEARNING GROUPS
SUMMARY
Most learning groups are concerned with producing learning outcomes interactively – they may vary in their degree of formality. A good guide to managing learning group activity is to see the PROCESS as more significant than the PRODUCT – to value how the learners are engaging and experiencing what is going on, rather than what they eventually produce. Learners who are not enjoying the experience are unlikely to learn successfully. Non-confident and inexperienced adult learners may gain more from the social interaction and support going on, rather than from what is to be learnt.
Types of Learning groups
- Buzz-groups and thought-storming groups – purpose – the quick generation of facts or ideas – an input for other learning activity
- Discussion groups – purpose – interactive exploration of issues and ideas – opening up the learning
- Problem-solving groups – purpose – to develop answers to questions or challenges
- Debates / Forums / Panels – purposes – structured discussion activities often linked to question and answer, and designed to use expertise and roles to produce answers or solutions to problems
- Practical groups – purposes – practice, experiment and exploration – small groups used to support skills development (pairs commonly used), also with groups linked to subject learning, e.g., teams, dance pairs, etc.
- Project groups and teams – purposes – research and investigation, practical support, creativity, etc. Sometimes with collective tasks and products, e.g., crafts, case studies, local history, etc.
- Support groups – provide learner and learning support. With non-confident learners, addressing their support needs may be a priority
- Consultative groups – groups purposefully formed to encourage participation and contributions from participants which can be gathered as feedback about issues, concerns or ideas.
Not all groups are simply opportunities for interactive learning. Some groups are designed to use the group development and processes to achieve personal development learning outcomes through the participation within the group:
- Social development groups – groups where the learning is concerned with the personal development and effective life skills of individuals – relationship skills, communication skills development, confidence building, building support and relationships, etc.
- Team development groups – improving as a team through teambuilding and developing teamwork skills, in order to achieve shared goals
- Therapeutic groups – with support and development goals, attempting to support individuals and solve their individual personal development problems
- Organisational groups – planning and decision making groups, management groups, representative groups, stakeholder groups.