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= **﻿ GROUP INVESTIGATION **   **by **   **Marlyn T. Gesmundo **  = =__ Definition __=

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Stevens (2008) defines group investigation as a cooperative inquiry method developed by Shlomo Sharan and Rachel Hertz-LAzarowtiz in Israel that focuses on developing social skills and positive peer relations while learning academic content. The method is essentially cooperative inquiry, where students acquire, analyze, and synthesize information to solve a problem.=====

According to Moore (2008), group investigation involves a combination of independent learning and group work. It places together students in teams of three to six to investigate or solve common problems. Students are responsible for developing goals, assigning individual responsibilities, and completing the project. Group investigation allows students to be directly involved in the way they acquire learning and not merely recipients of it.

The ability to investigate is, in itself, an important skill for students to acquire. In mathematics - as in science, or developing the ills of an automobile, a computer, or a person - proper investigation is often the first step to successful problem solving (Benson, Goldenberg, & Arshavsky, 2005).

__**What to Study**__
Group investigation can be used to study a wide range of subject areas, as long as the question or issue being investigated lends itself to broad inquiry (Mitchell et. al, 2008). Group members work together to use resources such as books, magazines, reference materials, internet resources, and technology resources to collect information relevant to their investigation. Some examples of tasks involved in group investigation include problem solving, writing a research report, or developing a plan of action. Research has shown that group investigation is particularly effective in increasing peer relations and developing students' interpersonal skills (Stevens, 2008).

**__Teacher's Role__**
The teacher acts as a facilitator who guides and maintains collaborative effort among the group. The teacher must design the problem around the curriculum and students' interest to encourage student participation. The teacher must value the students' questions and be able to act as a consultant and assist students in theri investigation and discussion. Group investigation offers teachers the opportunity to support students to reach their maximum potentials as they acquire, analyze, and synthesize information in order to solve a problem. By preparing students to work in groups in the group investigation framework, formulating an interesting question or issue to investigate, and choosing appropriate monitoring and assessment procedures, the teacher implements the process (Mitchell et. al, 2008).

**__Implementation__**

 * There are four principles involved in group investigation, referred to as the four I's (Tan, Sharan, & Lee, 2006)**

exploration and study synthesize their ideas to have a better understanding of their inquiry need
 * **Investigation** - students become members of small interest groups with three to five members who will carry out their own inquiry into the topic selected for
 * **Interaction** - within the inquiry groups, members engage in intellectual and social interaction pertaining to the different aspects of their investigations
 * **Interpretation** - the students meet to provide the group with the information they have gathered from different sources and interpret the collected information to
 * **Intrinsic motivation** - students are given autonomy and have control over their own learning which stimulate their genuine motivation to seek the information they

** Six Steps in Implementing Group Investigation (Moore, 2008) **

 * 1) Topic Selection
 * 2) Cooperative Planning
 * 3) Implementation
 * 4) Analysis and Synthesis
 * 5) Presentation of final product, and
 * 6) Evaluation

**DIMENSIONS OF GROUP INVESTIGATION Adapted from Tan, Sharan, & Lee (2006)**
of education
 * = ===** PHILOSOPHY **=== ||= ===** ACADEMIC GOAL **=== ||= ===** SOCIAL GOAL **=== ||= ===** PROCESS OF LEARNING **=== ||= ===** TASK **=== ||
 * < Dewey's Philosophy

Group Dynamics

Constructivism Motivation Theory ||< Learning based on students' curiosity

Developing higher-order thinking skills

Improving individual achievement through small group problem- solving tasks ||< Develops students' responsibility

Promotes self- direction ||< Teacher presents a general topic and students select subtopics of interest

Students plan their investigation

Students analyze and synthesize information gathered

Students plan their presentation

Students present a synthesized version of their findings

Students and teacher evaluate the presentation ||< complex

multifaceted

emphasizes higher- order thinking skills ||

**SOME HELPFUL IDEAS ON GROUP INVESTIGATION**
[|Math in Fashion] [|Math Hunt]
 * [|Definition and Procedures]**
 * [|Checklist for Implementing Group Investigation]**
 * [|Lesson (Math Language Arts, Social Studies)]**