FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

Which approach helps students to become "experts" before teaching their peers?

1. Think-pair-share

2. Interdisciplinary instruction

3. Jigsawing

4. Thematic instruction

The correct answer is: Jigsawing

Jigsawing is an effective collaborative learning strategy where students become "experts" on specific segments of a larger topic before teaching their peers. In this approach, a complex topic is divided into parts, and each student is assigned to learn one specific part in depth. Once they have developed an understanding, students then regroup into new teams where each member teaches the others about their specialized section. This method fosters a deep understanding of the content because students must not only comprehend their assigned material but also be able to convey that knowledge effectively to their peers. This technique encourages active learning and helps to build communication skills, as students explain concepts in their own words, reinforcing their understanding. Additionally, it creates opportunities for collaborative learning and peer teaching, making it more likely that the students retain the information they've learned. The other choices represent valuable instructional methods as well, but they do not specifically focus on the development of "expertise" in a single segment to be shared with others in the same way that jigsawing does.