The jigsaw technique is a method of organizing classroom activity that makes students dependent on each other to succeed.
It breaks classes into groups that each assemble a piece of an assignment and synthesize their work when finished.
It was designed by social psychologist Elliot Aronson to help weaken racial cliques in forcibly integrated schools.
[1][2][3] A study by John Hattie found that the jigsaw method benefits students' learning.
The jigsaw technique is a cooperative learning method that brings about both individual accountability and achievement of the team goals.
[5] The process derives its name from the jigsaw puzzle because it involves putting the parts of the assignment together to form a whole picture.
In 1954, the Brown v. Board of Education decision of the Supreme Court of the United States created a legal requirement for integration of public schools by ruling that separating schools made them inherently unequal.
In 1971, Dr. Elliot Aronson was hired to advise an Austin, Texas school district on how to defuse the problems of hostile classrooms and distrust between the students.
Aronson was a psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin at the time, and took a psychological approach to help fix the problems in the classrooms.
It was quickly realized that the competitive nature of the classroom encouraged students to taunt each other and discriminate against those different from them, so that they might vault themselves higher in status.
In order to counter this problem, students were placed in diversified groups so that they would be required to work together and reduce the competitive atmosphere.
[1] Students in jigsaw classrooms ("jigsaws") showed a decrease in prejudice and stereotyping, liked in-group and out-group members more, showed higher levels of self-esteem, performed better on standardized exams, liked school more, reduced absenteeism, and mixed with students of other races in areas other than the classroom compared to students in traditional classrooms ("trads").
He assessed trads, jigsaws and students in classrooms that used a cooperative technique that did not rely on interdependence ("coops").
Coops and jigsaws improved or maintained positive attitudes about themselves, school, peers and academic abilities and self-esteem.
Jigsaw students liked school more, (Caucasians generally, Mexican-Americans slightly, but not African-Americans.)
Trad students liked school less (Caucasians generally, not Mexican-Americans, and African-Americans significantly.)
The authors contribute this to the fact that Mexican-American jigsaws may have felt forced to participate in peer teaching.
The topics (motion of electrons and electromagnetic oscillations and waves) were introduced through direct instruction in both branches.
Jigsaws had a more favorable view of the learning experience, stronger intrinsic motivation, greater interest in the topic and more cognitive activation and involvement than trads.
Jigsaws were more involved and more interested in the material and were seen as more competent, more socially related to other students and more autonomous.
Indirect effects on performance were implied because students viewed themselves as more competent, but without direct impact on achievement.
Drawbacks include students' uneven readiness the substantial time required to complete.
Students were then asked to rate the exercise on usefulness of getting help, giving help, working with classmates, providing an alternative to a lecture, saving time and understanding the statistical procedures.
[10] Walker and Crogan looked at the effects of a cooperative learning environment, the jigsaw method and traditional classes on academic performance, self-esteem, liking of school, liking of peers and racial prejudice in Australia.
The study was confounded by changes in procedures for the coops and the departure of the trad teacher, resulting in a shortened, four week schedule.
The choice to designate the sixth grade class as "traditional cooperation" rather than "failed jigsaw" was criticized by Bratt.
Public school jigsaw groups balanced ethnicity, academic ability and sex evenly.
Jigsaws increased their ratings in working with peers when compared to their relative control group.
The study demonstrated that the Jigsaw method is effective in Australian social conditions in producing positive change in academic performance, attitudes to peers and prejudice.
The first study gave similar findings as Walker and Crogan, but Bratt stressed that the data could not be interpreted as establishing positive Jigsaw effects.