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Setting up groups
Size
The number of participants in each group has a profound influence on the kind of interaction that can be attained. The smaller the size, the greater is the likelihood of trust, close relationships and consonance of aims among members; these advantages may however be offset by the lack of variety, and the greater probability of a 'poor mix'. In online groups 'no shows', lurkers or drop-outs can have an even more deadening effect on smaller-sized groups.
In the larger group, though a better mix and a more favourable student/staff ratio may be achieved, a sense of competition, and a greater differentiation of role might be expected to occur. Not only does the opportunity for each member to contribute diminish in inverse ratio to the number of people in the group, but the discrepancy in level of participation between high contributors and low contributors is disproportionately greater. There are thus quite significant differences too in the style, frequency and length of spoken or written contributions, not to speak of non-verbal behaviour, in groups of three to six compared with those of 12 to 15 students.
In online groups we consider that up to 15 people is a viable number for one e-moderator to handle. Many processes can of course be divided into smaller groups, such as groups of five, with an online plenary. More than 15, and you cannot expect full participation from anyone - there is just too much time involved in opening and reading messages. Less than six and there is a risk that time lapses will result in feelings of non responsiveness from the group.
In many ways the size of total group most amenable to a variety of aims and techniques is 20 to 30 (10 to 15 in asynchronous online groups). In recent years this sort of number has achieved popularity in management and teacher training as the most suitable for workshops. Workshop formats allow a variety of group techniques to be practised. Apart from the universal facility of organising dyads, they provide for a number of equal-sized small groups with or without a tutor, or plenary sessions; workshops thus combine the advantages of small and large group experience. In online groups, size is a significant interaction variable in achieving discussion to enhance academic learning. Discussion in smaller groups of 6-8 creates more evidence and experience of higher levels of knowledge construction compared to larger groups if there are effective task-centered e-tivities and structures in place (Schellens and Valcke, 2004).
If timetablers and course leaders have not already determined the size of group for us, we might ask ourselves the following questions:
- What is the optimum range of group size socially and educationally for a given set of aims and tasks (assuming we can predict these)?
- What, apart from learning outcomes, do I hope the groups will achieve socially?
- What mix of sex, nationality, age, etc do I want to have?
- Do I intend or need to be present as tutor with all the groups all the time?
- What limitations does the meeting room(s) or virtual environment impose on the total group size and the kinds of activities possible?
- How does it all fit into the scheme for the whole course?
Figure 7.1 presents some of the dimensions to be taken into account in choosing sizes for face-to-face groups.
Although decisions about group size may be predicated upon several variable factors, more often than not the tutor or e-moderator will be stuck with two fixed ones: the total number of students and the room or virtual environment in which they meet. However, with a little initiative, we can, whether with six students or 96, create a variety of group sizes for different purposes.
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