The Equity Advantage of Small Groups

Part III: Transitioning from Whole Group to Small Group to Achieve Equity in Education

In the first blog post in this series, Time Efficiency vs. Equity in Education, I wrote about the tension between the demands on teachers’ time and the desire to provide equitable learning experiences. In the second blog, Leveraging AI to Save Time Architecting Equitable, Student-centered Learning Experiences, I highlight how teachers can use AI technology to significantly decrease the time required to design differentiated and personalized learning experiences. In this final blog, we’ll explore how the move from whole-group instruction to differentiated small-group learning requires a shift in mindset and skill. Together, these shifts can help us cultivate dynamic learning communities where all students have the confidence and competence to lead the learning and make academic progress.

Mindset Shift

Let Tech Do What Tech Does Well. For years, classrooms have been a hierarchy with teachers at the top, experts disseminating information, and students below receiving that information. Before technology permeated every aspect of our lives, that made sense. It was a necessity. Beyond the teacher, books were the only source of information in a classroom before the internet. Now that information is easily accessible from any device, teachers must recognize that their actual value is in their ability to listen, observe, empathize, and organically respond to student needs. Technology and our unprecedented access to information should allow teachers to focus on the aspects of this work that are uniquely human. Let’s acknowledge that what technology does well is information transfer. We can read an article, watch a video, listen to a podcast, view an infographic, or interact with a website to learn. And, when we engage with information in a digital form, we have more control over the experience. If technology effectively handles information transfer, why use our finite classroom time doing the same?

Let Tech Amplify Learning, Not Define It. In the evolving educational landscape, it’s crucial for educators to view technology not as a replacement for people but as a catalyst for change. For too long, the perception has been that the more technology enters our classrooms, the more automated and impersonal the learning experience becomes. The opposite is true.

At its core, technology is a powerful, transformative tool. When harnessed effectively, it can handle many of the time-consuming tasks teachers are responsible for that prevent them from deeply engaging with small groups and individual students. As discussed in the previous blog, teachers can leverage AI to drastically reduce the time it takes to design differentiated learning experiences and provide feedback. We can be more strategic about how we transfer information and allow students agency and meaningful choices about how they want to acquire information (e.g., read, watch, listen). Technology isn’t the end but the means. It’s the vehicle that can pave the way for more intimate, tailored educational experiences.

Letting Go Is Scary but Necessary. As educators, it’s innate for us to want control. We want to ensure that the content is being covered efficiently and that every student is on task. The downside of us having control in a classroom is that many students spend all day every day in classrooms where they do not get a voice in what they learn, how they learn, or what they produce to demonstrate their learning. That places them in a powerless position and can negatively impact their motivation over time. As the educational landscape evolves, so must our approach to teaching. While undoubtedly daunting, letting go is a pivotal step in fostering student-centered learning.

Designing lessons that allow for self-directed learning doesn’t mean abandoning structure; it means entrusting students with the autonomy to navigate within a structure. The initial steps can feel overwhelming – for both educators and students. It requires building a foundation where students have the tools, confidence, and responsibility to steer their learning and make productive choices.

We have to help students develop the skills necessary to drive learning in classrooms so we are free to work with individual students and small groups of learners. If we do not trust our students to manage their own behavior, make responsible choices, and complete the tasks assigned, we will never be comfortable focusing our energy on differentiating learning experiences for diverse groups of learners.

Skillset Shift

To achieve this shift from whole group to small group, teachers need flexible instructional models that position students at the center of the learning experience. Blended learning provides educators with technology-enhanced instructional models that strive to shift the focus from the teacher to the students. The result is a learning experience where teachers can embrace their roles as facilitators of learning, and students are positioned as active agents making meaning.

Blended learning models leverage technology strategically to allow teachers to provide differentiated instruction and personalized support, ensuring that each student progresses steadily toward clearly defined, standard-aligned learning objectives.

For example, teachers using the station rotation model have time in the lesson to work directly with small groups and customize instruction, models, scaffolds, feedback, and support to meet the needs of that particular group of learners. By contrast, teachers using the playlist model allow students to self-pace through a customized sequence of learning activities and use their class time to pull individual learners for personalized instruction and support at strategic moments in the playlist. Leveraging these different models allows teachers to provide the specific inputs students need to reach a particular output.

Designing for Small Groups and Maximizing Our Impact. Blended learning models provide multiple pathways for educators to prioritize small group interactions, maximize their impact, and develop relationships with students. Below are strategies teachers can use in a blended lesson where they have time to work with small groups of learners to ensure each group of students is getting exactly what they need to make academic progress and build confidence.

Differentiated small group instruction, modeling, and support can remove barriers, meet the diverse needs of students, and provide teachers with time to engage in the human side of this work, fostering stronger relationships with students. When educators implement these small-group strategies, they ensure that every student, regardless of their background or proficiency level, has an optimal learning experience. By focusing on the unique needs of each group, teachers create an inclusive environment where every student has the tools and support necessary to succeed.

Toward a More Equitable Future

As we conclude this series on the transformative shift from whole-group to small-group instruction, we must reflect on the driving force behind this evolution: equity. Every student, regardless of their background or starting point, deserves an educational experience tailored to their unique needs and potential. Our commitment to equity means that we don’t just teach to the middle but design lessons that reach every student where they are in their individual learning journeys.

Harnessing the power of AI and blended learning isn’t merely about staying abreast with technological trends; it’s about leveraging these tools to streamline and elevate the educational process. By integrating AI into our instructional design, we reduce the time and effort traditionally required to create equitable learning experiences and enhance the precision and adaptability of these lessons.

However, it is essential to note that this transformation isn’t solely about tools or techniques. It demands a profound shift in both mindset and skill set. Educators will need to embrace their evolving roles as facilitators and collaborators, nurturing students to become expert learners. These students are not just recipients of knowledge but are resourceful, motivated, strategic, and self-aware – equipped to thrive in an ever-changing world.

In essence, while challenging, this transition promises a symbiotic relationship of growth. As educators refine their methods and harness new tools, students, in turn, blossom into active agents of their learning. It’s a paradigm where teachers and students find the educational journey more rewarding, impactful, and resonant. As we look to the future, it’s clear that an investment in this blended, equity-focused approach is an investment in a brighter, more inclusive tomorrow.