The Learning puzzle is a participatory activity where each participant or group learns a specific part of a topic and then teaches it to the rest of the group. This approach fosters collaborative learning, knowledge exchange, and collective understanding of a complex topic.
Preparation
- Select the topic: Divide the main topic into manageable subtopics or sections.
- Example: If the topic is “Sustainability,” the subtopics could be:
- Renewable energy.
- Waste reduction.
- Water conservation.
- Sustainability policies.
- Example: If the topic is “Sustainability,” the subtopics could be:
- Prepare resources: Provide relevant materials for each subtopic (readings, videos, charts, guiding questions).
- Form groups: Divide participants into small teams and assign one subtopic to each group.
- Alternative: For smaller groups, assign one subtopic to each individual.
Step-by-step instructions
- Introduce the purpose
- Explain the goal of the Learning Puzzle: for each participant to become an expert on their subtopic and share their knowledge with others.
- Emphasize the importance of each participant’s role in the group’s collective learning.
- Individual or group study
- Allow time for each team or individual to study their subtopic using the provided resources.
- Encourage participants to take notes and think about how they will present their part to the rest of the group.
- Preparation to teach
- Help teams structure their presentation or activity to teach their subtopic.
- They can use tools like mind maps, charts, or practical examples.
- Share knowledge
- Each team or individual teaches their subtopic to the rest of the group in a clear and concise way.
- Encourage questions and discussions after each presentation to ensure understanding.
- Connection and synthesis
- After all subtopics have been presented, reflect with the group on how they are interconnected.
- You can use visual tools like a collective concept map to organize ideas.
- Closing and evaluation
- Summarize the key learnings and benefits of the collaborative approach.
- Invite participants to reflect on how they felt teaching and learning from the group.
