Think, Pair, Share as a strategy for engagement for online teaching and learning.
Think-Pair-Share is a collaborative strategy where students work together to tackle a question or problem. Research shows that when students engage in discussions and learn from one another, the impact can be equivalent to gaining almost two years’ worth of learning in just one. That’s the power of peer dialogue—it pushes students beyond what a lecture alone can do.
Step 1
- Consider the questions you want to ask students. This should ideally relate to the topic you are currently teaching or other concepts related to the class.
- A great way to ask questions that promote higher-order thinking is through the Depth of Knowledge framework.
- To generate DOK questions related to the topic, consider using an AI tool like MagicSkool to support your learning. Find more here:
Step 2
- On the MagicSchool AI home page, scroll and select “DOK Questions” listed as an option. Choose the appropriate grade level as “university”.
- Include a brief description of your topic/objective, eg, “Create an elevator pitch to be used at a career fair” or “Understanding the ethics of AI use in classrooms”.
- Magic School produces prompts under the four levels of DOK.
- Select the questions that most match your objectives and
Step 3
Let’s imagine the topic is about the Ethical use of AI in Classrooms.
- Pair students up. When using Zoom, use the breakout rooms.
- Ask a question on Level 1 (Recall), e.g., List the benefits of using AI tools in educational environments.
- Bring students together to share and discuss findings from their groups.
- Ask a question on Level 2 (Skill/Concept), eg. – Summarize the main arguments for and against the integration of AI in the classroom.
- Bring students together to share and discuss findings from their groups.
- Ask a question on Level 3 (Strategic Thinking) – e.g. Come up with a set of guidelines for ethical AI use in educational environments.
- Bring students together to share and discuss findings from their groups.
- Ask a question on Level 4 (Extended Thinking) – e.g. Critique the existing policies on AI use in education, suggesting improvements based on ethical considerations.
- Bring students together to share and discuss findings from their groups.
- You may use tools like Padlet to collect students’ thoughts in a central format. If in a physical class, you could collect sheets of paper.
- Wrap up the conversation.
Some things to consider
- Remember to verify the accuracy of your use of Generative AI.
- Review the questions. You are the expert here, and it is essential to ensure that the questions align with the class objectives.
Image Shared in the Video:
Mahbub Amin 