Turn-to-Your-Neighbor

Overview — Why this?

If you have little or no experience teaching with student-active approaches, we suggest that you start with "turn-to-your-neighbor". (For definitions, select highlighted term, read the information in the Teaching section, and return). This technique can be used in classes of all sizes, at various points during your lecture, and once or more times each class.

What's the purpose?

The idea is to give your students a question, puzzle, or problem — which they discuss with students sitting around them — or with a partner. "Turn-to-your-neighbor" is often used as a set-up for an all-class discussion.

Caveat:

It is very important that the students see the value of doing this collaborative work — because the question is challenging, for instance, and "two heads are better than one". Therefore, one of the real challenges in using this approach is developing the questions.

Need a question or problem?

TIEE Issues give you question/problems and so you can focus on practicing using "turn-to-your-neighbor". For example, this method is suggested for Data #4 in the Disturbance Issue where you can see how we recommend using it.

Practice, practice, practice:

Student-active teaching takes a lot of time (and patience) — if it was easy to do, more faculty would be teaching this way! So, pick one or two approaches that you think will work for you, use them repeatedly, get feedback from your students, modify what you are doing, and try it again. Then you can try other approaches.

Leading discussions:

For tips, see Teaching Resources: Essay: Guided Discussions.

Tips on Using "Turn-to-Your-Neighbor" (or "Think-Pair-Share")

The Question or Problem

Pick a question that will take a few minutes for your students to discuss with one another. "Turn-to-your-neighbor" questions can be used as a set-up for a topic — such as to pique students' interest. For instance, to interest students in introduced species you could list 3 common introduced U.S. birds (e.g. house sparrow) and one native bird — and ask them to decide which one is the native.

Logistics: large class

If you are teaching a large class in a lecture hall, how you handle the logistical aspects of student-active teaching is especially important. The last thing you want is chaos and wasted time!

Give your students very clear directions about what you want them to do. For instance, tell them 1) to discuss the projected question (overhead or computer) with their neighbors for 3 minutes and decide on an answer and 2) that you will then lead a whole class discussion and will randomly call on people for answers.
The room gets very noisy (which is good!) when students talk to teach other; you can use a bell or switch the lights on and off to get the class's attention when you want to start the discussion.

Logistics: smaller class

You have the freedom in a small class to use this technique more spontaneously. For example, if you are explaining an idea and think the students just aren't "getting it", ask them to briefly discuss the idea with their neighbors and return with questions.
If you pose a challenging question/problem, give students enough time to discuss it. You can cruise the room and give clarifying comments. At first, students will want you to give them the answer — don't! Answer back with another question that heads them in the right direction. (If you have T.A.s, teach them how to do this).
This is a flexible approach that can be used in many ways — e.g. at the beginning of a new topic, to summarize what you just explained, to go over a figure in the text, and so on. Be imaginative and think how the method can best serve your needs.

Resources

If you are unfamilure with a term or method referenced in TIEE you will find it defined in the Teaching Resources: GLOSSARY.

Think-Pair-Share

Collaborative Learning

National Institute for Science Education
(http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/nise/CL1/CL/doingcl/thinkps.htm)
Penn, State Center for Collaborative Learning
(www.schreyerinstitute.psu.edu/pdf/Collaborative_Learning_bibliography.pdf)
North Central Regional Library
(http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/rpl_esys/collab.htm)

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