Brainstorming For Group Work
The brainstorming technique , also known as brainstorming or brainstorming, is a group work tool that facilitates the process of generating new and original ideas related to a particular topic. For this, it is necessary to create a relaxed atmosphere that allows cooperation between all members of the group.
This technique can be very enriching for students, both academically and personally.
Benefits of Group Work
Cooperative learning is defined by Johnson, Johnson, and Holubec as:
Therefore, it can be said that group work is for students to cooperate and collaborate with each other, in order to achieve a common goal or objective.
The use of this teaching methodology in the classroom offers several benefits for students, such as:
- It favors the feeling of belonging and group cohesion.
- It enhances a positive coexistence.
- Promotes autonomy and independence.
- Allows learning and putting into practice certain ethical values.
- It influences the improvement of communication skills, being more open and fluid.
- Promotes inclusion, mutual respect and acceptance of others.
- Favors greater learning and academic performance.
- Increases productivity.
- Leverages social skills.
- Allows the development of better self-esteem and personal self-concept.
- Promotes balance and psychological and social well-being.
- It favors the ability to assess and regulate learning itself.
- Allows you to acquire and put decision-making skills into practice.
So, for all these reasons, it is convenient to teach children, from an early age, to do teamwork. To facilitate this process, group techniques such as brainstorming can be taught .
Brainstorming for group work
Before putting into practice the brainstorming technique , it is necessary to keep in mind three basic rules:
- All ideas are valid. None of the ideas proposed by the group members is rejected or eliminated, however absurd they may seem. Furthermore, any kind of criticism or mockery is totally prohibited.
- All proposals that arise should be actively listened to, with the aim of improving them, but without judging them.
- One must act quickly. For this, it is necessary to avoid dwelling on debates, discussions or explanations. It’s about saying as many ideas as possible about the subject.
Steps to perform the brainstorming technique
When performing the brainstorming technique , or brainstorming, in carrying out group work, the following phases must be followed:
- Specify what the subject of the work is.
- The group members participate by saying the greatest number of ideas that come to mind during a determined period of time for the elaboration of the work.
- One of the group members writes down all the suggestions that are being expressed.
- When ideas run out or time runs out, all proposals are read aloud.
- It is discussed in groups to choose the best proposals and the information that can be most useful to carry out the work.
At the end of the brainstorming , students will have a wide variety of ideas for answering the questions the assignment should include. If necessary, try to improve these selected ideas.
Finally, it is convenient to create a script with the points that will be included in the document and then start writing the group work.
