Technology-based adaptation of think-pair-share utilizing Google drive

Abstract

The Think-Pair-Share activity (TPS; Lyman, 1981, 1987) is a learner-centered and highly effective collaborative teaching strategy that is widely used in higher education. The TPS activity promotes student learning through a sequence of three “phases.” First, students individually reflect on subject matter, then pair with a partner in class to discuss the information, and finally share ideas from their discussions with the class as a whole. TPS is believed to not only enhance student learning but it also engages all students in discussions, including those who may be more reserved and less likely to share unprompted in class (Karge, Phillips, Jessee, & McCabe, 2011). Instructors may be able to assess how students are understanding the material by walking around to listen in on various group reflections before then facilitating a larger class discussion. The use of simple online tools, such as Google Drive (i.e., “Google docs”), may provide a platform that facilitates the adaptation of TPS activities. Utilizing Google Docs to facilitate a TPS activity encourages students to take an active role towards investigating a teacher-prompted question in one area, collaborating with peers to add to an electronic document based on the instructor question, and finally projecting their findings on the screen to the larger group. Studies to this point have only evaluated the utility and satisfaction of Google Docs to facilitate small group (i.e., approximately 3 students on average) collaborative weekly reflections and other essay-type writing assignments outside of the classroom (e.g., Denton, 2012; Zhou, Simpson, & Domizi, 2012). However, research has yet to make the pedagogical connection linking Google Docs with TPS nor has the effectiveness for enhancing student learning through in-class collaborative activities been evaluated. Google Drive is a free and easy-to-use technology on which small groups of students can record their findings simultaneously from their laptops or other tablet devices. The compilation of findings recorded on the Google Doc can be viewed on a projector screen while students present their information to the class as a whole. Although the in-class use offers a collaborative activity to promote in-depth learning of new material, one additional benefit of Google Drive is that the information recorded may be continually accessed once the class session is completed.