The What, Why, and How of Group Learning in Sexuality Education

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to better inform educators about the what, why, and how of group learning so that they can more confidently and effectively use it to teach about sexuality. The article begins by presenting the “what” of group learning with definitions and descriptions of various methodologies, specifically cooperative and collaborative learning. Theoretical perspectives that support group learning (the “why”) are discussed, including the developmental perspective of cooperation, controversy theory, theories of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, and social cohesion theory. Implementation guidelines and best practice examples are then given (the “how” of implementation). A five-stage model of group process is presented, ground rules are discussed, tools for facilitating group work are provided, common group member roles are identified, and characteristics of effective group leadership are noted. Research regarding the effectiveness of group learning is reviewed (the “how” effective). Many positive cognitive, affective, and behavioral outcomes from using group learning in various disciplines have been documented. However, such evaluative research in sexuality education is almost nonexistent. The article concludes with a call for more sophisticated evaluative research to study specified and diverse cognitive, affective, and behavioral outcomes resulting from applying group learning to sexuality education. The need for professional training for sexuality educators in these methods is also underscored.