Understanding and appreciating the dynamics of small group teaching:
Intimacy, Power, Knowledge and Voice

by

Keith Ung, School of Social Work and Social Policy, University of Qld

 

Introduction

This brief talk will raise some key concepts in small group teaching that may provide a 'deeper' understanding of this medium of learning, and may help facilitate a more productive use of this process. Tutorials can have a tendency to become 'mini lectures' where someone in authority can speak to people, impart information and answer questions. These are still important and necessary aspects of teaching. One of the unintended outcomes of this, is that it can reinforce the hierarchical relationship of the tutor (more knowledgeable) and the student (less knowledgeable) and may stifle the students voice and suppress the untapped knowledge that may lie within the group members.

To facilitate a process where knowledge is not only imparted from the tutor, but also where knowledge is evoked from all the students can be an enriching and empowering event. To be able to achieve these outcomes, requires an awareness and an understanding of these concepts. The tutorial can become a medium where knowledge is given, as well as one in which it is constructed in a more interactive and dynamic process where the concepts of intimacy, sharing power, multiple knowledge (s) and accessing voice play a key role.

 

Remembering 'our own student experiences'

Remember our own experiences of groups and what issues does that rekindle?

• Being criticised by the tutor or another student and never saying anything again
• Wanting to say something but never having the courage or space to do so
• Walking away from tutorials feeling you don't know very much
• Thinking that what you have to say is not important or very 'intelligent'

When we take some time to remember these experiences, then it becomes easier to appreciate the interrelatedness of intimacy, power, knowledge and voice.

 

What do I mean by dynamics?

In this talk I am referring to the movement, the linking and the interrelationship between intimacy, power, knowledge and voice. How each is developed in the group, how they interact and how they are connected will greatly influence learning in the tutorial?

In my view, small group teaching has the following objectives:

• Imparting knowledge from the tutor to the students (to be competent in the subject and to meet the requirements)
• Evoking and exploring the knowledge from the students
• Developing the intellectual 'self esteem' of each student

It is the last two that are the focus of this discussion.

 

Setting up the physical space

Circles, semi circles and rectangles? How are these shapes relevant to small group teaching? I always look at how the group is seated, and whether it has 'formed' one of the following shapes. I will speak briefly and clarify their importance in relation to intimacy, power, knowledge and voice.

Most small group will form ones of the above shapes or a variation of these. Some rooms are fixed in how people are able to seat, others are more flexible and can be re-arranged by you the tutor. Why should we engage in environmental adjustment?

 

Safety

What is the process of developing intimacy? Remember that it is developmental and that it is something that can be hard to achieve in some groups (have to skilfully work at it) but with others it 'falls into place'.

What are some of the social practices that one can intentionally be aware of that can enhance intimacy in a small group.

• Environment and physical setting ( pleasant room, sufficient space)
• Cumulatively establish a 'norm' where all opinions are valid and will be supported by the tutor: the rhetoric and the practice needs to be consistent
• People sit close enough to be able to speak to one another
• Communicate with everyone in the group, even in small ways
• Give people permission to talk
• Encourage student to student communication
• Affirmed and acknowledge contributions when students do talk
• Support those who raise something controversial or different
• Protect those whose views are 'attacked' by others in the group

 

Intimacy (intellectual)

The circle is a very unique and powerful geometric shape in human relations: for example in our every day life people often talk about, a circle of friends, a round table conference, and being around the 'camp fire'. I have taken these ideas into the tutorial room. How people are seated can affect the following:

• Whether they are able to give eye contact to others
• Can easily hear others, and be heard without 'raising' their voice
• Have space where more 'personal conversation' can occur
• There can be a greater sense of connection and closeness to others
• Multiple communication is more likely
• Distance between the tutor and the students is reduced

 

CONNECTIONS

Power:

Here I am referring to the capacity to influence something or someone. The tutor has power as a result of their position, role and knowledge base. Also because they evaluate and give a grade for the assignment.

The students are also trying to access their power through giving voice and expression to their knowledge and views on the subject.

The tutor's power can dominate the small group to the extent that most of the 'talking space' is taken up by the tutor. Some of this is necessary as it provides some structure and clarification of student concerns. Students are also socialised to want and expect that knowledge/answers are located in the expert (tutor) and may want to hear the tutors voice rather than their own. It is a matter of finding a balance, and setting up situations where the students voices is given sufficient space, time and encouragement.

The tutor need to take on the power position of expert as well as gives up the power position and take a 'not knowing' position so that students can access their voices and their knowledge/power. This 'not knowing' position can be intentional or unintentional with a potential outcome that the group will come up with answers or a process to discover the answers themselves. These can be empowering strategies in small group teaching.

Changing power positions

• Being seated with the group can help reduces power differentials
• Standing and looking down at people, and talking to a whole group is useful when giving knowledge or taking control (when necessary)
• Alternate between sitting with the group and standing 'over' the group
• By sitting and joining the group the tutor gives up some power and allows others to take up this position

 

CONNECTIONS

Knowledge:

Whose knowledge is being given dominance during the tutorial?
Is the knowledge that is produced have a narrow perspective (normative) or does it reflect the diversity of views that is inherent in any group?
For some subjects, there may be one answer or perspective to a problem, but in most academic subjects the answers ought to have diversity of views.
It is important to search for the common elements in these views as well as exploring the differences.

• Knowledge can be given by the tutor to the student
• Other students have knowledge (views, comments) that can contribute to the enrichment of the subject through their 'world views'
• Through mutual dialogue and exploration by students, new perspectives and ideas can be added: paradoxically the tutor can learn from the group
• There is a greater cross fertilisation of ideas

 

CONNECTIONS

Voice:

I view this term as not only about expressing ideas (communication) but has political dimensions of power, and a psychological element related to self esteem Being able to speak out in a group can be a very empowering process of affirming one's knowledge and one's sense of intellectual identity, as well as just 'feeling good'. Speaking out can be very intimidating for some students, and it may occur towards the last few tutorials. Often the very silent can finally achieve their voice towards the end, if intimacy and safety have been established. Other ways of achieving their voice is through smaller sub groups activities where their voice is expressed through written words rather than spoken.

• When students are able to express their views or opinions they develop their own knowledge about the subject, through dialogue: by developing their voice in the tutorial group, there can be implicit links to their self esteem
• When these voices are affirmed, acknowledge and explored they can cumulatively contribute to the students 'power/knowledge' and their intellectual confidence

 

CONNECTIONS

Roles and Skills of the tutor during small group teaching

• Facilitator: keeping the discussion going, exploring, and adding
• Supporter: affirming those who do speak, and encouraging those who are silent
• Protector: preventing harm (intellectual) to group members * Moderator: not allowing the dominant to take over, sharing space and talk time * Expert knower: impart information, know answers, give direction * Summariser: recapping essential ideas what was learned by the students at the end

 

Conclusion

When there are congruent and cumulative links between intimacy, power, knowledge and voice, together with appropriate people skills, then tutorials can become a place where students can have a very significant educative experience. By being aware of the above concepts and a process of implementing the ideas discussed, small groups teaching can become a challenging and rewarding experience for all participants. Keith Ung.

 

References

Bolton, R. (1987). People Skills. Simon and Schuster Australia

Bundey, C. et al . A Manual About Group Leadership and a Resource for Group Leaders, State Health Publication No. HME 88-073.

Tyson, T. (1993). Working with Groups, Macmillan Education Australia.

 

Teaching and Educational Development Institute,
The University of Queensland
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Modified: 8 March 2002
© 2002 The University of Queensland