TECHNIQUES FOR RAPID QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF ACTIVITY LEVELS IN SMALL-GROUP TUTORIALS

Two techniques for the rapid quantitative analysis of student particip ation in small-group teaching were investigated. In the first approach an observer, who also acted as a 'critical friend', recorded the leng th of individual contributions using a computer keyboard as a simple t iming device. In the second approach, small-group sessions were record ed with a portable stereophonic audiotape recorder. The teacher was re corded on one channel, all students on the other. A computer program p roduced automated analysis of these small group interactions by comput ing relative amount of speech on each channel. Simple analysis produce d automatically by the programs revealed the overall style of the tuto rial - variably 'mini-lectures' by teachers with very little participa tion by the student body, rapid 'question and answer' sessions with ab out equal teacher/student body involvement or 'mini-presentations' by students with the reacher offering sparse comments in the manner of a facilitator. By presenting results in a graphic format, teachers can b e given rapid objective feedback on their teaching style. Coupled with short verbal/non-verbal quizzes at the end of tutorials and informati on from other assessments, the value of using levels of participation as a measure of the efficiency of such small-group sessions can itself be assessed.