Introduction
Benefits
Process
Resources
YouTube Videos
"On the
Job" examples where the strategy is used
A Cooperative Learning Strategy
(Source:
Emints)
Round Robin promotes social learning and is a safer way for students to contribute their ideas or knowledge because they do not have to articulate in front of the class. It is also a great way to draw from the collective knowledge in the classroom.
The Round Robin teaching strategy is a collaborative, interactive, and
inclusive activity where students in small groups take turns
contributing ideas or responses to a central theme or question, either
verbally or in writing. It ensures equal participation, allows students
to build on each other's thoughts, stimulates deeper thinking, and helps
identify misconceptions. The method can be used for brainstorming,
storytelling, improving speaking skills, or even for reading and writing
activities
The activity stimulates deeper thinking as students are prompted to
reflect on their own understanding as they read each other's comments.
The activity also requires students to think beyond a superficial level
as they come up with different responses.
Benefits
Equal Participation: Every student gets a chance to contribute,
preventing dominant personalities from taking over.
Social Learning: Students learn from each other by building on
collective knowledge.
Deeper Thinking: The iterative process of adding ideas encourages
stimulated thought.
Skill Development: It can improve critical thinking, collaborative
skills, confidence, and speaking skills.
Identifies Misconceptions: The teacher can identify any misconceptions
students might have by observing their contributions.
Potential Uses
Brainstorming: Generating ideas for a topic or problem.
Storytelling: Students can collaboratively build a story by taking turns
adding to it.
Improving English Skills: Enhances students' speaking and reading
comprehension abilities.
- Set up the activity:
- FoFor verbal/oral Round Robin: Students sit in a circle.
- For written/silent Round Robin: Students work
in small groups at a table.
- Introduce a central theme or question: The
teacher presents an open-ended question or problem for the group to
discuss.
- Brainstorm ideas (written variation):span>
- Students are given a piece of paper or sticky notes.
- Each student writes down a single idea.
- The paper is passed to the next person in the circle, who adds another idea.
- No repetition of ideas is allowed.
- This continues until a full circle is
completed or a set time is called.
- Contribute ideas (verbal variation):
- One student begins by offering a single thought or reaction to the question.
- Working clockwise, each participant takes turns adding a new point or idea.
- Participants remain quiet to let others share
their input.
- Conclude and discuss:
- Once each student has contributed, the group can discuss the written or verbal ideas.
- ThThe teacher can record insights and lead a whole-class discussion to pool ideas and share findings.
Variation 1: Reading material knowledge
- Form groups of 4 - 5 students. span>
- Read the stimulus material
- After reading, as a class, the students are to write down as many facts as possible.
- Create a circle but maintain each group together.
- Select a group to tell one fact! Go to the next group to tell another fact. (You can get the second group to recite the first fact too).
- Keep going until all the facts from each group are finished.
Variation 2 - Placemat Round Robin
This activity is designed to allow for each individual’s thinking, perspective and voice to be heard, recognised and explored.
-
Form participants into groups of four.
-
Allocate one piece of A3 or butcher’s paper to each group. Ask each group to draw the diagram on the paper.
1. The outer spaces are for each participant to write their thoughts
about the topic.
2. A Round Robin enables each participant to share their views.
3. The circle in the middle of the paper is to note down (by the nominated scribe) the common points made by each participant or the negotiated meaning. Each group then reports the common points to the whole group.
Variation 3 - Quick Brainstorming
The round robin collaborative learning strategy is where students are
divided into smaller learning groups to discuss their thoughts and
opinions on a topic without elaborating, explaining, or questioning
ideas.
This method is great for quick brainstorming, and to ensure that
everyone’s ideas are heard. Group members take turns responding to a
question with a word, phrase, or short statement. Students then go
around the circle quickly sharing their answers one at a time until all
students have had the opportunity to speak.
The round robin collaborative learning technique is good to use when you
want students to think fast and elicit quick responses regarding their
initial thoughts on a subject. No single person can dominate the
conversation, which ensures that everyone has the chance to speak (even
the quieter students who normally wouldn’t raise their hand to say
anything).
Round Robin Library Brainstorming Example
This activity can be done with any topic and at any learning level. This
strategy promotes quick thinking, active engagement, public speaking
skills, and self-expression.
To implement this activity, simply divide your students into smaller
groups and have them sit in a circle. Pose a problem or a question about
a topic, such as “What do you know about the different ecosystems…?” and
have your students go around in the circle saying the first thing that
pops into their minds when hearing the question.
These are short, sentence-long responses, and students are expected to
go around in the circle and generate as many quick responses as they can
think of in a set amount of time. At the end of the round robin session
the teacher and students can then share their discoveries with the rest
of the class.
A key point to note for this activity is to make sure that students
aren’t judged or criticized for their responses by others – this should
be a positive and inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome to
share their thoughts, no matter if they are incorrect or not.
Variation 4 - Rally Robin
Variation 5 - All Write Round Robin
For example:
1. Teacher poses question or prompt.
2. Think time - students shouldn't talk during this time.
3. Writing time - students are given a minute* to write their response.
4. Each student shares with the group, one at a time for 30 seconds*.
* Teacher chooses timing
Look at the following resources to make the process clearer or look at the videos:
YouTube:
Design Thinking for Education, Ep. 12: Round Robin Brainstorming
YouTube:
What Is Round Robin Cooperative Learning Activity? - Aspiring Teacher Guide
On
the Job" examples where the strategy is used:
Sports Doctor |
Tell Me More: A memory game based on the Day in the Life of a Sports
Physician: Round Robin
Lesson Strategy: Round Robin |
Middle
Materials sourced from
A-Z Strategies - PDF
Thinkific -
Round Robin
Griffith University
Active Learning Design Tool
