'The Learning Cell' - for effective small group learning

The learning cell system was developed by Marcel Goldschmid of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. It is described by McKeachie (1994, 146-147) as follows:

The learning cell, or student Dyad, refers to a co-operative form of learning in pairs, in which students alternate asking and answering questions on commonly read materials.

1. To prepare for the learning cell, students read an assignment and write questions dealing with the major points raised in the reading or other related materials.
2. At the beginning of each class meeting, students are randomly assigned to pairs and one partner, A, begins by asking the first question.
3. After having answered and perhaps been corrected or given additional information, the second student, B, puts a question to A, and so on.
4. During this time, the instructor goes from dyad to dyad, giving feedback and asking and answering questions.

Many variations are possible on this basic structure and the technique can be used by students outside of class. It is a structured way of doing what some students already do informally.