Summary:
This study describes the specifications and the process and outcome evaluation of a type of small group activity. This method features structured student interaction around problems or issues, with intermittent teacher supervision of concurrent groups. An 80-student sample of medical students was observed in two consecutive experiences with this method. Their observations of group activity and peer performance, and their perceptions of cognitive and process skills were analyzed. The findings reveal the attractiveness of the method for the students, an increase in productivity in the second experience, and an association between the personally meaningful learning that students may achieve in this course and both the observed performance in group work and the perceived usefulness of the group activity. These subsidies suggest a potential of this method for meaningful change in the learning environment with current available resources.