In the past, collaborative learning has often used heterogeneous grouping based on student abilities. In contrast, random grouping treats students equally, bridging ability gaps. This method promotes diverse interactions and helps develop global perspectives and cross-cultural communication skills. This study investigates the impact of random grouping on elementary students' participation, analyzing its educational significance and applications. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study involved 26 third-grade elementary students and 1 teacher. Students engaged in four weeks of random group discussions centered around SDGs topics, culminating in project proposals. Findings revealed: (1) Random grouping significantly enhances students' confidence, willingness to collaborate, and satisfaction, fostering adaptability and flexibility in interdisciplinary cooperation. There is room for improvement in communication skills, creativity, and adapting to group dynamics. (2) Random grouping notably boosts students' learning vigor, contribution levels, and focus, with self-assessment scores showing weekly improvement. However, improvements are needed in communication smoothness and collaborative abilities, requiring increased guidance and support. (3) Case analyses demonstrate that random grouping significantly impacts the quality of elementary students' work, promoting diverse ideas and demonstrating improvements in representation, creativity, and structure. (4) Social network analysis reveals that students with high centrality reflect higher flexibility and inclusivity in reflecting and adjusting their peer interaction patterns. Students with low centrality require more support to develop social skills, while those with moderate centrality exhibit promising developmental potential benefiting from diverse perspectives and maintaining stable social relationships. Based on these findings, recommendations are proposed for implementing random grouping strategies in elementary education.

Authors:
Li Ting Tseng, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan
Yu Tseng, Pantau Elementary School, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
Li-Ting Tseng, doctoral student, currently an elementary school teacher.

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