Razalas' Method of Grouping

Design · All designs
Evidence · 5 claims (4 for, 1 mixed) · 2 studies (1 causal, 1 quant-synthesis), q2–q4 · 1 of 2 report an effect size · 5 claims rest on one study

Description

An inverse grouping method used at the seatwork stage of Direct Instruction, reversing Salazar's Method: "the first stage is an individual competition and the next stages, a group member is added based on the student choice until the group has three members". Groups of three defend solutions for 5 bonus points each; the member who presented is eliminated to work individually, groups shrink to two then one, and membership must change each round. Accumulated points are ranked and added to the final examination score.

Design Implications

Context

Requirements

• Used at the seatwork stage within Direct Instruction, with the teacher presenting problems one at a time
• Bonus point incentives (5 points per successful defense) added to final examination scores
• Group membership must not be the same in the next groupings

Constraints

• Studied only in Integral Calculus at one Bahrain university with two small intact classes (9 and 21 students)
• Female students in one section were excluded due to cultural orientation

Target Learners

• Undergraduate computer science and engineering students in Integral Calculus

Learning Goals

• Problem-solving in Integral Calculus (areas under curves, area between curves, volumes of solid revolution)

Claims

• Razalas Grouping Higher Gain Scores [+M]
• Razalas Grouping Qualitative Benefits [+M]
• Both groups improved significantly from pretest to posttest, and the experimental group's posttest scores significantly exceeded the control group's [+W]
• Students entered the Integral Calculus experiment with near-zero pretest scores, indicating weak prerequisite preparation [~W]
• Small-group learning improves undergraduate STEM achievement [+M]

Related Designs

Examples

-

Key Sources

• Salazar, D. A. (2015). Razalas' Grouping Method and Mathematics Achievement. Journal of Education and Practice, Vol.6, No.8. http://www.iiste.org

Page metadata

Field	Value
type	design
id	razalas-method-of-grouping
title	Razalas' Method of Grouping
description	An inverse grouping method used at the seatwork stage of Direct Instruction, reversing Salazar's Method: "the first stage is an individual competition and the next stages, a group member is added based on the student...
status	review
generated	by process:settle-candidates on 2026-11-01
trust	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
sources	1 — salazar-2015

Frontmatter is the page's machine-readable record — see the Schema & Guide.