Do Jigsaw classrooms improve learning outcomes? Five experiments and an internal meta-analysis

Arnaud Stanczak (1) , Céline Darnon (1) , Anaïs Robert (1) , Marie Demolliens (1) , Camille Sanrey (2) , Pascal Bressoux (3) , Pascal Huguet (1) , Céline Buchs (4) , Fabrizio Butera (5)

1 LAPSCO - Laboratoire de Psychologie Sociale et Cognitive
2 LPS (URP_4471) - Laboratoire de Psychologie Sociale : contextes et régulation
3 LaRAC - Laboratoire de Recherche sur les Apprentissages en Contexte
4 UNIGE - Université de Genève = University of Geneva
5 UNIL - Université de Lausanne = University of Lausanne

“Jigsaw” is a peer learning procedure derived from social interdependence theory, which suggests that individuals positively linked by a common goal can benefit from positive and promotive social interactions (Aronson & Patnoe, 2011). Although jigsaw has often been presented as an efficient way to promote learning, empirical research testing its effect on learning remains relatively scarce. The goal of the present research is to test the hypothesis that a jigsaw intervention would yield a meaningful effect size (d = 0.40) on learning outcomes, in five randomized experiments conducted among 6th graders. The jigsaw intervention was compared to an “individualistic” (N Experiment 1 = 252; N Exp 2 = 313) or a “teaching as usual” (N Exp 3A = 110; N Exp 3B = 74; N Exp 3C = 101) approach on the same pedagogical content. Across the five experiments, we did not find empirical support for this hypothesis. Internal meta-analytic estimates (ES = 0.00, 95% CI [-0.10, 0.09]) showed that, overall, the jigsaw intervention did not produce the expected positive effects on learning. The reasons why jigsaw classrooms may not always prove beneficial for learning are discussed.

Mots clés: Jigsaw classroom; Cooperative learning; Internal meta-analysis

Domaines: Psychologie

Arnaud Stanczak, Céline Darnon, Anaïs Robert, Marie Demolliens, Camille Sanrey, et al.. Do Jigsaw classrooms improve learning outcomes? Five experiments and an internal meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 2022, ⟨10.1037/edu0000730⟩. ⟨hal-03441734⟩