Heterogenous vs. Homogeneous Grouping: Student Engagement in Math Instruction

Today, teachers may let their students choose partners during activities in the elementary classroom, but that might not be the best way for students to gain as much knowledge as they can. This research study focuses specifically on differentiated grouping and how well students can stay on task during mathematics instruction. Murphy et. al. (2017) found that putting students into heterogeneous groups rather than homogeneous groups is much more effective for deep learning and can even support struggling learners. The classroom data collected for this research study consisted of student surveys, anecdotal notes, student work samples, and even self reflections. These data sources have been collected throughout one semester of student teaching at a rural elementary school. Research findings highlight the beneficial impacts of heterogeneous grouping brings an overall improvement in student engagement, as well as student enjoyment. Because of this, it has been recommended that the students stay in their heterogeneous groups for the remainder of the year. The significance of this study is to find out the significance of placing students in heterogeneous groups, in comparison to homogeneous groups, to see how their on-task ability is affected.