Strategy

Visibly Random Groupings (VRGs) is a collaborative learning strategy from Peter Liljedahl’s framework, Building Thinking Classrooms. His research suggests that students should be placed into randomly assigned groups that are visible to the entire class. This approach ensures that students work with different classmates regularly, creating equal opportunities for participation, communication, and peer learning.

This strategy was implemented to increase student engagement, participation, and understanding of medical terminology through active learning and discussion. Research on collaborative learning suggests that students learn more effectively when they explain concepts themselves, solve problems together, and hear multiple perspectives from peers. VRGs also support critical thinking, teamwork, communication skills, and accountability while helping students build confidence in applying medical terminology in real-world healthcare situations.

Vertical Non-Permanent Surfaces (VNPS) is an active learning strategy that encourages students to collaborate while solving problems on vertical whiteboards or non-permanent surfaces. This approach promotes visible thinking, student participation, and real-time discussion among peers.

The purpose of implementing VNPS was to increase student engagement, strengthen communication and teamwork skills, and support deeper understanding through collaborative problem-solving. Research on active learning strategies suggests that students retain information more effectively when they actively participate in discussions and explain concepts to others. This strategy also exposes students to multiple perspectives and encourages accountability within groups. Additionally, working in groups using VNPS helps students develop critical thinking and collaboration skills that are essential in healthcare and public health team environments.

To measure student understanding and mastery, I incorporated informal and formative assessments throughout the lesson, including short quizzes, reading reflections, discussion questions, and end-of-class checks for understanding. Questions were designed to assess whether students completed the readings and understood key concepts. Students also received feedback regarding participation, academic progress, and classroom behavior.

Documentation

Quiz Grades: With and Without BTC Strategies

This graph shows individual student quiz grades from two sections that I teach. The same quiz was administered to each cohort. The cohort that utilized the VRG and VNPS strategies demonstrated significantly higher quiz outcomes.

Sample Student Feedback

Students provided very positive feedback about the strategies and frequently requested that these activities be used more often. This is one example representing student feedback.

Analysis

The implementation of Visibly Random Groupings (VRGs) and Vertical Non-Permanent Surfaces (VNPS) increased student engagement, collaboration, critical thinking, and participation. Student feedback reflected high engagement, with comments such as, “This was engaging,” and “I enjoyed writing and using the materials.” Real-world patient case studies helped students connect terminology to healthcare settings, making the lesson more meaningful and applicable. Students also strengthened their vocabulary analysis skills by identifying unfamiliar medical terms through word-part analysis rather than memorization. Many students demonstrated increased confidence and interest in participating and recommended more activities of this kind.

These strategies directly addressed my Problem of Practice (PoP), which focused on increasing student engagement while using informal and formative assessments to demonstrate student mastery by the end of the lesson. Students actively participated in discussions, analyzed medical terminology through patient scenarios, and collaborated to identify prefixes, suffixes, causes, and effects of medical conditions. Classroom observations, discussions, and student explanations demonstrated improved understanding of medical terminology and stronger critical-thinking skills.

The strategies also created an interactive and supportive classroom environment that encouraged communication and collaborative problem-solving. Formative assessments, observations, and student feedback indicated that some groups needed additional support and clearer guidance. As a result, I recognized the importance of providing structured prompts, defined group roles, clearer directions, and differentiated support to keep all students actively engaged throughout lesson activities.

Data analysis from the learning activity showed that students benefited from collaborative strategies, as quiz grades improved after students participated in the collaborative thinking tasks. During the activity, students demonstrated respect, cooperation, and active participation, contributing to a productive classroom environment. The task also reinforced the value of collaboration, communication, and teamwork while deepening students’ understanding of course concepts.

One challenge observed was that some groups needed additional guidance to identify the most important information within each patient scenario. In future lessons, I would provide clearer instructions, guiding questions, and structured group roles to keep all students actively involved and focused throughout the activity.

Resources

• Liliedahl, P. (2021). Building thinking classrooms in mathematics: 14 teaching practices for enhancing learning. Corwin.
• Teaching Math – Visibly Random Groups
• The Magic of VNPS (Vertical Non-Permanent Surfaces)
• Saskatchewan Math – Vertical Non-Permanent Surfaces and Mini White Boards
• Free Random Grouping Cards for Visible Random Groupings
• Illinois Wesleyan University – VNPS Research Study