samvinnunám

Samvinnunám is a pedagogical approach in which students learn through structured collaboration in small groups, with the aim of achieving shared educational goals. It emphasizes interdependence among group members, individual accountability, and meaningful interaction as core drivers of learning. The approach seeks to move beyond simple group work by design, so that students rely on one another to master content and develop skills.

Key features include positive interdependence, where each member’s contribution affects the group’s success; individual accountability, ensuring that all students contribute and understand the material; promotive interaction, where students help and challenge each other; explicit development of social skills; and group processing, where the group reflects on its functioning and outcomes. Common models of samvinnunám involve tasks that require coordinated effort, roles to clarify responsibilities, and iterative cycles of collaboration and assessment.

Implementation typically involves careful task design, heterogeneous grouping, clear goals, and rubrics that assess both group products and individual contributions. Teachers act as facilitators, monitoring progress, providing scaffolding, and intervening when groups struggle. Assessment often combines a group product with individual evaluations, including peer feedback to ensure accountability.

In Iceland, samvinnunám is integrated in many curricula as part of broader active-learning strategies and is used across primary, secondary, and higher education settings. While results vary, well-planned samvinnunám can enhance content understanding, critical thinking, communication, and teamwork, provided that group dynamics are well managed and teachers receive appropriate support.