Think-pair-share
Think-pair-share is a classroom routine in three steps: students think about a question alone, discuss it with a partner, then share with the whole class. It gives every student time to form an answer before anyone speaks, so more students take part. Frank Lyman developed it at the University of Maryland.
In more detail
The order is the point. Think time first means the fast talkers do not answer for everyone, and quieter students arrive at the pair step with something to say. Talking to one partner is low risk, so students can try an idea out and fix it before saying it in front of the room.
It fits any subject and takes 3 to 10 minutes. Use it with a question that has more than one defensible answer or needs reasoning, such as why a result happened or which of two methods is better. A question whose answer is a single fact wastes the pair step.
There are common variations. Think-write-pair-share adds a written answer before the pair step, and think-pair-square joins two pairs into a group of four. You can use the same idea when studying: think through a hard question alone, compare with a study partner, then bring the open points to the group or the lecturer.
Example
In a history class the teacher asks: why did the printing press spread ideas faster than copying by hand? Students write two reasons in a minute. In pairs they pick the strongest one and an example. Three pairs share. One says cost, one says speed, one says that identical copies let people argue about the same text. The teacher writes all three on the board and asks which mattered most.
How to use it
- 1
Think (1 to 2 minutes). Pose one open question. Students think alone and jot notes, with no talking.
- 2
Pair (2 to 3 minutes). Students turn to a partner, compare answers and agree on the best one, or note where they differ.
- 3
Share (3 to 5 minutes). Call on a few pairs to report, or ask each pair to say one point the other person made. Collect the main ideas on the board.
How StudyPDF does this
Use it as a study routine. Answer a short-answer question from a StudyPDF quiz on your own first, which is the think step. Compare with a study partner, which is the pair step. Then ask Bo about the points you still disagree on. Bo answers from your course material with citations, so the disagreement ends at a page of your lecture and not at an opinion.
See also
Common questions
How long does think-pair-share take?
Usually 3 to 10 minutes: one to two minutes to think, two to three to talk in pairs and three to five to share with the class. Shorten the think step for simple questions and extend it when students need to write.
Why use think-pair-share instead of asking the whole class?
When you ask the whole class, the first hand up answers and everyone else stops thinking. The think and pair steps make every student form an answer, so you hear from more than the usual few.
Put it to work on your own course
Upload your lectures and ask Bo. Cited answers, plus flashcards, exams, and more built from your material.