Exploring structured reading groups: case studies on classroom conversation and engagement

In the higher education classroom, one significant challenge students face is grappling with primary literature. They often need guidance not just to understand the content but to actively engage with it. This article presents a practitioner-based curriculum report featuring three illustrative cases of Structured Reading Groups (SRGs) implemented across undergraduate psychology courses at a regional university. SRGs are designed to foster deeper comprehension and collaborative engagement with academic texts by assigning students rotating roles that promote active discussion. Rather than reporting formal research findings, this report outlines delivery models across multiple course types and modalities including face-to-face, HyFlex, and discussion-enhanced, with attention to structure, logistics, and instructional flexibility. This preliminary publication serves as a proof-of-concept guide for instructors seeking to adopt SRGs to support critical reading, community-building, and accountable discourse in the classroom.