Exploring Debiasing Strategies to Improve Small Group Reasoning and Decision Making Outcomes

This exploratory paper aims to reflect on and consider how recent research into cognitive bias and debiasing could help teachers facilitate improved small group discussion work in their classrooms. The paper first reviews the research supporting the benefits of small group discussion. We then describe three cognitive biases that can potentially negatively impact on the openness and diversity of small group work involving problem-solving, consensus building, and decision making. These cognitive biases have been shown to result in a lack of debate, unhealthy convergence, and polarization. Based on strategies that have been found to be effective in combating and mitigating these biases, some potential ideas for teachers to implement in classroom activities that involve small group work are then looked at. Examples of two classroom tasks involving problem-solving, consensus building, and decision making are then discussed. In the conclusion, some thoughts are offered on the future direction and potential of integrating cognitive bias research and debiasing into improving student reasoning in small group class discussion work.