1-2-4-All Cooperative Learning Technique about Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire 

In this co-teaching session, we made use of the so-called 1-2-4-All method which is a cooperative learning method that aims to breed ideas by gradually encouraging team members to think, first individually, then in pairs, then in small groups and finally in the class group context, that is to say, in increasingly larger groups. It aims to create solutions in a collaborative manner, starting from a given topic.

Step 1: Individual Work

– Each student read the provided texts individually.

– after that they had to take some notes on key points, focusing on the following questions:

• What were the main achievements of Emperor Justinian?

• How did Constantinople’s location contribute to its success?

        

Step 2: Pair Work

Next our students were paired up to discuss their notes and answers. Each pair had to consolidate their findings and prepared a summary of their discussion using some given guiding questions:

            ▪ Which achievements of Justinian do you consider most important and why?

            ▪ What strategic advantages did Constantinople’s location offer?

            ▪ Which cultural and religious changes do you find most significant and why?

 Step 3: Group of Four

        ◦ Then it was time for pairs to join another pair to form groups of four. Each group discusses their summaries and creates a comprehensive poster or mind map that includes:

            ▪ Key achievements of Justinian

            ▪ Strategic importance of Constantinople

            ▪ Cultural and religious transformations in Byzantium

        ◦ Guiding questions for group of four discussion:

            ▪ How can we visually represent Justinian’s achievements?

            ▪ What geographical and strategic elements should we include about Constantinople?

            ▪ How can we clearly and comprehensively show the cultural and religious changes?

Step 4: Presentation and Discussion (2nd session) 

        ◦ Each group will present their poster or mind map to the class.

        ◦ Guiding questions for class discussion:

            ▪ What similarities and differences do you find between the different groups?

            ▪ Which aspects of the Byzantine Empire do you find most relevant to world history?

            ▪ How do you think the legacy of the Byzantine Empire influences the present day?

Step 4:  Conclusion

        ◦ Our students will need to summarise the key points discussed during the activity.

        ◦ They must also emphasise the importance of the Byzantine Empire in historical context and its legacy.