[Theory and Practice of the Constructive Jigsaw Method in Advancing Domain Knowledge and Skills in Parallel]

The Learning Sciences constitute a rapidly expanding discipline that focuses on the learning potential of humans. In this paper, I will discuss the particular learning mechanism involved in the concomitant advancement of domain knowledge and 21st century skills, as well as the Constructive Jigsaw Method of knowledge construction through collaboration-that is, collaborative problem solving. An especially important focus on knowledge construction separates routine experts from adaptive experts. While routine experts develop a core set of skills that they apply throughout their lives with increasing efficiency, adaptive experts are much more likely to change their core skills and continually expand the depth of their expertise. This restructuring of core ideas and skills may reduce their efficiency in the short run but make them more flexible in the long run. The Constructive Jigsaw Method employs a learning mechanism that encourages the development of adaptive experts. Under this method, students first study a piece of material in an expert group. One member from each of several expert groups then joins a new study group, a jigsaw group. The members of this new group then combine what they have learned, creating new knowledge and a deeper understanding of the concept through collaboration, communication, and innovation.