Small-group learning (SGL) is a pedagogical approach that deliberately organizes students into small groups that learn together, collaborate regularly, and develop strong relationships with one another. The approach is often used with in-person classes but can also be applied to online learning environments. SGL can help facilitate more active student engagement and reduce the “impersonal” feel of online course environments. This workshop introduces the guiding principles behind small-group pedagogy and gives practical guidance on using it within the Blackboard environment in both introductory and advanced courses.

Dr. Miguel Centellas is an Instructional Professor of Sociology and Undergraduate Program Coordinator for Sociology. He regularly teaches introductory and advanced sociology courses online, as well as in-person and Honors College sections of the same courses. One of his research interests is pedagogy and Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). A guiding principle of his teaching approach has been to make his in-person and online courses as similar as possible, leveraging the strengths of each approach to minimize their limitations.

This workshop is one of four in a series as part of the 2026-2027 WOW! Faculty Fellowship.