A Geomorphological ‘Icebreaker’ exercise in team-development for problem-based learning

AbstractThis paper describes an ‘icebreaker’ used at the start of a final year geomorphology module. Teamwork was designed to be an important component of a module which involved a mix of problem-based and curriculum-mode learning. Each team had to collect and reassemble six parts of one of several images dispersed amongst the class. The instructions were given in written form for the exercise which was designed to take 20 minutes, including a review and feedback period. The aim of the exercise was to show that even a simple task required appreciation of the need to work collaboratively in a team.