Research by Peter Liljedahl into what impacts student thinking in the classroom supports creating visibly random groups. This strategy helps build the mindset that every student is capable. Whether groups are self-selected by students for social reasons, or selected by the teacher for productivity, students show up to these groups with assumptions about their role and what each other will or will not do for the group. By randomizing groups in a way that students can witness that randomization process, it breaks down social barriers and improves the culture of collaboration. 

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To create visibly random groups: 

• Use the group maker tool on classroomscreen.com 

• Give each student a playing card and have them find their group members based on either number or suit depending on how you set up the deck 

• Put student names on popsicle sticks and draw them out of a cup 

• Line up in numerical order of the last 2 digits of your phone number and then count off 

• Cut a picture into pieces and have students find the people who have the other part of their picture 

• Use the team maker website

• Use the picker wheel website