What Touchstones Looks Like

The Four Stages of Group Development

A cornerstone of the Touchstones process is the awareness of the Four Stages of Group Development. Understanding these phases and how they function in a group can help discussion leaders to understand group behaviors how to intervene when inappropriate to address them. Below is an explanation of these stages and video clips to demonstrate different groups and what their interactions look like along this developmental process.

Discussion Group Formation

Stage 1: Participation

Students at UNLV engage in their first discussion at the start of the Participation Stage.

Stage 2: Cooperation

Students at UMBC engage in whole group discussion in their first semester as a group during the Cooperation Stage.

Stage 3: Active Listening

Students at Frederick Douglass Academy (NY) show they are moving toward more discussion leadership mid-year during the Active Listening Stage.

Stage 4: Shared Leadership

High school juniors in Cecil County (MD) Public Schools show their ability to lead the discussion themselves during the last marking period of the year in the Shared Leadership Stage.