1 Cooperative Learning

C OOPERATIVE L EARNING What it is? Cooperation -- working together to accomplish shared goals. Cooperative learning-- is a successful teaching strategy in which small teams, each with students of different levels of ability, use a variety of learning activities to improve their understanding of a subject. 2 FG,Atilim University,2007

Each member of a team is responsible not only for learning what is taught but also for helping teammates learn, thus creating an atmosphere of achievement. Students work through the assignment until all group members successfully understand and complete it. 3 FG,Atilim University,2007

W HY C OOPERATIVE LEARNING ? Cooperative efforts result in participants striving for mutual benefit so that all group members: gain from each other's efforts. (Your success benefits me and my success benefits you.) recognize that all group members share a common fate. (We all sink or swim together here.) 4 FG,Atilim University,2007

know that one's performance is mutually caused by oneself and one's team members. (We can not do it without you.) feel proud and jointly celebrate when a group member is recognized for achievement. (We all congratulate you on your accomplishment!). 5 FG,Atilim University,2007

Research has shown that cooperative learning techniques: promote student learning and academic achievement increase student retention enhance student satisfaction with their learning experience help students develop skills in oral communication develop students' social skills promote student self-esteem help to promote positive race relations W HY USE C OOPERATIVE L EARNING ? 6 FG,Atilim University,2007

S MALL G ROUP S KILLS Groups cannot function effectively if members do not have and use the needed social skills. Instructors emphasize these skills as purposefully and precisely as job- performance skills. Collaborative skills include leadership, decision-making, trust- building, communication, and conflict-management skills. 7 FG,Atilim University,2007

G ROUP P ROCESSING Groups need specific time to discuss how well they are achieving their goals and maintaining effective working relationships among members. Instructors structure group processing by assigning such tasks as (a) list at least three member actions that helped the group be successful and (b) list one action that could be added to make the group even more successful tomorrow. Instructors also monitor the groups and give feedback on how well the groups are working together. 8 FG,Atilim University,2007

T HE I NSTRUCTOR ' S R OLE IN C OOPERATIVE L EARNING M AKE P RE -I NSTRUCTIONAL D ECISIONS Specify Academic and Social Skills Objectives : Every lesson has both (a) academic and (b) and small group skills objectives. Decide on Group Size : Learning groups should be small (groups of two or three members, four at the most). Decide on Group Composition (Assign Students to Groups): Assign students to groups randomly or select groups yourself. Usually you will wish to maximize the heterogeneity in each group. 9 FG,Atilim University,2007

Assign Roles : Structure student-student interaction by assigning roles such as Reader, Recorder, Encourager of Participation and Checker for Understanding. ( Role Cards) Informal grouping. (activity) Arrange the Room : Group members should be "knee to knee and eye to eye" but arranged so they all can see the instructor at the front of the room. Plan Materials : Arrange materials to give a "sink or swim together" message. Give only one paper to the group or give each member part of the material to be learned. 10 FG,Atilim University,2007

Specify Expected Behaviors: The more specific you are about the behaviors you want to see in the groups, the more likely students will do them. Social skills may be classified as forming (staying with the group, using quiet voices), functioning (contributing, encouraging others to participate), formulating (summarizing, elaborating), and fermenting (criticizing ideas, asking for justification). Regularly teach the interpersonal and small group skills you wish to see used in the learning groups. 11 FG,Atilim University,2007

M ONITOR AND I NTERVENE Monitor Students' Behavior: This is the fun part! While students are working, you circulate to see whether they understand the assignment and the material, give immediate feedback and reinforcement, and praise good use of group skills. Collect observation data on each group and student Grouping Activity. 12 FG,Atilim University,2007

Intervene to Improve Taskwork and Teamwork. Provide taskwork assistance (clarify, reteach) if students do not understand the assignment. Provide teamwork assistance if students are having difficulties in working together productively. 13 FG,Atilim University,2007

E VALUATE AND P ROCESS Evaluate Student Learning: Assess and evaluate the quality and quantity of student learning. Involve students in the assessment process. Process Group Functioning : Ensure each student receives feedback, analyzes the data on group functioning, sets an improvement goal, and participates in a team celebration. Have groups routinely list three things they did well in working together and one thing they will do better tomorrow. Summarize as a whole class. Have groups celebrate their success and hard work. 14 FG,Atilim University,2007

J IG -S AW P ROCEDURE Task: Think of a reading assignment you will give in the near future. Divide the assignment in three parts. Plan how you will use the jig-saw procedure. Script out exactly what you will say to your class in using each part of the jig-saw procedure. Procedure: One way to structure positive interdependence among group members is to use the jigsaw method of creating resource interdependence. The steps for structuring a "jigsaw" lesson are: 1. Cooperative Groups: Distribute a set of materials to each group. The set needs to be divisible into the number of members of the group (2, 3, or 4 parts). Give each member one part of the set of materials. 2. Preparation Pairs: Assign students the cooperative task of meeting with someone else in the class who is a member of another learning group and who has the same section of the material and complete two tasks: a. Learning and becoming an expert on their material. b. Planning how to teach the material to the other members of their groups. 15 FG,Atilim University,2007

3. Practice Pairs: Assign students the cooperative task of meeting with someone else in the class who is a member of another learning group and who has learned the same material and share ideas as to how the material may best be taught. These "practice pairs" review what each plans to teach their group and how. The best ideas of both are incorporated into each other’s presentation. 4. Cooperative Groups: Assign students the cooperative tasks of: a. Teaching their area of expertise to the other group members. b. Learning the material being taught by the other members. 5. Evaluation: Assess students' degree of mastery of all the material. Reward the groups whose members all reach the preset criterion of excellence. 16 FG,Atilim University,2007

1. P OSITIVE I NTERDEPENDENCE ( SINK OR SWIM TOGETHER ) Each group member's efforts are required and indispensable for group success Each group member has a unique contribution to make to the joint effort because of his or her resources and/or role and task responsibilities FG,Atilim University,

2. F ACE - TO -F ACE I NTERACTION ( PROMOTE EACH OTHER ' S SUCCESS ) Orally explaining how to solve problems Teaching one's knowledge to other Checking for understanding Discussing concepts being learned Connecting present with past learning FG,Atilim University,

3. I NDIVIDUAL &G ROUP A CCOUNTABILITY Keeping the size of the group small. The smaller the size of the group, the greater the individual accountability may be. Giving an individual test to each student. Randomly examining students orally by calling on one student to present his or her group's work to the teacher (in the presence of the group) or to the entire class. FG,Atilim University,

Observing each group and recording the frequency with which each member- contributes to the group's work. Assigning one student in each group the role of checker. The checker asks other group members to explain the reasoning and rationale underlying group answers. Having students teach what they learned to someone else FG,Atilim University,

4. I NTERPERSONAL & S MALL -G ROUP S KILLS Social skills must be taught: Leadership Decision-making Trust-building Communication Conflict-management skills FG,Atilim University,

5. G ROUP P ROCESSING Group members discuss how well they are achieving their goals and maintaining effective working relationships Describe what member actions are helpful and not helpful Make decisions about what behaviors to continue or change FG,Atilim University,

Class Activities that use Cooperative Learning 23 FG,Atilim University,2007

1. Jigsaw – Groups with five students are set up. Each group member is assigned some unique material to learn and then to teach to his group members. To help in the learning students across the class working on the same sub-section get together to decide what is important and how to teach it. After practice in these "expert" groups the original groups reform and students teach each other. (Wood, p. 17) Tests or assessment follows. FG,Atilim University,

2. Think-Pair-Share – Involves a three step cooperative structure. During the first step individuals think silently about a question posed by the instructor. Individuals pair up during the second step and exchange thoughts. In the third step, the pairs share their responses with other pairs, other teams, or the entire group. 25 FG,Atilim University,2007

3. Three-Step Interview - Each member of a team chooses another member to be a partner. - During the first step individuals interview their partners by asking clarifying questions. - During the second step partners reverse the roles. - For the final step, members share their partner's response with the team. 26 FG,Atilim University,2007

- 4. Round Robin Brainstorming - Class is divided into small groups (4 to 6) with one person appointed as the recorder. - A question is posed with many answers and students are given time to think about answers. - After the "think time," members of the team share responses with one another round robin style. - The recorder writes down the answers of the group members. - The person next to the recorder starts and each person in the group in order gives an answer until time is called. 27 FG,Atilim University,2007

5. Three-minute review – Teachers stop any time during a lecture or discussion and give teams three minutes to review what has been said, ask clarifying questions or answer questions. 28 FG,Atilim University,2007

6. Numbered Heads A team of four is established. Each member is given numbers of 1, 2, 3, 4. Questions are asked of the group. Groups work together to answer the question so that all can verbally answer the question. Teacher calls out a number (two) and each two is asked to give the answer. 29 FG,Atilim University,2007

7. Team Pair Solo Students do problems first as a team, then with a partner, and finally on their own. It is designed to motivate students to tackle and succeed at problems which initially are beyond their ability. It is based on a simple notion of mediated learning. Students can do more things with help (mediation) than they can do alone. By allowing them to work on problems they could not do alone, first as a team and then with a partner, they progress to a point they can do alone that which at first they could do only with help. 30 FG,Atilim University,2007

- 8. Circle the Sage - First the teacher polls the class to see which students have a special knowledge to share. - For example the teacher may ask who in the class was able to solve a difficult math homework question, who had visited Mexico, who knows the chemical reactions involved in how salting the streets help dissipate snow. - Those students (the sages) stand and spread out in the room. The teacher then has the rest of the classmates each surround a sage, with no two members of the same team going to the same sage. - The sage explains what they know while the classmates listen, ask questions, and take notes. - All students then return to their teams. Each in turn, explains what they learned. - Because each one has gone to a different sage, they compare notes. If there is disagreement, they stand up as a team. Finally, the disagreements are aired and resolved. 31 FG,Atilim University,2007

9. Partners – The class is divided into teams of four. Partners move to one side of the room. Half of each team is given an assignment to master to be able to teach the other half. Partners work to learn and can consult with other partners working on the same material. Teams go back together with each set of partners teaching the other set. Partners quiz and tutor teammates. Team reviews how well they learned and taught and how they might improve the process. 32 FG,Atilim University,2007

10. Double Entry Journal The Double Entry Journal can be used as a way for students to take notes on articles and other resources they read in preparation for class discussion. Students read and reflect on the assigned reading(s). Students prepare the double entry journal, listing critical points of the readings (as they see them) and any responses to the readings, in general, or specific critical points. Students bring their journal notes to class Once in class, students may use their double entry journal to begin discussion, to do a paired annotation, or for other classroom and group activity. 33 FG,Atilim University,2007

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O NE M INUTE P APERS Ask students to comment on the following questions. Give them one minute and time them. This activity focuses them on the content and can also provide feedback to you as a teacher. What was the most important or useful thing you learned today? What two important questions do you still have; what remains unclear? What would you like to know more about? You can use these one minute papers to begin the next day's discussion, to facilitate discussion within a group, or to provide you with feedback on where the student is in his or her understanding of the material. 35 FG,Atilim University,2007

David and Roger Johnson. "Cooperative Learning." [Online] 15 October David and Roger Johnson. "An Overview of Cooperative Learning." [Online] 15 October Howard Community College's Teaching Resources. "Ideas on Cooperative Learning and the use of Small Groups." [Online] 15 October Kagan, Spencer. "Kagan Structures for Emotional Intelligence." [Online] 15 October Solomon, R., Davidson, N., & Solomon, E. (1992). Handbook for the Fourth R: Relationship Activities for Cooperative and Collegial Learning. (Volume III). Columbia, MD: National Institute for Relationship Training, Inc. Bossert, S.T. (1988). Cooperative activities in the classroom. Review of Educational Research, 15, Bruffee, K.A. (1993). Collaborative learning: Higher education, interdependence, and the authority of knowledge. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press. Cohen, E.G.: (1994). Restructuring the classroom: Conditions for productive small groups. Review of Educational Research, 64, Cooper, J. (1990, May). Cooperative learning and clooege teaching: Tips from the trenches. The Teaching Professor, pp 1-2. Davis, J.R. Better teaching, more learning. Phoenix, AZ: The Oryx Press. Kagan, S. (1992). Cooperative learning (2nd ed.). San Juan Capistrano, CA: Resources for Teachers. 36 FG,Atilim University,2007