1. Putting cooperative learning into practice A DU Center for Teaching & Learning Workshop Facilitators: Julanna Gilbert & Roberto Corrada

2. Variety is the spice of life…… ……this goes for teaching too!

3. Cooperative learning is active learning  Active learning any course-related activity where students do something besides listening to a lecture  Cooperative learning structured form of active learning that is particularly effective at improving student learning

4. Cooperation and the creation of an environment for learning (Johnson & Johnson) When the activity facilitates:  Positive interdependence  Individual accountability  Face-to-face interaction  Development of interpersonal skills  Self-assessment of group functioning The student perception is:  We sink or swim together  I am responsible to the group, my participation is important, I must learn the material  Listening is important, my group members are important and worthy of respect  I am learning because my group is successful!

5. So, now what? Integrating CL into your teaching does NOT require you to toss everything that you know about teaching and start all over….

6. Getting Started – Content  Select topic  Summarize essential material  Articulate learning objectives

7. Getting Started - Structure A clear set of specific student learning objectives is included A clear set of task-completion instructions is included Must-learn information is obvious & accessible Students have sufficient time to complete the exercise set from “The Essential Elements of Cooperative Learning in the Classroom”, Robert J. Stahl, ERIC Digest (www.ericfacility.net/ericdigests/ed370881.html)

8. Getting Started - Implementation  Write the CL exercises into the syllabus, explain CL to students  Select groups  The smaller the group the better (3 is optimum)  Interact with groups  Ask and answer questions  Explore individual understanding  Be sensitive to group interactions  Show enthusiasm for creative thinking!!!

9. Selecting groups  Heterogeneous by GPA, ethnicity, gender  Mixing students provides an equal opportunity for success  Groups should stay together for an extended period of time (eg, all of the CL activities in your class)  Provide opportunities for peer evaluation

10. Dealing with complaints Peer review systems (see handout) Make sure that individual success is also rewarded (individual testing over material in the group exercise). Stick to your guns!! It works!!

11. A few comments: The CL activity needs to be structured. Don’t just send the students off with instructions like “work together ”, “study together”, “form a group to do a presentation”…… Students need to understand that this activity is THE way in which they will learn the content (except for reading assignments). In other words, it is very important that the instructor NOT give an organized lecture over the material first. This requires that you have a lot of confidence in the students. They can learn on their own if the activity is structured well. The CL activities need to “count” or students will not take them seriously. Instructor intervention is important. Listen to students in the group as they work together, ask the students questions, answer their questions. If many of the groups are confused about the same thing, get everyone’s attention and give a short explanation.

12. Finally, a word about grading …….. The “curve” rewards competition not cooperation!