1. Using Active and Cooperative Learning in Large Classes
Karl A. Smith
Civil Engineering
University of Minnesota
University of Michigan
Center for Research on Learning and Teaching
January 31, 2006

2. 8:30-9:30?Take copies of Active Lrn, HTMI, New Paradigms,
Lila M. Smith

3. Pedago-pathologies B Lee Shulman
Amnesia
Fantasia
Inertia
Shulman, Lee S Taking learning seriously. Change, 31 (4),

4. What do we do about these pathologies? Lee Shulman
Activity
Reflection
Collaboration
Passion
Combined with generative content and the creation of powerful learning communities
Shulman, Lee S Taking learning seriously. Change, 31 (4),

5. Formulate-Share-Listen-Create (Think-Pair-Share)
Individually read the quote “To teach is to engage students in learning. . .”
Underline/Highlight words and/or phrase that stand out for you
Turn to the person next to you and talk about words and/or phrases that stood out 5

6. To teach is to engage students in learning; thus teaching consists of getting students involved in the active construction of knowledge. . .The aim of teaching is not only to transmit information, but also to transform students from passive recipients of other people's knowledge into active constructors of their own and others' knowledge. . .Teaching is fundamentally about creating the pedagogical, social, and ethical conditions under which students agree to take charge of their own learning, individually and collectively
Education for judgment: The artistry of discussion leadership. Edited by C. Roland Christensen, David A. Garvin, and Ann Sweet. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School, 1991.
8:30-9:30?Take copies of Active Lrn, HTMI, New Paradigms,

7. 8:30-9:30?Take copies of Active Lrn, HTMI, New Paradigms,
Lila M. Smith

8. Backdrop – Recent Reports
National Research Council Reports:
How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School (1999).
How People Learn: Bridging Research and Practice (2000).
Knowing What Students Know: The Science and Design of Educational Assessment (2001).
The Knowledge Economy and Postsecondary Education (2002). Chapter 6 – Creating High-Quality Learning Environments: Guidelines from Research on How People Learn

11. Designing Learning Environments Based on HPL (How People Learn)

12. Active Learning: Cooperation in the College Classroom
Informal Cooperative Learning Groups
Formal Cooperative Learning Groups
Cooperative Base Groups
See Cooperative Learning
Handout (CL College-804.doc) 12

13. Cooperative Learning is instruction that involves people working in teams to accomplish a common goal, under conditions that involve both positive interdependence (all members must cooperate to complete the task) and individual and group accountability (each member is accountable for the complete final outcome).
Key Concepts
Positive Interdependence
Individual and Group Accountability
Face-to-Face Promotive Interaction
Teamwork Skills
Group Processing

15. Book Ends on a Class Session

16. Book Ends on A Class Session
1.Advance Organizer
2.Formulate-Share-Listen-Create (Turn-to-your- neighbor) B repeated every minutes
3.Session Summary (Minute Paper)
1.What was the most useful or meaningful thing you learned during this session?
2.What question(s) remain uppermost in your mind as we end this session?
3.What was the “muddiest” point in this session?

17. Informal CL (Book Ends on a Class Session) with Concept Tests
Physics
Peer Instruction
Eric Mazur - Harvard B
Peer Instruction –
Richard Hake –
Chemistry
Chemistry ConcepTests - UW Madison B
Video: Making Lectures Interactive with ConcepTests
ModularChem Consortium B
STEMTEC
Video: How Change Happens: Breaking the ATeach as You Were Cycle B Films for the Humanities & Sciences B
Harvard
Thinking Together & From Questions to Concepts Interactive Teaching in Physics: Derek Bok Center B

18. The “Hake” Plot of FCI 35.00 SDI UMn-CL+PS 30.00 ALS WP 25.00X
UMn-CL+PS
30.00
ALS WP
25.00 X
UMn Cooperative Groups
20.00
PI(HU)
15.00
UMn Traditional
ASU(nc)
WP*
10.00
ASU(c) HU
5.00
0.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
70.00
80.00
Pretest (Percent)

19. Physics (Mechanics) Concepts: The Force Concept Inventory (FCI)
A 30 item multiple choice test to probe student's understanding of basic concepts in mechanics.
The choice of topics is based on careful thought about what the fundamental issues and concepts are in Newtonian dynamics.
Uses common speech rather than cueing specific physics principles.
The distractors (wrong answers) are based on students' common inferences.

20. Minute Paper
What was the most useful or meaningful thing you learned during this session?
What question(s) remain uppermost in your mind as we end this session?
What was the “muddiest” point in this session?
Give an example or application
Explain in your own words . . .
Angelo, T.A. & Cross, K.P Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

21. Reflect on the session: What were the most important points for you?
Session Summary
(Minute Paper)
Reflect on the session:
What were the most important points for you?
What is one thing you would be willing to try?
What questions do you have?
Pace: Too slow Too fast
Relevance: Little Lots
Format: Ugh Ah

22. Can be short term and ad hoc May be used to break up a long lecture
Informal Cooperative
Learning Groups
Can be used at any time
Can be short term and ad hoc
May be used to break up a long lecture
Provides an opportunity for students to process material they have been listening to (Cognitive Rehearsal)
Are especially effective in large lectures
Include "book ends" procedure
Are not as effective as Formal Cooperative Learning or Cooperative Base Groups
Barr & Tagg's From teaching to learing is the most often requested article from Change mangazine
Bill Camplbell and I started working on New Paradigms in 1993.

23. Formal Cooperative Learning Task Groups
Barr & Tagg's From teaching to learing is the most often requested article from Change mangazine
Bill Camplbell and I started working on New Paradigms in 1993.

24. Formal Cooperative Learning
Jigsaw
2. Peer Composition or Editing
3. Reading Comprehension/Interpretation
4. Problem Solving, Project, or Presentation
5. Review/Correct Homework
6. Constructive Academic Controversy
7. Group Tests
Table summarizes my perception of the shift. A version of this table is available in New Paradigms for Engineering Education -- FIE Conf proceedings 97 (avail on the www)
One of the most significant changes that has occurred is the shift from "pouring in knowledge" to "creating a climate where learning flows among students and the professor"

25. Formal Cooperative Learning
Professor's Role in
Formal Cooperative Learning
Specifying Objectives
Making Decisions
Explaining Task, Positive Interdependence, and Individual Accountability
Monitoring and Intervening to Teach Skills
Evaluating Students' Achievement and Group Effectiveness

26. Formal Cooperative Learning Task Groups
Barr & Tagg's From teaching to learing is the most often requested article from Change mangazine
Bill Camplbell and I started working on New Paradigms in 1993.
Perkins, David King Arthur's Round
Table: How collaborative conversations create
smart organizations. NY: Wiley.

27. Cooperative Learning Research Support
Johnson, D.W., Johnson, R.T., & Smith, K.A Cooperative learning returns to college: What evidence is there that it works? Change, 30 (4),
• Over 300 Experimental Studies
• First study conducted in 1924
• High Generalizability
• Multiple Outcomes
Outcomes
1. Achievement and retention
2. Critical thinking and higher-level
reasoning
3. Differentiated views of others
4. Accurate understanding of others' perspectives
5. Liking for classmates and teacher
6. Liking for subject areas
7. Teamwork skills
Table summarizes my perception of the shift. A version of this table is available in New Paradigms for Engineering Education -- FIE Conf proceedings 97 (avail on the www)
One of the most significant changes that has occurred is the shift from "pouring in knowledge" to "creating a climate where learning flows among students and the professor"

28. Strategies for Energizing Large Classes: From Small Groups to
Learning Communities:
Jean MacGregor,
James Cooper,
Karl Smith,
Pamela Robinson
New Directions for Teaching and Learning, No. 81, 2000.
Jossey- Bass

29. Pedagogies of Engagement
(yeah! The red arrow is pointing at one of our undergrad researchers—Michelle Valeriano)

30. Comparison of Learning Groups
Less Structured (Traditional)
More Structured (Cooperative)
Low interdependence. Members take
High positive interdependence. Members
responsibility only for self. Focus is on
are responsible for own and each other’s
individual performance only.
learning. Focus is on joint performance.
Individual accountability only
Both group and individual accountability.
Members hold self and others accountable
for high quality work.
Assignments are discussed with little
Members promote each other’s success.
commitment to each other’s learning.
The do real work together and help and
support each other’s efforts to learn.
Teamwork skills are ignored. Leader is
Teamwork skills are emphasized. Members
Table summarizes my perception of the shift. A version of this table is available in New Paradigms for Engineering Education -- FIE Conf proceedings 97 (avail on the www)
One of the most significant changes that has occurred is the shift from "pouring in knowledge" to "creating a climate where learning flows among students and the professor"
appointed to direct members’ participation.
are taught and expected to use social skills.
All members share leadership
responsibilities.
No group processing of the quality of its
Group processes quality of work and how
work. Individual accomplishments are
effectively members are working together.
rewarded.
rewarded.
Continuous improvement is emphasized.
Continuous improvement is emphasized.

31. Cooperative Base Groups
Are Heterogeneous
Are Long Term (at least one quarter or semester)
Are Small (3-5 members)
Are for support
May meet at the beginning of each session or may meet between sessions
Review for quizzes, tests, etc. together
Share resources, references, etc. for individual projects
Provide a means for covering for absentees