1. Advanced Teaching Strategies: Dr. Taylor By Lori, Lucas and Adrienne
Cooperative Learning
Advanced Teaching Strategies: Dr. Taylor
By Lori, Lucas and Adrienne

2. What is Cooperative Learning?
Cooperative Learning is a method of instruction in which students work together in groups to achieve specific academic and social goals.
Cooperative learning is…
Applied Social Psychology
Intentional Structuring of Learning goals
Promotive Interaction
This strategy has been documented and studied more than any other movement in education today.
Advocates say the danger in it is that it is oversold as a strategy that will “Do it all.” Another difficulty is that teachers are undertrained

3. Learning Goals can be structured 3 different ways:
Cooperation: We Sink or Swim Together
Competition: I Swim, You Sink; I Sink, You Swim
Individualistic: We Are Each In This Alone

4. Cooperative Learning is Based on Three Learning Theories
1. The Social Interdependence Theory
2. The Cognitive Developmental Theory
3. The Behavioral Learning Theory

5. The Social Interdependence Theory
Interaction with other people is essential for human survival
The way in which social interaction is structured determines the way persons interact with each other (ie: for positive interdependence or cooperation to occur, structure has to be created)
In the education setting, social interdependence refers to students’ efforts to achieve, develop positive relationship,
adjust psychologically and show social competence.
The social interdependence perspective of cooperative learning presupposes that the way social interdependence is structured
determines the way persons interact with each other. So essentially, outcomes are a consequence of persons’ interactions.
Therefore , one of the cooperative elements that has to be structured in the classroom is positive interdependence or cooperation
(synonyms)
One of the things we kept running into the literature is that it is really imporatant for the teacher to understand their role in setting up the perameters for cooperation or positive interdependence. You, as the teacher, design or structure the activity in such a way that these things occur.
Peer review or evaluation

6. A little History Kurt Lewin develops Field Theory (1930s)
A group is a dynamic whole rather than a
collection of individuals
Morton Deutsch develops the Theory of Interdependence (1940s & 50s)
When people work together with common goals, something better happens then when they work alone or compete with one another.

8. The Cognitive Developmental Theory
When individuals work together, sociocognitive conflict occurs and creates cognitive disequilibrium that stimulates perspective-taking ability and reasoning.

9. The Behavioral Learning Theory
This theory presupposes that cooperative efforts are fueled by extrinsic motivation to achieve group rewards.
Names in behaviorism include Watson and Skinner

10. The Cooperative Learning Center (University of Minnesota)
A place that focuses on making classrooms and schools more cooperative places and on teaching cooperative skills—leadership, communication, decision making, trust building, and conflict resolution.
David and Roger Johnson - Nation’s leading researcher’s on Cooperative Learning
“Human beings learn more, flourish, and connect more when they’re cooperating and less when they’re competing or working in an isolated fashion.” - Roger Johnson

11. Behind the Research (Level I)
Level I studies date back to the 1930’s
Theory of group process which is based on shared goals and rewards
Cooperative Learning is used by millions of teachers (Slavin, 1995)
70% of elementary teachers and 62% of middle school teachers use it at a sustained level

12. Behind the Research (Level II)
There is no review, synthesis, or meta-analysis that concludes that cooperative learning is deficient as a means to raise student achievement
Research by Slavin (main conclusions)
Two key elements: group goals and individual accountability
When the above are clear, achievement effects of cooperative learning are positive
Positive achievement effects of cooperative learning are consistent among different levels of student ability
Positive effects are more than just academic
Dramatically improves problem solving skills

13. Behind the Research (Level III)
Stevens and Slavin (1995a,b) found out that cooperative learning could be effective in changing the school and classroom organization and intsructional approach
More level III research is needed but there is a large empirical base for the effectiveness of cooperative learning.
Research is especially needed at the senior high and university levels

14. What the Research shows….
Cooperative learning improves students efforts to achieve (ie:they work harder)
Achievement levels go up
Material is remembered longer
Higher level reasoning is used more
It provides both external and intrinsic motivation
Builds a sense of class room community
Social Skills are improved
Psychological health is improved as well as self-esteem

15. Cooperative Learning Situations Designed Correctly Have 5 Key Components
1. Positive Interdependence: Team members perceive that they need each other in order to complete the group’s task (sink or swim together).
Instructors structure positive interdependence by establishing mutual goals (maximize own and each other’s productivity)
Joint rewards are shared if all members of the group achieve the goal
Shared resources are enjoyed. Group members all have different expertise
Assigned Roles (summarizer, encourager of participation, elaborator)

16. Cooperative Learning Situations Designed Correctly Have 5 Key Components con’t
2. Individual Accountability
Assessing the quality and quantity of each member’s contributions and giving the results to the group and to the individual.
3. Face-to-Face Promotive Interaction
Team members promote each other’s productivity by helping, sharing, and encouraging efforts to produce. Members explain, discuss, and teach what they know to teammates.
4. Interpersonal And Small Group Skills
Groups cannot function effectively if members do not have and use the needed social skills (instructor emphasized). Collaborative skills include, instructorship, decision-making, trust building, communication, and conflict-management skills.
5. Group Processing
Groups take specific time to discuss how well they achieved their goals by maintaining working relationships among members.
Instructors structure group processing by assignment such tasks as (a) list at least three member=

17. Types of Cooperative Learning
1. Formal Cooperative Learning Groups
Students work together for one or several class sessions to achieve shared learning goals and complete jointly specific tasks and assignments.
2. Informal Cooperative Learning Centers
Temporary groups used to focus students attention on the material to be learned
3. Cooperative Base Groups
Long-term groups (up to a year) giving support, encouragement, and assistance to progress academically, cognitively and socially.
Formal: Formal learning groups provide the foundation fro all other cooperative learning procedures. They are structured through pre-instructional decisions, setting the task and the cooperative structure, monitoring the groups while they work and intervening to improve taskword and teamwork, and evaluating student learning and processing group functioning
Informal Cooperative Learning Groups: Students work together in temporary, ad hoc groups that last for only one discussion or class period to achieve joint work learning goals. Informal cooperative learning groups are used to focus student attention on the material to be learned, create an expectation set and mood conducive to learning, ensure students cognitively process the material being taught, and provide closure to an instructional session.
Long-term groups (lasting for at least one semester or year) with stable membership whose primary responsibility is to give each member the support, encouragement, and assistance he or she needs to progress academically and develop cognitively and socially in healthy ways.

18. How Do I Begin? Four Planning Questions
1. What Knowledge will students learn?
2. Which strategies will provide evidence that students have learned that knowledge?
3. Which strategies will help students practice, review, and apply that knowledge?
Our Ellis book states that Cooperative learning is one of the biggest, in not the biggest, educational innovations of our tiome.
It’s a world wide phenomonon.
4. Which strategies will help students acquire and integrate that knowledge?

19. The Instructor’s Role in Cooperative Learning
1. Make Pre-Instructional Decisions
Specify Academic and Social Skills Objectives
Decide on Group Size
Decide Group Composition
Assign Roles
Arrange the Room
Plan the Materials
Goals: Every lesson has both 1) academic and interpersonal and small group skills objective
Learning groups should be small of two or three- four at the most
Group composition: assign to groups randomly or select groups yourself. Usually you will with to maximize the heterogeinity of each group
Assign Roles” Structure the student to student interaction by assignning roles such as 1)reader, recorder, encourager of Participation and Checker for Understanding
Arrange the room: group members should be “knee to knee” and “eye to eye” but still able to see the instuctor at the front of the room
Plan material: arrange materials to give a “sink or swim together” message. Materials should be distributed in such a way that the group needs to rely on each other for the information (suggested 1 paper for each)

20. Instructor’s Role in Cooperative Learning con’t
2. Explain Task and Cooperative Structure
Explain the Academic Task
Explain the Criteria for Success
Structure Positive Interdependence
Structure Intergroup Cooperation
Structure Individual Accountability
Specify Expected Group Behaviors
Explain the Academic Task: Explain the task, the objectives of the lesson, the concepts and principles students need to know to complete the assignment, and the procedures they are to follow.
Explain the Criteria for Success: Student work should be evaluated on a criteria-referenced basis. Make clear your criteria for evaluating students' work.
*Structure Positive Interdependence: Students must believe they "sink or swim together." Always establish mutual goals (students are responsible for their own learning and the learning of all other group members). Supplement, goal interdependence with celebration/reward, resource, role, and identity interdependence.
Structure Intergroup Cooperation: Have groups check with and help other groups. Extend the benefits of cooperation to the whole class.
*Structure Individual Accountability: Each student must feel responsible for doing his or her share of the work and helping the other group members. Ways to ensure accountability are frequent oral quizzes of group members picked at random, individual tests, and assigning a member the role of Checker for Understanding.
*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.

21. Instructor’s Role in Cooperative Learning con’t
3. Monitor and Intervene
Arrange Face-to-Face Promotive Interaction
Monitor Students' Behavior
Intervene to Improve Taskwork and Teamwork
4. Evaluate and Process
Evaluate Student Learning
Process Group Functioning
*Arrange Face-to-Face Promotive Interaction: Conduct the lesson in ways that ensure that students promote each other’s success face-to-face.
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.
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.

22. Team Building Five Aims Getting Acquainted Team Identity
Mutual Support
Valuing Differences
Developing Synergy

23. Social Roles
Task master - keeps the group on task. It is important to use positive talk such as, “We haven’t answered # 3 yet,” rather than, “Stop fooling around.”
Gate Keeper - Equalizes participation. The gate keeper uses gambits like “That is very interesting, Joe. Sally, what do you think?”
Checker - Makes sure that everyone has mastered the material.Lead with comments like, “Let’s do one problem each while the team watches to make sure we all have it.”
Reflector - Summarizes the learning. Also, he has the team reflect on the social skill. “How well did we all stay on task?”

24. What’s in a name? Interview each other regarding your names
How did you get your name? Is there an interesting family history associated with your name?
Do you like your name? What would you be called if you could choose your name?
Do you have a nickname? What interesting experiences have you had that are associated with your name?

25. Create A Team Name Three simple rules for creating a team name:
1) Each team member must have a say
2) No decision should be reached unless everyone in the group consents
3) No member consents to the group decision if she/he has a serious objection

26. Team Handshake
Team members will develop a handshake which symbolizes their team name.
Consensus rules apply here also: We don’t have a team log or handshake unless we all agree.

27. Jigsaw
Can be used in a numerous ways to accomplish a variety of goals, including mastery, concept development, discussion and group projects.
This can be incorporated into almost any class by dividing a chapter into four parts, where each member of the group is assigned one part to become an expert. Then she will return back to teach the rest of her team.

28. Sources http://www.cehd.umn.edu/research/highlights/coop-learning/
Johnson, David W., Roger T. Johnson, and Karl A. Smith. "Cooperative Learning." (1989). Web.
Ellis, Arthur K. "Chapter 14 - Cooperative Learning." Research on Educational Innovations. Larchmont, NY: Eye On Education, Print.
Kagan, Spencer. Cooperative Learning. San Juan Capistrano, CA: Kagan Cooperative Learning, Print.