Cooperative Learning in Science A Workshop for In-Service Teachers Erin E. Peters

What is cooperative learning? Cooperative learning is the instructional use of small groups so that students work together to maximize their own and each other’s learning. (Johnson & Johnson, 1999) Students work together in teams to master material initially presented by the teacher (Slavin, 1995) Set of instructional strategies which include cooperative student-student interaction over subject matter as an integral part of the learning process (Kagan, 1994)

In the time of change, learners inherent the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists. - Eric Hoffer

What is your stance? Exercise 1 – Do you Agree or Disagree? Exercise 2 – Cooperative, Competitive, or Individualistic?

How do I know it works? Research in academic achievement In 99 experimental research studies, 64% significantly favored cooperative learning Only 5% of these studies significantly favored the control group Amount of growth depends on type of method among other things Research in relationships, self-esteem, behavior, and empathy

How do I know it works? Research has shown that about 2/3 of the time, favorable outcomes will be produced in one or more of the following non-academic categories Intergroup relations Acceptance of mainstreamed students Self-esteem Proacademic peer norms Self-attribution Time-on-task Liking school Feeling liked and liking classmates Cooperation, altruism and empathy

How do I plan for cooperative learning? Factors to consider Enhancement of learning goals Setting up groups Cooperative learning structure Interdependence Assessments

Enhancements of learning goals The conditions that cooperative efforts may be expected to be more productive than competitive and individualistic efforts: Clearly perceived positive interdependence Considerable face-to-face interaction Clearly perceived individual accountability and personal responsibility to achieve the group’s goals Frequent use of the relevant interpersonal and small-group skills Frequent and regular group processing of current functioning to improve the group’s future effectiveness (Johnson & Johnson, 1999)

Setting up groups 4 most common team assignments 1. Heterogeneous 2. Random 3. Interest 4. Homogeneous language

Structures Teambuilding – team relationship Classbuilding – whole class relationships Mastery – content skills Thinking Skills – cognition Communication Skills – expressing information Information Sharing – dissemination (Kagan, 1994)

Lesson Designs Mastery Designs Division of Labor Designs Project Designs Multi-Functional Frameworks Effective Instruction Johnson & Johnson Big Four (Kagan, 1994)

Interdependence Each group member's efforts are required and indispensable for group success (i.e., there can be no "free- riders"). 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. (Johnson & Johnson, 1999)

Assessments Learning Contracts Tests and Exams Compositions and Presentations Portfolios Observations Interviewing

Jigsaw Activity Group – Home groups, mastery groups Structure – Mastery, Information Sharing Content – Motors, Transformers, Generators Interdependence – Non-experts must rely on teaching of experts Assessment – Individual quizzes on mastery of content

Classbuilding Activity Group – Whole Group Structure – Classbuilding Content – Review of forces content Interdependence – All students must provide at least one correct answer for the activity to be completed Assessment – Exam on forces on the following day

Parting Messages Activity Group – Home groups Structure – Teambuilding Content – Social interactions Interdependence – All students must provide one comment Assessment – Evaluation of positive feedback

Parting Messages Team building activity

“Let us put our minds together... and see what life we can make for our children” -Sitting Bull