Cooperative Group Learning: Critical Thinking in the Large Lecture Class Session begins at 1PM ET/12PM CT/11AM MT/10AM PT. Please configure your audio by running the Audio Set Up Wizard: Tools>Audio>Audio Set Up Wizard. Rique Campa Associate Dean of the Graduate School Professor of Wildlife Ecology Michigan State University Welcome to our CIRTLCast series on fostering critical thinking in STEM classrooms Katy Meyers Emery PhD Candidate Michigan State University

Cooperative Group Learning: Critical Thinking in Large Lecture Classes Katy Meyers Emery Department of Archaeology Rique Campa Graduate School and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University

Goals  What is cooperative learning, why use it?  Describe how to create a classroom atmosphere that supports learning through working together – principles of cooperative learning & archaeology example  Learn strategies to avoid the potential pitfalls of cooperative learning

Cooperative Learning in STEM Education -What is it? -Why do it?

EXPERIENCES WITH COOPERATIVE LEARNING AS A STUDENT OR AN INSTRUCTOR?

Does your cooperative learning activity demonstrate the principles of cooperative learning? Cooperative Learning Principles positive interdependence “sink or swim” Johnson, Johnson, Smith Active learning: Cooperation in the college classroom Edina, MN. Interaction Book Company.

Does your cooperative learning activity demonstrate the principles of cooperative learning? Cooperative Learning Principles positive interdependence “sink or swim” individual and group accountability Johnson, Johnson, Smith Active learning: Cooperation in the college classroom Edina, MN. Interaction Book Company.

Does your cooperative learning activity demonstrate the principles of cooperative learning? Cooperative Learning Principles positive interdependence “sink or swim” individual and group accountability face-2-face interactions Johnson, Johnson, Smith Active learning: Cooperation in the college classroom Edina, MN. Interaction Book Company.

Does your cooperative learning activity demonstrate the principles of cooperative learning? Cooperative Learning Principles positive interdependence “sink or swim” individual and group accountability face-2-face interactions teamwork skills Johnson, Johnson, Smith Active learning: Cooperation in the college classroom Edina, MN. Interaction Book Company.

Does your cooperative learning activity demonstrate the principles of cooperative learning? Cooperative Learning Principles positive interdependence “sink or swim” individual and group accountability face-2-face interactions teamwork skills group processing and facilitation Johnson, Johnson, Smith Active learning: Cooperation in the college classroom Edina, MN. Interaction Book Company.

Using Lectures and Cooperative Learning…? What are their weaknesses? -Students are observing, listening, passive participants -Students may not understand the context of the information -Students may not be applying or using the information (practicing) “Why do we need to know this?”

Using Lectures and Cooperative Learning…? What are their weaknesses? -Students are observing, listening, passive participants -Students may not understand the context of the information -Students may not be applying or using the information (practicing) “Why do we need to know this?” Ideally, we want: -Activity-engagement -Reflection-material in relevant context, has meaning -Collaboration-peer-learning -Passion-raise student interest

e.g., Cooperative Learning-Informal Groups, Large Classes Reflect on the class: What were the most important points for you? What questions do you have or what was the muddiest point? Discuss with a partner: Points that were useful, meaningful, interesting” What questions do you have?” Interpret/critique a model or a data set

e.g., Cooperative Learning-Informal Groups, Large Classes Reflect on the class: What were the most important points for you? What questions do you have or what was the muddiest point? Discuss with a partner: Points that were useful, meaningful, interesting” What questions do you have?” Interpret/critique a model or a data set What will you do with these data?!

QUESTIONS?

Cooperative Learning ANP 203: Introduction to Archaeology Large lecture class with diverse group of classes, ages, majors and experience Archaeology is active, allows for multiple voices, best taught by doing But how to incorporate into this type of class? Think-Pair-Share Cooperative Learning Activity 18

1.Introduction to interpreting artifacts a.How do we use pieces of the past to interpret behavior 2.Students ‘hired’ as archaeologists a.Excavation of site during the year 2215 b.Artifacts are lost in transit to the lab c.Students must work from drawings to identify them 19 What Do Archaeologists Do? Set Up

3.Students pair up to identify artifacts from drawings (Think-Pair) a.Group A: artifacts 1-4 b.Group B: artifacts Students share artifact identifications to entire class (Share) a.Allowed to offer competing interpretations 20 What Do Archaeologists Do? Activity Part I

5.Based on correct identifications, students must interpret where, when and how? (Think-Pair) a.Group A and B pair together to create interpretation 6.Students share interpretations (Share) a.Allowed to offer competing interpretations 7.Discuss similarities to real archaeological work 21 What Do Archaeologists Do? Activity Part II

Benefits of Activity Provides small group discussion and cooperative learning opportunity Activity has scaffolds, easy questions to answer in pairs, then discussion, followed by harder questions Provides feel of real archaeological workflow Encourages student discussion and multiple interpretations There is no correct answer- just ones that are better supported by the available evidence Sets the tone for the entire semester 22

Learning Objectives From Participants (Enter examples on the whiteboard below) Learning Objectives: How to address objectives:

To sign up to hear about these and other CIRTL events, Critical Thinking and Peer Instruction: Students Learning Together October 21, 1PM ET/12PM CT/11AM MT/10AM PT Presenter: Bennett Goldberg, Professor of Physics and Science Education and Director of STEM Education Initiatives, Boston University Upcoming Events