Cooperative Learning - What, Why & How
What Cooperative Learning is? It is … an instructional use of small groups so that students work together to maximize their own and each other’s learning.
What Cooperative Learning is not? It is not … having students sit side by side at the same table to talk with each other as they do their individual assignments.
What Cooperative Learning is not? It is not … assigning a report to a group of students where one student does all the work and the others put their names on the product.
Cooperative Learning Student Centered Small teams Social interaction Cooperative Spirits Competitive Spirits Individual Accountability Group Responsibility Heterogeneous Teams Homogeneous Teams Personal & Team Achievement Reward Systems Some Characteristics
Cooperative Learning Teacher a sage on the stage a guide by the side Some Implications Teacher a sage on the stage a guide by the side Student an empty vessel waiting to be filled an active member doing the fill
Types of Cooperative Learning Teams-Games-Tournaments (TGT) – (JOHNSONS) Student Teams-Achievement Divisions (STAD) – (SLAVIN) JIGSAW – (ARONSON) Teams-Experts-Tournaments (TET) – (TEOH)
Five Elements of Cooperative Learning What makes it work? Five Elements of Cooperative Learning the Johnsons
Five Elements Positive Interdependence (sink or swim together) unique contribution indispensable Face-to-Face Interaction (promote each other's success) Orally explaining Teaching Check understanding
Five Elements Individual & Group Accountability (no hitchhiking! no social loafing) individual test group responsibility Interpersonal & Small-Group Skills Social skills must be taught: Leadership Decision-making Trust-building Communication Conflict-management skills
Five Elements Group Processing Describe what member actions are helpful and not helpful Discuss effective working relationships which to maintain and to discard Reward for Good Social Traits
Cooperative Learning Why use it? Research has shown that cooperative learning techniques: promote student learning and academic achievement increase student retention enhance student satisfaction with their learning experience help students develop skills in oral communication develop students' social skills promote student self-esteem help to promote positive race relations
Cooperative Learning So, would you use Cooperative Learning? ?????
Assignment to Home & Tournament Teams Rank in Maths Assign 1 A1 6 A2 11 A3 16 A4 2 B1 7 B2 12 B3 17 B4 3 C1 8 C2 13 C3 18 C4 4 D1 9 D2 14 D3 19 D4 5 E1 10 15 20 Home Team Across - Heterogenous Tournament Team Down - Homogenous
Visualizing Home & Tournament Teams Home Table Tournament Table
Assignment to Expert Teams Rank in Maths Assign 1 A1 6 A2 11 A3 16 A4 2 B1 7 B2 12 B3 17 B4 3 C1 8 C2 13 C3 18 C4 4 D1 9 D2 14 D3 19 D4 5 E1 10 E2 15 E3 20 E4 Expert Team - Heterogenous
Assignment to Expert Teams Coloured Expert Table
So are you ready for a Cooperative Learning?