1. #6 Learning Groups Aka Cooperative Learning
Marzano’s #6
Learning Groups
Aka Cooperative Learning

2. Why Utilize Cooperative Groups?
Students who work in cooperative Groups out perform those that don’t (Johnson et al, 1981; Walberg, 1999)

3. Cooperative Learning Organizing students into instructional groups
Recommended 3-5 students per group
Adding competition among groups does not increase achievement
3 ways to group students
Informal – turn to your neighbor, pair-share; USE- check homework
Formal – structured, extended assignment; USE- project (teacher ensures all 5 elements are included)
Base – long term (qtr./ yr.), designed to give students a support system, build camaraderie and create teamwork. Works well with complicated, multistep processes. Allows students to give each feedback and identify strengths and weaknesses. USE – Lab experiments, writing process.

4. Cooperative Learning There are 5 elements of cooperative learning
Positive interdependence – a sense of sink or swim together
Face-to-face promotive interaction – helping each other learn
individual and group accountability
Interpersonal and small group skills – communication, trust, leadership, decision making and conflict resolution
Group processing – reflecting on how well the group is functioning and how to function better

5. Tools for facilitating Cooperative learning
Rubrics can be used to measure students’ progress and for students to use as part of the self-assessment process.
Rubrics for Students can be found on pages for the five elements that represent the most important 21st century skills for our students:
Marzano, R. (2001) A Handbook For Classroom Instruction That Works. Alexandria, VA: McREL.

6. And finally… These are free make-your-own-rubric sites