1. Classroom Instruction that Works
Cooperative Learning

2. What do you know? How many think they do cooperative learning well?
How many think that others do it better?

3. BEST EVER!!
What is the best success you have had with cooperative learning?
What has been your biggest challenge?
What can anyone do to help with the transition for more cooperative learning in your classroom?

4. 5 Elements of Cooperative Learning:
Positive interdependence – a sense of sink or swim together
Face-to-Face promotive interaction – helping each other learn, applauding success and efforts

5. Individual and group accountability – each of us has to contribute to the group achieving its goal
Interpersonal and small group skills – communication, trust, leadership, decision making, and conflict resolution
Group processing – reflecting on how well the team is functioning and how to function even better

6. The most commonly referred to study was done by Johnson & Johnson in It found that compared to other techniques that cooperative learning has an effect size of .78.

7. 3 Generalizations to using Cooperative Learning
Organizing groups based on ability levels should be done sparingly.
Lou & others (1996) found that students of all ability levels benefit from ability grouping when compared with no grouping at all.
However, this same study found that students of low ability actually perform worse when they are placed in homogeneous groups with students of low ability – as opposed to students of low ability placed in heterogeneous groups.

8. Cooperative groups should be kept small (3 to 4).
Cooperative learning should be applied consistently and systematically, but not overused.
used at least once a week
make sure the activity is well structured
make sure the students have sufficient time to independently practice the skills and processes necessary for the activity

9. Activity
Using the cards, find your group. Come up with an idea of how you can use cooperative learning in a lesson that is repetitive or significant in your classroom.

10. Sharing Find your new group Share a short review of your lesson
Using talking chips, help to evaluate the lessons and come up with ways that they are great and improvements you can see need to happen