Cooperative+Learning

Cooperative efforts result in participants striving for mutual benefit so that all group members:
 * Cooperative learning ** is a successful teaching strategy in which small teams, each with students of different levels of ability, use a variety of learning activities to improve their understanding of a subject. Each member of a team is responsible not only for learning what is taught but also for helping teammates learn, thus creating an atmosphere of achievement. Students work through the assignment until all group members successfully understand and complete it.


 * gain from each other's efforts. (Your success benefits me and my success benefits you.)
 * recognize that all group members share a common fate. (We all sink or swim together here.)
 * know that one's performance is mutually caused by oneself and one's team members. (We can not do it without you.)
 * feel proud and jointly celebrate when a group member is recognized for achievement. (We all congratulate you on your accomplishment!).

(http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/cooperativelearning.htm)

Research has shown that cooperative learning techniques: ** 5 Elements of Cooperative Learning ** It is only under certain conditions that cooperative efforts may be expected to be more productive than competitive and individualistic efforts. Those conditions are: || **1. Positive Interdependence** (sink or swim together) >
 * Why use Cooperative Learning? **
 * 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
 * Each group member's efforts are required and indispensable for group success
 * 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
 * [[image:http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/j0078781.gif width="247" height="105" align="center"]] ||

(promote each other's success) ** & ** ** Group Accountability ** ( no hitchhiking! no social loafing) ** Small-Group Skills ** >> || ||
 * ** 2. Face-to-Face Interaction **
 * Orally explaining how to solve problems
 * Teaching one's knowledge to other
 * Checking for understanding
 * Discussing concepts being learned
 * Connecting present with past learning || [[image:http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/football.gif width="254" height="118" align="center"]] ||
 * ** 3. Individual **
 * Keeping the size of the group small. The smaller the size of the group, the greater the individual accountability may be.
 * Giving an individual test to each student.
 * Randomly examining students orally by calling on one student to present his or her group's work to the teacher (in the presence of the group) or to the entire class.
 * Observing each group and recording the frequency with which each member-contributes to the group's work.
 * Assigning one student in each group the role of checker. The checker asks other group members to explain the reasoning and rationale underlying group answers.
 * Having students teach what they learned to someone else. || [[image:http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/lawn.gif width="217" height="227" align="center"]] ||
 * ** 4. Interpersonal & **
 * Social skills must be taught:
 * Leadership
 * Decision-making
 * Trust-building
 * Communication
 * Conflict-management skills
 * ** 5. Group Processing **
 * Group members discuss how well they are achieving their goals and maintaining effective working relationships
 * Describe what member actions are helpful and not helpful
 * Make decisions about what behaviors to continue or change || [[image:http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/j0078837.gif width="175" height="165" align="center"]] ||

**Class Activities that use Cooperative Learning** Most of these structures are developed by Dr. Spencer Kagan and his associates at Kagan Publishing and Professional Development. For resources and professional development information on Kagan Structures, please visit: [|www.KaganOnline.com]

|| 1. [| Jigsaw] - Groups with five students are set up. Each group member is assigned some unique material to learn and then to teach to his group members. To help in the learning students across the class working on the same sub-section get together to decide what is important and how to teach it. After practice in these "expert" groups the original groups reform and students teach each other. (Wood, p. 17) Tests or assessment follows.

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 * **2. Think-Pair-Share** - Involves a three step cooperative structure. During the first step individuals think silently about a question posed by the instructor. Individuals pair up during the second step and exchange thoughts. In the third step, the pairs share their responses with other pairs, other teams, or the entire group.

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 * **3. Three-Step Interview** (Kagan) **-** Each member of a team chooses another member to be a partner. During the first step individuals interview their partners by asking clarifying questions. During the second step partners reverse the roles. For the final step, members share their partner's response with the team.
 * **4.** **RoundRobin Brainstorming** (Kagan)- Class is divided into small groups (4 to 6) with one person appointed as the recorder. A question is posed with many answers and students are given time to think about answers. After the "think time," members of the team share responses with one another round robin style. The recorder writes down the answers of the group members. The person next to the recorder starts and each person in the group in order gives an answer until time is called.
 * **5.** **Three-minute review** - Teachers stop any time during a lecture or discussion and give teams three minutes to review what has been said, ask clarifying questions or answer questions.

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 * **6.** **Numbered Heads Together** (Kagan) - A team of four is established. Each member is given numbers of 1, 2, 3, 4. Questions are asked of the group. Groups work together to answer the question so that all can verbally answer the question. Teacher calls out a number (two) and each two is asked to give the answer.

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 * **7.** **Team Pair Solo** (Kagan)- Students do problems first as a team, then with a partner, and finally on their own. It is designed to motivate students to tackle and succeed at problems which initially are beyond their ability. It is based on a simple notion of mediated learning. Students can do more things with help (mediation) than they can do alone. By allowing them to work on problems they could not do alone, first as a team and then with a partner, they progress to a point they can do alone that which at first they could do only with help.
 * **8.** **Circle the Sage** (Kagan)- First the teacher polls the class to see which students have a special knowledge to share. For example the teacher may ask who in the class was able to solve a difficult math homework question, who had visited Mexico, who knows the chemical reactions involved in how salting the streets help dissipate snow. Those students (the sages) stand and spread out in the room. The teacher then has the rest of the classmates each surround a sage, with no two members of the same team going to the same sage. The sage explains what they know while the classmates listen, ask questions, and take notes. All students then return to their teams. Each in turn, explains what they learned. Because each one has gone to a different sage, they compare notes. If there is disagreement, they stand up as a team. Finally, the disagreements are aired and resolved.

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 * **9.** **Partners** (Kagan) - The class is divided into teams of four. Partners move to one side of the room. Half of each team is given an assignment to master to be able to teach the other half. Partners work to learn and can consult with other partners working on the same material. Teams go back together with each set of partners teaching the other set. Partners quiz and tutor teammates. Team reviews how well they learned and taught and how they might improve the process.

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-Cooperative learning, which will be the primary focus of this workshop, is a specific kind of collaborative learning. In cooperative learning, students work together in small groups on a structured activity. They are individually accountable for their work, and the work of the group as a whole is also assessed. Cooperative groups work face-to-face and learn to work as a team. -In small groups, students can share strengths and also develop their weaker skills. They develop their interpersonal skills. They learn to deal with conflict. When cooperative groups are guided by clear objectives, students engage in numerous activities that improve their understanding of subjects explored.

-In order to create an environment in which cooperative learning can take place, three things are necessary. First, students need to feel safe, but also challenged. Second, groups need to be small enough that everyone can contribute. Third, the task students work together on must be clearly defined. The cooperative and collaborative learning techniques presented here should help make this possible for teachers. Also, in cooperative learning small groups provide a place where:

(http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/coopcollab/index.html)
 * learners actively participate;
 * teachers become learners at times, and learners sometimes teach;
 * respect is given to every member;
 * projects and questions interest and challenge students;
 * diversity is celebrated, and all contributions are valued;
 * students learn skills for resolving conflicts when they arise;
 * members draw upon their past experience and knowledge;
 * goals are clearly identified and used as a guide;
 * research tools such as Internet access are made available;
 * students are invested in their own learning.

**What is Cooperative Learning? **  Cooperative learning is an instructional strategy that simultaneously addresses academic and social skill learning by students. It is a well-researched instructional strategy and has been reported to be highly successful in the classroom. **What is its purpose?**  There is an every increasing need for interdependence in all levels of our society. Providing students with the tools to effectively work in a collaborative environment should be a priority. Cooperative Learning is one way of providing students with a well defined framework from which to learn from each other. Students work towards fulfilling academic and social skill goals that are clearly stated. It is a team approach where the success of the group depends upon everyone pulling his or her weight.

**How can I do it? **  Five Basic Elements of Cooperative Learning  1. Positive Interdependence  2. Face-To-Face Interaction  3. Individual Accountability  4. Social Skills  5. Group Processing

 The basic elements of cooperative learning can be considered essential to all interactive methods. Student groups are small, usually consisting of two to six members. Grouping is heterogeneous with respect to student characteristics. Group members share the various roles and are interdependent in achieving the group learning goal. While the academic task is of primary importance, students also learn the importance of maintaining group health and harmony, and respecting individual views. **How can I adapt it? **  Cooperative learning can take place in a variety of circumstances. For example, brainstorming and tutorial groups, when employed as instructional strategies, provide opportunities to develop cooperative learning skills and attitudes. **Assessment and Evaluation Considerations**  Observing cooperative learning groups in action allows you to effectively assess students' work and understanding. Cooperative learning groups also offer a unique opportunity for feedback from peers and for self-reflection. (http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/strats/coop/)