Cooperative Learning

Cooperative Learning

The best answer to the question, “What is the most effective method of teaching?” is that it depends on the goal, the student, the content, and the teacher. But the next best answer is, “Students teaching other students.” (Wilbert McKeachie)

Defining conditions Overcomin g resistance

Cooperative Learning

Conflict manageme nt Individual accountabili ty

Structur es & benefits Forming teams

Positive interdepende nce

Overview • • • •

What is cooperative learning? Formal CL activities Benefits Implementation tips

Cooperative Learning Students work in groups on structured learning tasks under conditions that meet five criteria:

CL Criteria Regular self-assessment of group functioning Face-to-face interaction

Positive interdependence

Appropriate use of interpersonal skills

Individual accountability

• Cooperative learning is not – students sitting around a table studying together – group projects with one or two students doing all the work

• Cooperative learning implemented properly minimizes or eliminates the problems that invariably occur in poorly implemented group work.

Overview • • • •

What is cooperative learning? CL structures Benefits Implementation tips

Team Homework • Assignments done by teams • Only names of participants on final product • One grade per team, adjusted for individual performance • For problem sets, solutions outlined individually, completed by team. Option: Individual outlines and group solution turned in

Team Projects • Project (design, lab, class presentation) done by teams • Specialized training provided for individuals (Jigsaw) • One grade per team, adjusted for individual performance

JIGSAW (For projects with clearly identifiable subtasks)

• Form home teams. • Form expert groups, provide specialized training • Regroup in home teams, complete assignment

Peer Feedback • Individuals or project teams help each other – brainstorming ideas – critiquing first drafts – proofreading final product

• Collect and grade critiques to help students improve critical thinking skills

Structured Controversy • Topic with well-documented positions and complexity (ethical, safety, environmental issues) • Structured debate in pairs or groups of 4 • Groups have goals to (1) reach consensus on the issue, (2) master all the material relevant to each side as measured by a test, and (3) write a group report.

Testing • Pairs Testing. Students take test in pairs assigned by the instructor. • Individual Test…Pair (or Group) Test. • Students take test individually • Same test is given to pairs or groups

Overview • • • •

What is cooperative learning? Formal CL activities Benefits Implementation tips

Exercise Thousands of research studies have shown that CL, properly implemented, offers a number of benefits to students & instructors. Speculate on what the benefits are.

CL Benefits Improved • • • •

student-faculty and student-student interaction information retention and grades higher-level thinking skills attitudes toward subject, motivation to learn it

• • • • •

teamwork, interpersonal skills communication skills understanding of professional environment self-esteem, level of anxiety (less emphasis on competition) race, gender relations (maybe)

PLUS,

far fewer (and better) papers to mark

Why It Works • • • •

Active/interactive learning. Individuals get stuck, give up. Groups keep going. Students see & learn alternative strategies. Students, like professors, learn best what they teach.

Overview • • • •

What is cooperative learning? Formal CL activities Benefits Implementation tips

Forming CL Teams • •

3-4 person teams for most applications Form formal CL teams yourself. Criteria:  



Mixed ability levels Common blocks of time to meet outside class Early in the curriculum, don’t let at risk underrepresented populations (e.g. women in engineering) be outnumbered in groups.

• To get ability heterogeneity within each team: 

Option 1: Form groups using grades in pre-requisite courses or on college entrance examinations. (First-day survey)



Option 2: Form practice groups randomly. After first test (2-3 weeks), re-form groups using test results.

First-day survey. Ask students for - Gender (optional) - Ethnicity (optional) - Grades in selected courses - Times not available during week for group work Form groups following given guidelines based on survey responses.

• (Option for homework teams) Re-form teams once during the course. • (Option for project teams) Announce project topics, use lottery system to let students sign up for preferred topics. • Note: Self-selected teams are better than no teams at all.

Promote positive interdependence • Assign different roles (coordinator, checker, recorder, monitor,...) and rotate roles. • Use Jigsaw • Give bonus on test (2-3 points) to groups in which the team average is (say) 80 or higher.

Require individual accountability • Primarily individual testing • Call randomly on team members to present or explain results • Peer ratings of team citizenship • Last resort options

Periodic self-assessment of team performance • Are we meeting our goals and expectations? • What are we doing well? • What needs improvement? • What (if anything) will we do differently next time?

Celebrate Success