Cooperative Learning in the

College Classroom
 Workshop Objectives
:By the end of this workshop , participants will be able to
Discuss Changing Paradigm of College Teaching-
Define cooperative learning-
Review research related to Cooperative learning-
Discuss reasons for using cooperative leaning in our classrooms -
Compare between cooperative and traditional teaching methods -
Identify elements of cooperative learning-
Recognize lesson format for a cooperative lesson -
Identify and practice some cooperative learning strategies -
Discuss some challenges facing the application of Cooperative -
learning approach in the college classroom
Roles are assigned in a
.cooperative group

LEADER
RECORDER
CHECKER
Timer
OBSERVER
 CHECKER
makes sure that-
everyone in the group
understands all the
material
ensures that everyone in-
the group is prepared to
make their part of the
. presentation
 LEADER
responsible for the groups output-
keeps group on track and focused-
assigns tasks-
controls the direction of the project-
assigns additional roles, such as experimenter -
or equipment manager
 RECORDER
takes notes for the-
team
responsible for-
compiling and
presentation of final
product
gets supplies for team-
when necessary
OBSERVER/READER
makes sure that everyone-
in the group is contributing
(no sponges!)
ensures that everyone in-
the group has an equal
.opportunity to speak
makes sure that all-
.comments are positive
. reads material to the group-
 Activity 1
Comparison of Old and New Paradigms
of College Teaching
 Changing Paradigm of College Teaching

. A paradigm shift is taking place in college teaching

We are dropping the old paradigm of teaching and adopting a new paradigm
. based on theory and research that has clear applications to instruction

The primary means of achieving the new paradigm of teaching in the college
.classroom is to use cooperative learning

Cooperative learning provides the context within which the development of

student talent is encouraged. Carefully structured cooperative learning
ensures that students are cognitively, physically, emotionally, and
psychologically actively involved in constructing their own knowledge and is
an important step in changing the passive and impersonal character of
.many college classrooms

http://www.anderson.ucla.edu
Cooperation in the College classroom


Activity 2
?What is Cooperative Learning
 Cooperative Learning

It is instruction that involves people working in

teams to accomplish a common goal, under
conditions that involve both positive
interdependence (all members must
cooperate to complete the task) and
individual and group accountability (each
member is accountable for the complete final
.outcome)
 ?What is Cooperative learning
Cooperative learning, is also called collaborative
learning, occurs whenever students interact in
pairs or groups to share knowledge and
experiences. All activities in which students work
together head towards a common goal, from
interacting with daily partners to completing long
term projects with learning communities, are
.cooperative learning activities
Cooperative learning is a method of teaching and learning
in which students team together to explore a significant
.question or create a meaningful project

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 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
Cooperative Learning is a relationship in a group
of students that requires positive
interdependence (a sense of sink or swim
together), individual accountability (each of us
has to contribute and learn), interpersonal skills
(communication, trust, leadership, decision
making, and conflict resolution), face-to-face
promotive interaction, and processing (reflecting
on how well the team is functioning and how to
.function even better)
 Activity No.3
Why use Cooperative Learning in
?College Classes
 Review of Research
During the past 90 years nearly 600
experimental and over 100 correlational
studies have been conducted comparing
the effectiveness of cooperative,
competitive, and individualistic efforts.
These studies have been conducted by a
wide variety of researchers in different
decades with different age subjects, in
different subject areas, and in different
.settings
:The more students work in cooperative learning groups

the more they will learn-

the better they will understand what they are learning-
the easier it will be to remember what they learn-
the better they will feel about themselves, the class and-
.their classmates

:Other outcomes included

. positive relationships, and psychological health-
higher achievement and greater productivity-
more caring, supportive, and committed relationships-
greater psychological health, social competence, and self- -
.esteem
Cooperative learning researchers and-
practitioners have shown that positive peer
relationships are essential to success in college.
.(Karl A. Smith, David & Roger Johnson 2000)

Student participation, teacher encouragement, -

and student-student interaction positively relate
. to improved critical thinking

This confirms that discussions are superior to-

lectures in improving thinking and problem
.solving
 Acknowledgment of individual differences
Interpersonal development
Active involvement in learning
More opportunities for personal feedback
Deeper understanding of content
Increased overall achievement in grades
Improved self-esteem
Higher motivation to remain on task
Active and constructive involvement in content
Ownership of their own learning
Solving group conflicts
Improvement of teamwork skills
Increased student retention
Enhancement of student satisfaction with their learning
experience
Development of skills in oral communication
Development of students' social skills
 Activity 4
Traditional and Cooperative Learning Groups
?What Is the Difference
 Five Defining Elements of
Cooperative Learning

Positive interdependence-1
Face-to-face promotive interaction .2
Individual and group accountability.3
Interdependence and small group skills -4
Group processing.5
 Elements of Cooperative Learning

Positive Interdependence (sink or swim together)-1

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

Face-to-Face Interaction (promote each . 2
other's success)
Orally explaining how to solve problems
Teaching one's knowledge to other
Checking for understanding
Discussing concepts being learned
Connecting present with past learning
Individual &Group Accountability. 3

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

 Interpersonal &Small-Group Skills. 4
: Social skills must be taught
Decision-making
Trust-building
Leadership
Communication
Conflict-management skills
 Group Processing. 5
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
 Some Social Skills
LISTENING
TAKING TURNS
CONTRIBUTING
REACHING A CONCENSUS
ENCOURAGING
COOPERATING
FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS
Grouping Patterns
 Grouping Patterns
:Informal cooperative learning groups.1

They are temporary groups that last for only one discussion or one class
period. Their purposes are to focus students attention on the material to be
learned, set a mood conducive to learning, help organize in advance the
material to be covered in a class session, ensure that students cognitively
process the material being taught, and provide closure to an instructional
session. They may be used at any time, but are especially useful during a
.lecture or direct teaching ,Can last a few minutes or class period

:Examples
A-Summarize the answer to the question being discussed.
b. Solve a problem.
c. Give a reaction to a theory, a concept, or information being presented.
d. Elaborate (relate material to past learning so that it gets integrated into
existing conceptual frameworks) the material being presented.
e. Predict or explain.
f. Attempt to resolve the conceptual conflict the presentation has aroused.
.g. Hypothesize answers to the question being posed
 Grouping Patterns (cont)
-Formal groups
Designed for students to have enough time to -
thoroughly complete an academic assignment
.May last several days or weeks -
:Design tasks to include-
Positive interdependence
Group processing
Face to face promotive interaction
Individual and group accountability
Social and Interpersonal Skills
-Base groups
Created to provide students support throughout a semester or academic
year

Results: general sense of belonging to class

The base group functions as a support group for its members

:that
Gives assistance, support, and encouragement for mastering the
course content and skills and provides feedback on how well the
.content and skills are being learned

Gives assistance, support, and encouragement for thinking critically

about the course content, explaining precisely what one learns,
engaging in intellectual controversy, getting the work done on
.time, and applying what is learned to one's own life

Provides a set of interpersonal relationships to personalize the course

and to try out the cooperative learning procedures and skills
.emphasized within the course

Provides a structure for managing course evaluation

 Activity No.5
Class Activities that use Cooperative
Learning
 Examples of cooperative
learning activities
Peer tutoring, Conversation cards
Think-pair-share, Role-plays
Jigsaw, Open-ended free conversations
,Information-gap activities
,Problem solving
Storytelling,Structured Academic Controversy
,Cooperative projects
,Paired interviews
Sharing opinions, debating, narrating, describing, and
explaining
 Planning an Active Learning Activity

? What are your objectives for the activity -

?Who is interacting-
Will students pair up with someone beside them? Or perhaps-
?someone sitting behind/in front of them
Should they pair up with someone with a different background?-
? Someone they don't know yet
When does the activity occur during the class? Beginning? -
? Middle? End? How much time are you willing to spend on it
Will they write down their answers/ideas/questions or just-
? discuss them
Will they turn in the responses or not? If they are asked to turn-
? them in, should they put their names on them
?What are some challenges I might face
 References
. David and Roger Johnson. "Cooperative Learning." [Online] 15 October 2001
http://www.clcrc.com/pages/cl.html
David and Roger Johnson. "An Overview of Cooperative Learning." [Online] 15
http://www.clcrc.com/pages/overviewpaper.html. October 2001
Howard Community College's Teaching Resources. "Ideas on Cooperative
.Learning and the use of Small Groups." [Online] 15 October 2001
http://www.howardcc.edu/profdev/resources/learning/groups1.htm
Kagan, Spencer. "Kagan Structures for Emotional Intelligence." [Online] 15
http://www.kagancooplearn.com/Newsletter/1001/index.html. "October 2001
:College Level One Collaborative Learning Page. On the web at
http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/nise/cl1/CL/resource/R1.asp
Panitz, T. (1996). A Definition of Collaborative vs Cooperative Learning. On the
http://www.lgu.ac.uk/deliberations/collab.learning/panitz2.html: web at
 Useful Sites
http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us
Thinking and Learning-
http://www.edtech.kennesaw.edu
Cooperative Learning-
Active Learning for the College Classroom -
http://www.calstatela.edu