Cooperative Learning in Science

A Workshop for In-Service Teachers

Erin E. Peters

What is cooperative learning?

Cooperative learning is the instructional use of small groups so that students work together to maximize their own and each other’s learning. (Johnson & Johnson, 1999)

Students work together in teams to master material initially presented by the teacher (Slavin, 1995)

Set of instructional strategies which include cooperative student-student interaction over subject matter as an integral part of the learning process (Kagan, 1994)

In the time of change, learners inherent the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.

- Eric Hoffer

What is your stance?

Exercise 1 – Do you Agree or Disagree?Exercise 2 – Cooperative, Competitive,

or Individualistic?

How do I know it works?

Research in academic achievement In 99 experimental research studies, 64%

significantly favored cooperative learningOnly 5% of these studies significantly

favored the control groupAmount of growth depends on type of

method among other thingsResearch in relationships, self-esteem,

behavior, and empathy

How do I know it works?

Research has shown that about 2/3 of the time, favorable outcomes will be produced in one or more of the following non-academic categories

Intergroup relations Acceptance of mainstreamed students Self-esteem Proacademic peer norms Self-attribution Time-on-task Liking school Feeling liked and liking classmates Cooperation, altruism and empathy

How do I plan for cooperative learning?

Factors to considerEnhancement of learning goalsSetting up groupsCooperative learning structure InterdependenceAssessments

Enhancements of learning goals

The conditions that cooperative efforts may be expected to be more productive than competitive and individualistic efforts: Clearly perceived positive interdependence Considerable face-to-face interaction Clearly perceived individual accountability and

personal responsibility to achieve the group’s goals Frequent use of the relevant interpersonal and

small-group skills Frequent and regular group processing of current

functioning to improve the group’s future effectiveness

(Johnson & Johnson, 1999)

Setting up groups

4 most common team assignments1. Heterogeneous

2. Random

3. Interest

4. Homogeneous language

Structures

Teambuilding – team relationshipClassbuilding – whole class relationshipsMastery – content skillsThinking Skills – cognitionCommunication Skills – expressing

informationInformation Sharing – dissemination

(Kagan, 1994)

Lesson Designs

Mastery DesignsDivision of Labor DesignsProject DesignsMulti-Functional Frameworks

Effective InstructionJohnson & JohnsonBig Four

(Kagan, 1994)

Interdependence

Each group member's efforts are required and indispensable for group success (i.e., there can be no "free-riders").

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. (Johnson & Johnson, 1999)

Assessments

Learning ContractsTests and ExamsCompositions and PresentationsPortfoliosObservationsInterviewing

Jigsaw Activity

Group – Home groups, mastery groupsStructure – Mastery, Information SharingContent – Motors, Transformers,

GeneratorsInterdependence – Non-experts must

rely on teaching of expertsAssessment – Individual quizzes on

mastery of content

Classbuilding Activity

Group – Whole GroupStructure – ClassbuildingContent – Review of forces contentInterdependence – All students must

provide at least one correct answer for the activity to be completed

Assessment – Exam on forces on the following day

Parting Messages Activity

Group – Home groupsStructure – TeambuildingContent – Social interactionsInterdependence – All students must

provide one commentAssessment – Evaluation of positive

feedback

Parting Messages

Team building activity

“Let us put our minds together . . . and see what life we can make for our children”

-Sitting Bull