Group Work vs. Cooperative Learning

Teacher ATraditional

Teacher BGroup Work

Teacher CCooperative Learning

Same: number of students, demographic make-up, lesson 

• Rows and columns all day• Teacher gives a task• Teacher provides think time• Students raise hands• Teacher calls on one

student• One student answers• Teacher responds

• Teacher gives a task• Teacher says:

• “Work together.”• “Help each other.”

• Unstructured interaction

• Teacher gives a task• Teacher provides think

time• Student-to-student

structured interaction

4 Basic Principles - PIES

PPositive Interdependence

IIndividual Accountability

EEqual Participation

SSimultaneous Interaction

1. Are students on the same side?

2. Does the task require working together?

3. Is individual, public performance required?

4. Is participation approximately equal?

5. What percent of students are overtly interacting at once?

Forming Teams• Teams of Four Allow Pair Work.

• Teams of Four Avoid Odd Man Out.

• Teams of Four Optimize Cognitive and Linguistic Mismatch.

• Teams of Four Increase Variety.

• Pair work maximizes simultaneous interaction.

• A triad often results in a pair and an outsider.

• Research indicates that we learn well from someone only somewhat different from our own level of development. Groups of four provide six lines of communication.

• The flexible arrangements within a team of four create variety, which enhances interest.

Forming Teams

Shoulder Partners

Face Partners

High

Low

High Medium

Low Medium

• High student should always be across from the low student.

Quiz-Quiz-TradeStudents quiz a partner, get quizzed by a partner, and

then trade cards to repeat the process with a new partner. 

Setup: The teacher prepares a set of question cards for the class, or each student creates a question card.

 • The teacher tells students to “Stand up, put a hand up,

and pair up.”• Partner A quizzes B.• Partner B answers.• Partner A praises or coaches.• Partner switch roles.• Partners trade cards and thank each other.• Repeat steps 1-6 a number of times.   

Rally VariationsRally Robin

• Teacher poses a problem to which there are multiple responses or solutions, and provides think time.

• Students take turns stating responses or solutions.

Rally Table

• The teacher provides a task to which there are multiple responses, and provides think time.

• Students take turns passing a paper and pencil, each writing one answer or making a contribution.

Rally Coach

• Partners take turns, one solving a problem while the other coaches.

• Each pair needs one set of high-consensus problems and one pencil.

1. Partner A solves the first problem.2. Partner B watches and listens, checks, coaches if necessary.3. Partner B solves the next problem. 4. Partner A watches and listens, checks, coaches if necessary, and praises. 5. Partners repeat taking turns solving successive problems.

Simultaneous Rally Table

• Teacher provides a task to which there are multiple responses, and provides think time.

• Each student has their own paper and pencil.

• Students respond on their own paper and switch papers after each round.

Round Table Variations

Single Round Table

• The teacher provides a task to which there are multiple possible responses, and provides think time.

• Each table has one paper. • Each teammate gets one turn to

contribute.

Continuous Round Table

• The teacher provides a task to which there are multiple possible responses, and provides think time.

• Each table has one paper. • Students take turns passing a paper and

pencil, each writing one answer or making a contribution.

Simultaneous Round Table

• Each team of four needs four papers and four pencils.

1. The teacher assigns a topic or question and provides think time.

2. All four students respond, simultaneously.3. The teacher signals time and students pass

their papers one person clockwise.4. Students continue, adding to what was already

contributed.5. Continue, starting at Step 3.

Round Table Consensus

• The teacher provides a task to which there are multiple possible responses, and provides think time.

• Students take turns passing a paper and pencil, each writing one answer or making a contribution.

• Students must reach a consensus before recording each answer.

Numbered Heads Together

Teammates put their “heads together” to reach consensus on the team’s answer. Everyone keeps on their toes because their number may be called

to share the team’s answer.

Setup: Teacher prepares questions or problems to ask teams.

• Students number off. • Teacher poses a problem and gives think time. • Students privately write their answers. • Students stand up and “put their heads together,” showing answers,

discussing, and teaching each other.• Students sit down when everyone knows the answer or has something to

share. • Teacher calls a number. Students with that number answer

simultaneously.

Timed Pair Share

In pairs, students share with a partner for a predetermined time while the partner listens.

Then partners switch roles.

• The teacher announces a topic, states how long each student will share, and provides more think time.

• In pairs, Partner A shares; Partner B listens.• Partner B responds with a positive gambit.• Partners switch roles.

Think-Write-RoundRobin

1. The teacher poses a problem to which there are multiple possible responses or solution, and provides think time.

2. Students independently write their response on their own paper or whiteboard.

3. Students take turns stating responses.