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Cooperative Learning Strategies Tools 5june12
Cooperative Learning Strategies Tools 5june12
Focus on Learning 2
June 5, 2012
Cooperative Learning: Strategies and Tools
Workshop Description:
The research is clear. The more engaged learners are and the more they interact and
connect with each other and with course content, the more likely they are to be successful
in college courses. Come to this workshop to discover practical teaching tips and tools
that you can use to get students learning together in your classroom. These techniques
will work for college students in classrooms across all discipline areas.
More specifically there will be an opportunity for you to
discuss the strengths and challenges of cooperative learning
experience some active learning techniques
explore a number of tips and teaching tools you can use to get students learning
together
consider how you might use (or adapt) these tools and tips with students in your
classes
Proposed Agenda:
3.0 Trying Out Some Active Learning Techniques that are used with groups. Select
from
3.1 T-Chart 3.5 Group Brainstorming
3.2 Find the Fib 3.6 Take-a-stand
3.3 Interview matrix 3.7 Snowball
3.4 Pose a Problem-Pass a Problem 3.8 One Stay, Three Stay
Agenda Setting
Purpose:
The task:
Notes:
5 Higher self-esteem
2 Increased retention
1 Higher achievement
Adapted from
Johnson, Johnson, and Holubec, (1994) The Nuts & Bolts of Cooperative Learning
need to provide the tools to help teams carry out these reflections and guide students to
ask: How effectively did they demonstrate collaborative behaviours during the learning
activity? What worked? What could be improved?
Social /collaborative /team work skills are another essential component of cooperative
learning structures. Cooperative learning is inherently more complex than competitive or
individualistic learning because students have to engage simultaneously in learning
academic subject matter or skills (task work) and functioning effectively as a group (team
work). These social or collaborative skills need to be taught to students just as
purposefully as academic skills. Leadership, decision-making, conflict resolution,
establishing group goals and a group agenda, communication, analysis and distribution of
work and other skills are needed to help groups manage both team work and the task of
learning new material effectively. Teachers need to structure tasks and teach the
social/team skills needed to engage successfully in the task. They need to consider:
What team skills are needed to accomplish this work? Do students have these skills? Do
they need to be taught these skills? What tools would help them implement and monitor
these skills?
T-Chart
Something to remember:
T-Chart
Example:
T-Chart
Bring out all the ideas and facts “I am going to change my opinion for
supporting both sides these reasons…”
Try to put ideas together in a way that “Could you add any information that
makes sense might support that idea?”
Try to understand both sides of an issue “I disagree with that idea for this
reason…”
Ask someone to restate what was said if
I don’t understand “What facts do you have to back up that
statement?”
Listen to everyone’s ideas, even if I do
not agree “That reasoning is invalid in this
way…”
Etc.
Etc.
With thanks to Marie Geelen who shared this example with us.
Find-the-Fib
Example 1
4+4=8
4X2=8
42=8
Example 2
The team receiving the folder does not look inside the
folder. They read the problem, list their solution to the
problem and add their paper to the inside of the file.
Group Brainstorming
For a Rallyrobin
Take-a-Stand
Snowball
Additional Resources—websites
The Prof’s Resource site at Algonquin has collected several resources on cooperative
learning. You can find it at
http://www.algonquincollege.com/profres/teaching/strategies.htm
Sheridan College has established a Cooperative Learning Network. Their website has
links to several other rich resources for cooperative learning.
http://www-acad.sheridanc.on.ca/scls/coop/cooplrn.htm
The Global Development Research Group has published a website that provides an
excellent overview of collaborative learning.
http://www.gdrc.org/kmgmt/c-learn/index.html