38 A CONCISE GUIDE TO IMPROVING STUDENT LEARNING

the class in the section using cooperative learning. Moreover, the students who
were asked to work in groups came to office hours more frequently and asked
more questions in class.

Videos
The following are brief videos of examples of group work can be found on
these sites:
Chasteen, S. (2010, June 29). Effective group work in college science class-
rooms: Part 1 [YouTube video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=TzMei8KDkGI
Chasteen, S. (2010, July 1). Effective group work in college science class-
rooms: Part 2 [YouTube video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=rUSN8vHRB-A

IDEA Papers
Barbara J. Millis provides a series of resources on learning in small groups in
her IDEA papers:
Active learning strategies in face-to-face courses (IDEA Paper No. 53). (2012).
Retrieved from Idea Center website: http://www.theideacenter.org/sites/default/
files/paperidea_53.pdf
Enhancing learning—and more!—through cooperative learning (IDEA Paper No. 38).
(2002). Retrieved from Idea Center website: http://www.theideacenter.org/sites/
default/files/IDEA_Paper_38.pdf
Promoting deep learning (IDEA Paper No. 47). (2010). Retrieved from Idea Center
website: http://www.theideacenter.org/sites/default/files/IDEA_Paper_47.pdf

Wo r k s h o p 5 . 1
Problem-Based Learning

Complex, real-world problems are used to motivate students

to identify and research the concepts and principles they
need to know to work through those problems. Students
work in small learning teams, bringing together
collective skills at acquiring, communicating,
and integrating information.
—Stanford University (n.d.)

We only think when we are confronted with problems.

—John Dewey (1906)