Cooperative Learning

 

Cooperative Learning is an instructional practice that supports the use of small teams to allow students to work together to maximize their own and team members’ learning (Johnson and Johnson ,1998).  Through Cooperative learning, students work effectively in their teams to achieve a specific learning goal.  Cooperative learning includes task structure, goal structure and reward structure (Arends, 2015). Task structure focuses on the lesson organisation and work students are asked to do while reward structure focuses on individual, competitive or cooperative work. According to Arends (2015), Goal structure is the “amount of interdependence required of students they perform their task” (Arends 2015, p. 370). According to Arends (2015 p. 371), “the three instructional outcomes of Cooperative Learning are academic achievement, tolerance and acceptance of diversity and development of social skills”.

Planning for Cooperative Learning is best successful when incorporating 6 major phases. Arends ( 2015), reports that the six major phases in planning for Cooperative Learning are:

  1. Choose an approach
    • The first phase in Cooperative Learning is where teachers decide on an appropriate approach to cooperation in the classroom. These approaches include Student Team Achievement division, Jigsaw, Learning Together, Think Pair-Share and The Structural Approach (Arends, 2015)
    • Approaches:
      • Student Teams Achievement Divisions. In this approach teachers presents, students teach each other in home teams, then are tested individually. Team score is based on individual students improvement (J. Kambutu, Class PowerPoint Cooperative Learning November 13, 2018).
      • Jigsaw. The Jigsaw approach was developed by Elliot Arson and explains that “each member is responsible for mastering part of the learning materials and then teaching that part to the other team members”(Arends, 2015 p.380). 
      • Learning Together. Learning Together was developed by David and Roger Johnson. While students participate in Learning Together, they participate in heterogeneous teams and are rewarded based on the completed project. Since this approach focuses on teams dynamics, students reflect on their teamwork (Arends, 2015).
      • Think-Pair-Share. Students begin with individual thinking then transition to pairing up and sharing their thoughts with their classmate. Finally the pair shares with the whole class (Arends, 2015).
      • The Structural Approach. This approach was Developed by Spencer Kagon. Students will work interdependently in teams and focus on social or academic skills (Arends, 2015).
  2.   Choose Appropriate Content 
    • The Second Phase it to choose appropriate Content for the lesson plan (Arends, 2015). As the teacher, I will provide topics that are interesting for students to engage in to the lesson plan. Once they are interested in the content they will have more motivation, initiative and self-direction when achieving their set goal.
  3.  Form Student Teams 
    • This approach focuses on the teachers role of formulating student teams. According to Arends (2015), teams should be heterogeneous mixture of students. Therefore, I will form student teams that are diverse in gender, ethnicity and ability. By forming heterogeneous teams, students work together while creating tolerance and acceptance of diversity (Arends, 2015).
  4.  Develop Materials 
    • The fourth approach focuses on developing materials for the students. As the teacher I will develop interesting study material that are developmentally  appropriate for students.
  5. Plan for orienteering students to task and roles
    •  This approach highlights the idea that of planning task and roles for students. As the teacher I will orient the students to the task, goal and reward structures we will be participating in.
  6.  Plan or use of time and space
    • This approach focuses on the idea of teachers taking the necessary amount of time to plan the Cooperative lesson while taking into consideration seating arrangement. I will plan to use cluster seating arrangement as it provides flexibility for movement in the classroom which is helpful in Cooperative Learning (Arends, 2015). .

Theories

To understand the effectiveness of Cooperative Learning, Jean Piaget, John Dewy, David Johnson and Roger Johnson, and Edward Deming provided their theories in support of this instructional practice. Jean Piaget, a Swiss psychologist, supports the idea of Cooperative Learning because he believed that children are actively involved in their learning as they construct their own knowledge and acquire their own information (Arends, 2015).  When children participate in Cooperative learning they construct their own knowledge and own information while they collaborate with their classmates. For example, they acquire information through discussions with their teams and use that information to construct their knowledge. Lev Vygotsky was a Russian psychologist that believed that “social interaction with others spurred the construction of new ideas and enhanced the learner’s intellectual development” (Arends, 2015 p. 375).

John Dewey, a theorist that supports Cooperative Learning, believed that classrooms should mirror the larger society (Arends, 2015).  This theory supports Cooperative learning because students have an environment where real-life learning will occur. He also believe that collaboration are created to help students discover answers for their thoughts and learn democratic principles through day-to-day interactions with one another (Arends, 2015). Students will participate in democratic principles through day-to-day interactions with their teammates and myself as the facilitator.

David Johnson and Roger Johnson believed in Experiential Learning. They based their theory on three presumptions. They believed that people learn best when they are involved in learning process, one has to discover knowledge and commitment to learning is best when one is free to set their own goals and pursue them (J. Kambutu, Class PowerPoint Cooperative Learning November 13, 2018). Edward Deming is another theorist who observed that cooperation leads Total Quality Theory.  Through Total Quality Management, students will participate in team work, quality control and have high expectations(J. Kambutu, Class PowerPoint Cooperative Learning November 13, 2018).

Roles

The Teachers Role in Cooperative Learning is to:

  • Conduct the Cooperative Leaning lesson as a facilitator and Resource person.
  • Choose an appropriate Cooperative Learning approach that meets the needs and skill level of students
  • Choose content based on the students prior knowledge and Internets
  • Assign Student to teams with roles ( p. 390)
    • consider ability level, goals of the lesson, racial and ethnic background, and gender identity
  • Arrange the room to allow face-to-face interaction (p.387)
  • Set expectations for students (p. 391)
  • Create a plan for the use of time and classroom pace
    • cluster and swing seating
  • Monitor Classroom and teams
  • Bring world issues to the classroom
  • Provide PIG(t)s Face in the lesson (Johnson, Johnson, and Holubec, 1991)
    • Positive Interdependence. Through positive interdependence students understand the importance of team work to accomplish their assignment. Positive interdependence can be achieved by providing students with joint rewards, must goals, assigned roles and shared resources.
    • Individual accountability. Individual Accountability consists having individual performance. This is by observing students do their best work, share ideas and help the group efficiency.
    • Group(Team) Processing- reflection. Through Team processing- reflection team members have a set time were they can discuss their collaboration and check to see f they are meeting tier goals. As the facilitator, I can encourage teams to generate a list of positive contribution the team members have and give feedback to the team.
    • Social Skills. This step focuses on team members using social skills to have an effective team. For example, as the teacher I will promote leadership, decision-making, trust-building and communication skills.
    • Face: Face to Face Interaction. –  Johnson, Johnson, and Holubec’s (1991), explain that helping, sharing, and encouraging effort to learn with their teammates promotes their learning.

Student Roles in Cooperative Learning is:

  • To work together on academic skill in small teams  (Arends, 2015).
  • Manage their team work (Arends, 2015).
    • Each team member ensures the task is completed with collaborative work
  • Participate and follow the role they are assigned (Arends, 2015 p. 390).
    • Task-Oriented roles
      • Task-maker, Material supervisor, Coach, Recorder
    • Process-Oriented roles
      • Gatekeeper, Encourager, Checker, reflector

Assessment

In order to understand, evaluate and document your child’s learning I will be incorporating Formative and Summative assessments in the lesson plan.

Formative 

The first assessment I will utilize in the classroom is Formative Assessment. Formative Assessment occurs before or during instruction and helps me as the teacher plan the lesson and make accommodations to best meet your child needs (Arends, 2015). Although, I am utilizing formative assessments in Direct Instruction, it is a different approach when using Cooperative Leaning. While students are performing in their teams I will ask the teams questions based off their work.

Summative 

Similar to Summative assessment in Direct Instruction, I will utilize this assessment  after instruction. Through Summative Assessment, I will be able to determine program effectiveness and evaluate your child’s performance (Arends, 2015). Since their is collaborative work there will be assessments based on individual  accountability and completion of team goals. While incorporating Summative assessment I will observe oral presentations an collect written work or projects.

Advantages of Cooperative Learning (Arends, 2015)

  • Active student participation
  • Increased achievement
  • Teacher recognized both individual and group achievement
  • Improved race relations
  • Improved cooperative behavior

Disadvantages of Cooperative Learning  (Arends, 2015).

  • A loud noise level when there is team discussions and classroom movement.
  • Increased student movement
  • Hold back fast learns.

 

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Instructional Strategies