Transcript What the heck are “Cooperative Learning Strategies”?

What the heck are
“Cooperative Learning
Strategies”?
Various small group interactive
instructional procedures, or…
Group Work!
Why Should I Care?
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IT MAKES YOUR
TEACHING JOB
EASIER!
No more boring
lectures.
No more hours of
grading.
No more exhausted,
stressed out evenings.
Students work together and learn
together.
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In general, cooperative learning methods
share 5 characteristics.
1. Students work together on common
tasks or learning activities that are best
handled through group work.
2. Students work together in small
groups containing two to five members.
3. Students use cooperative, pro-social
behavior to accomplish their tasks.
4. Students are positively
interdependent. They need each other to
accomplish their task.
5. Students are individually accountable
or responsible for their work or learning.
Some Process Activities:
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Three Step Interview
Roundtable
Focused Listing
Structured Problem Solving
One Minute Papers (“Quick Write”)
Paired Annotations
Four Corners
What I Know, What I Think I Know
MORE Process Activities:
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Tea Party
Categorizing
Comparing/Contrasting
Numbered Heads Together
Think-Pair-Share
Jigsaw
Focus Trios
Problem Solvers
Structured Learning Team Group
Roles
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Leader-Keeps the group on task and makes
sure everyone has a chance to participate
Recorder-Maintains group files and folders
and/or writes out solutions. May also prepare
presentation materials
Reporter-Gives oral responses to the class
about the group’s activities or conclusions.
Monitor-Makes sure the group's work area is left
the way it was found and acts as timekeeper.
Team Expectations
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Some students fear that each member will
not pull their weight as a member of the
group.
How do we address this fear?
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Allow the group to
outline acceptable
group behavior
Put together a form
and ask groups to
first list behaviors
(expectations) they
expect from each
individual, each pair
and the whole group.
Guided Reciprocal Peer
Questioning, Or….
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Generating
Discussion!
Guided Reciprocal Peer
Questioning-”How To”
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Teacher conducts a
brief (10-15 minutes)
lecture on a topic or
content area.
Instructor gives the
students a set of
generic question stems
Students work
individually to write
their own questions
based on the material
being covered.
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Students do not have to
be able to answer the
questions they pose.
This activity is
designed to force
students to think about
ideas relevant to the
content area.
Grouped into learning
teams, each student
offers a question for
discussion, using the
different stems.
Guided Reciprocal Peer Questioning Sample
Question Stems
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What is the main idea
of…?
What if…?
How does…affect…?
What is a new example
of…?
Explain why…?
Explain how…?
How does this relate
what I’ve learned
before?
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What conclusions can I
draw about…?
What is the difference
between …and …?
How are…and
…similar?
How would I use…to…?
What are the strengths
and weaknesses of…?
What is the best…and
why?
Three-step Interview
Three-step interviews can be used as an
icebreaker for team members to get to
know one another or can be used to get to
know concepts in depth, by assigning
roles to students.
Three-step Interviews-”How To”
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Teacher assigns roles or students can “play”
themselves. Teachers may also give interview
questions or information that should be “found”.
A interviews B for the specified number of minutes,
listening attentively and asking probing questions.
At a signal, students reverse roles and B interviews
A for the same number of minutes.
At another signal, each pair turns to another pair,
forming a group of four. Each member of the group
introduces his or her partner, highlighting the most
interesting points.
Roundtable
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Roundtable structures can be used to brainstorm
ideas and to generate a large number of responses
to a single question or group of questions.
The question or problem has to be one that has the
potential for a number of different “right” answers.
Relate the question to the course unit, but keep it
simple so every student can have some input.
Once time is called, determine what you want to
have the students do with the lists. They may want
to discuss the multitude of answers or solutions or
they may want to share the lists with the entire
class.
Roundtable-”How To”
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Teacher poses question.
One piece of paper and pen per group.
First student writes one response, and says it
out loud.
First student passes paper to the left, second
student writes response, etc.
Continues around group until time elapses.
Students may say “pass” at any time.
Group stops when time is called.
Focused Listing
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Can be used as a brainstorming technique
or as a technique to generate descriptions
and definitions for concepts. Focused
listing asks the students to generate words
to define or describe something. Once
students have completed this activity, you
can use these lists to facilitate group and
class discussion.
Focused Listing-”How To”
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Example: Ask students to list 5-7 words or
phrases that describe or define what a
motivated student does. From there, you
might ask students to get together in small
groups to discuss the lists, or to select the
one that they can all agree on. Combine
this technique with a number of other
techniques and you can have a powerful
cooperative learning structure.
Structured Problem Solving
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Structured problem-solving can be used in
conjunction with several other cooperative
learning structures.
Structured Problem-solving-”How
To”
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Have the participants brainstorm or select a problem
for them to consider.
Assign numbers to members of each group (or use
playing cards). Have each member of the group be a
different number or suit.
Discuss task as a group.
Each participant should be prepared to respond.
Each member of the group needs to understand the
response well enough to give the response with no
help from the other members of the group.
Ask an individual from each group to respond. Call
the individual by number (or suit).
One Minute Papers
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Ask students to comment on the following
questions. Give them one minute and time
them. This activity focuses them on the content
and can also provide feedback to you as a
teacher.
You can use these one minute papers to begin
the next day’s discussion, to facilitate discussion
within a group, or to provide you with feedback
on where the student is in his or her
understanding of the material.
One Minute Papers-”How To”
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Topics for papers:
What was the most important or useful
thing you learned today?
What two important questions do you still
have; what remains unclear?
What would you like to know more about?
Paired Annotations
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Students work together to reflect on
readings/film/topics.
Paired Annotations-”How To”
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Students pair up to review/learn same article,
chapter or content area and exchange doubleentry journals for reading and reflection.
Students discuss key points and look for
divergent and convergent thinking and ideas.
Together students prepare a composite
annotation that summarizes the article, chapter,
or concept.
Send-A-Problem
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Send a problem can be used as a way to
get groups to discuss and review material,
or potential solutions to problems related
to content information.
Send-A-Problem-”How-To”
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Each member of a group generates a problem and writes it down on a card.
Each member of the group then asks the question to other members.
If the question can be answered and all members of the group agree on the
answer, then that answer is written on the back of the card. If there is no
consensus on the answer, the question is revised so that an answer can be
agreed upon.
The group puts a Q on the side of the card with the question on it, and an A on
the side of the card with an answer on it.
Each group member takes one question from the stack of questions and reads
one question at a time to the group. After reading the first question, the group
discusses it. If the group agrees on the answer, they turn the card over to see
if they agree with the first group’s answer. If they do not agree with the first
group’s answer, the second group writes their answer on the back of the card
as an alternative answer.
The second group reviews and answers each question in the stack of cards,
repeating the procedures outlined above.
The question cards can be sent to a third, fourth, or fifth group, if desired.
Stacks of cards are then sent back to the originating group. The sending
group can then discuss and clarify any question.
Send-A-Problem-Variation
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Groups decide on one problem they will consider. It is best if
each group considers a different problem.
The same process is used, with the first group brainstorming
solutions to a single problem. The problem is written on a
piece of paper and attached to the outside of a folder. The
solutions are listed and enclosed inside the folder.
The folder is then passed to the next group. Each group
brainstorms for 3-5 minutes on the problems they receive
without reading the previous group’s work and then place their
solutions inside the folder.
This process may continue to one or more groups. The last
group reviews all the solutions posed by all of the previous
groups and develops a prioritized list of possible solutions.
The list is then presented to the group.
Value Line
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One way to form heterogeneous groups is
to use a value line.
Value Line-”How To”
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Present an issue or topic to the group and ask
each member to determine how they feel about
an issue (could use a 1-10 scale, 1 being strong
agreement, 10 being strong disagreement)
Form a rank-ordered line and number the
participants from 1 up (from strong agreement to
strong disagreement, for example)
Form your groups of four by pulling one person
from each end of the value line and two people
from the middle of the group (for example, if you
had 20 people, one group might consist of
persons 1,10, 11, 20).
Uncommon Commonalities
Uncommon Commonalities
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Uncommon
commonalities can be
used to foster a more
cohesive group.
2
3
4
Team Name
Uncommon Commonalities-”How
To”
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Groups get together and first list individual
things about themselves that define them as
people.
Groups then discuss each item, finding things
that 1,2,3, or 4 of them have in common.
When the group finds an item that all of them
have in common, they list that item under 4;
when they find something that 3 of them have in
common, they list that item under 3, etc.
Double Entry Journal
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The Double Entry
journal can be used
as a way for students
to take notes on
articles and other
resources they read
in preparation for
class discussion.
D o ub le E ntry J o urnal
C ritic al P o ints
R es po nse
Double Entry Journal-”How To”
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Students read and reflect on the assigned
reading(s).
Students prepare the double entry journal, listing
critical points of the readings (as they see them)
and any responses to the readings, in general,
or specific critical points.
Students bring their journal notes to class.
Once in class, students may use their double
entry journal to begin discussion, to do a paired
annotation, or for other classroom and group
activity.
Four Corners
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Good for class discussion on different
concepts in one topic.
Four Corners-”How To”
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Choose four main concepts of lesson and label
each corner in the room with one of the
concepts (for example, four communication
styles; passive, aggressive, passive/aggressive,
assertive).
Ask the students to choose the concept they
wish to discuss and have them go to that corner.
Plan an activity for the students at each corner
(poster, dramatization, role play, experiment,
etc) and then ask each corner to share their
findings with the class.
What I Know, What I Think I Know
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Allows your students to assess their own
knowledge and increases their capacity for
reflection.
What I Know, What I Think I
Know-”How To”
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Before teaching a topic, have class write
down what they are sure they know about
the topic and what they think they know.
Let groups share their lists.
Teach the concept.
Have the class revise their lists based on
what they have learned.
Tea Party
Excellent strategy to get students to
interact, while learning new facts and
developing pro-social skills.
Tea Party-”How To”
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Explain what people do at a tea party (chit chat, exchange
interesting bits of information).
Teach the concept or learning module.
Have students write down the most interesting fact they learn
as you are teaching.
After instruction, have a “tea party” where they exchange their
interesting facts. Students walk around the room, greeting
each other and saying, “Did you know _____________”.
Each student is responsible for only one fact but is reminded
of many facts in return.
The facts can then be shared as a group.
Categorizing
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This activity results in a classification of
thoughts.
Categorizing-”How To”
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Students write a key word in the center of a
map.
Words related to the word are then written in
categories around the key word.
Category labels are added.
Have each group write it’s semantic map on
chart paper and share it with other groups.
Direct the discussion of the diagrams and supply
additional information to extend students’ prior
knowledge of the topic.
Comparing and Contrasting
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This activity encourages students to
compare and/or contrast ideas or objects.
Comparing/Contrasting-”How To”
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Have the students make a “T” chart on
butcher paper/chart paper.
The students find similarities and list them
on the left side of the “T” chart.
Then students look for differences and list
those on the right side of the “T” chart.
Students display their charts and discuss
them with members of the group.
Numbered Heads Together
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Another great tool for increasing
communication and encouraging students
to share information. Reinforces the idea
that “Two Heads Are Better Than One”!
Numbered Heads Together-”How
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Number off students within groups so that
each student has a number: 1,2,3 or 4.
Ask a question and have students “put
their heads together” to make sure
everyone in the group knows the answer.
Call a number (1-4) and have students
with that number raise their hands to
respond.
Think-Pair-Share
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Increases communication and encourages
students to share their thoughts and ideas.
Think-Pair-Share (Dyads!)-”How
To”
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Ask a question and allow time for students
to think of a response.
Have students pair with a neighbor to
discuss their responses.
Invite students to share their responses
with the whole group.
Jigsaw
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Primarily used for the acquisition and
presentation of new material, review, or
informed debate.
The use of this structure creates
interdependence and status equalization.
Jigsaw-”How To”
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Assign Topics--The learning unit is divided into four topics and each student
on the team is assigned one topic. For teams of five, two students are
assigned one topic and instructed to work together. For three member
teams, only three topics are assigned and the members learn the fourth
from another team.
Expert Groups Meet--All Topic 1 students meet in one area, Topic 2 students
in another area, etc. If eight teams exist in the classroom, two groups of
each topic may be formed to reduce the size of the expert groups. A balance
of achievement levels may have advantages for topic groups.
Experts Consult--Experts consult and discuss their topic, making certain
each group member understands the information. A variety of strategies for
checking for understanding can be used. For example, work sheets, cross
group interviews, dialogue etc.
Experts Create and Practice a Teaching Plan--Expert groups design and
practice a plan for teaching their expertise to team members.
Experts Return to Teams to Share and Tutor--Experts take turns sharing
their individual topic expertise with team members.
Demonstration of Knowledge--The culminating activity allows individual
sharing team members to demonstrate their knowledge of all topics
identified in the unit
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Fishbowl
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Here one small-group engages in
discussion and the rest of the class
observes their discussion.
Fishbowl-”How-To”
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One small group discusses an issue, does
a role-play, or attempts verbal problemsolving.
Other class participants stand around the
group and quietly observe the activity.
Different small-groups can rotate into the
fishbowl—they can discuss different topics
or the same topic.
Focus Trios
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Another great way for peer instruction and
learning to take place.
Focus Trios-”How To”
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Before a video, lecture or reading, divide
students into groups of three and have
students summarize together what they
already know about the subject and come
up with questions they have about it.
After instruction, the trios answer
questions, discuss new information, and
formulate new questions.