Cooperative Learning

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Cooperative Learning

• An old idea
• whose time has come!!
• We gt I

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George Jacobs

• Email gmjacobs_at_pacific.net.sg
• Tel [phone]
• WWW www.georgejacobs.net

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Acknowledgements

• CL Center, U. of Minnesota (USA) - www.clcrc.com
• Success for All Foundation - www.successforall.net
  
• Kagan Publications and Professional Development -
  www.KaganOnline.com

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Write-Pair-Switch

• Each S works alone to write answers (2 mins)
• In pairs, Ss share answers (2 mins)
• Ss switch partners share their former partners
  ideas with their new partner (2 mins)

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Questions

• Name, subject, etc.
• Experience with groups as S or T
• Current knowledge about CL
• Want to learn about CL
• 2 questions of your own

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How Can We Use Write-Pair-Switch?

• Meeting new group members
• Before lesson to discuss what Ss know about
  topic/remember from last lesson
• During a lesson for Ss to practice concepts
  taught or to give their own ideas
• Afterwards to discuss what they have learned
  still need to learn

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Write-Pair-Switch Examples

• Books read during USSR/Extensive Reading
• How did you choose the book?
• Is it fiction or non-fiction?
• What did you like about the book?
• What do you plan to read next?

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Write-Pair-Switch Examples

• Plants
• What plants do you know about?
• How did you learn about them?
• What plants are useful to you? How do you use
  them?
• If you could grow a plant, which one would you
  grow? Why?

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Write-Pair-Switch Your Ideas

• Level? Subject? Topic?
• What questions?
• How much time for each step?
• Use questions without 1 right answer or that need
  an explanation of the entire answer

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Outline

• Potential advantages of groups
• Problems with groups
• Definition of CL
• Dimensions of CL

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Attention Signal

• T claps - Ts hand raised
• Ss hands raised, mouths closed, eyes on T
• Ss alert classmates who do not see Ts hand raised

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• Quick, easy way to get Ss attention. The longer
  it takes to get Ss attention, the more time is
  lost.

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RSPA

• Raise hand
• Stop talking
• Pass signal
• Attention to teacher

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Circle of Speakers

• 2 groups of 2 within each foursome
• 1 gives an idea
• 2 gives an idea
• 1 gives another idea
• 2 gives another idea
• T calls on Ss to share partners ideas

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Topic for Discussion

• What are potential advantages of groups?
  Explain, please.
• 2 Youre full of good ideas!
• 1 Youre smart! I learned something from you.

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Potential Advantages of Grps

• 1. Quantity of learner speech can increase

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Maximum Peer Interaction

• Small groups
• Less whole-class reporting
• How do Write-Pair-Switch and Circle of Speakers
  encourage Maximum Peer Interaction?

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• 2. Individualization can increase

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Equal Opportunity to Participate

• Does everyone have a structured chance to take
  part?
• How do Write-Pair-Switch and Circle of Speakers
  encourage Equal Opportunity to Participate?

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Potential Advantages cont. ...

• 3. Anxiety can be reduced
• 4. Thinking can increase

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Individual Accountability

• Each group member has to make a significant
  contribution to achieving the group's goal
• How do Write-Pair-Switch and Circle of Speakers
  encourage Individual Accountability?

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Potential Advantages cont. ...

• 5. Motivation can increase

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Positive Interdependence

• Do Ss feel that they sink or swim together?
• Ss need to collaborate to achieve their goal?
• How do Write-Pair-Switch and Circle of Speakers
  encourage Positive Interdependence?

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• 6. Enjoyment can increase

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Potential Advantages cont. ...

• 7. Independence can increase
• 8. Social integration can increase

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Potential Advantages cont. ...
9. Students can learn to collaborate
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Collaborative Skills

• Do students show that they know how to work
  together?
• checking for understanding
• disagreeing politely
• asking for help
• speaking with 15 cm voices
• making suggestions
• asking for repetition

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• 10. Learning can increase

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How Can You Use Circle of Speakers?

• What question or task will you give the pairs?

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Circle of Speakers Examples

• 5 times table 1 says 5 x 1 5 2 - 5 x 2
  10 1 - 5 x 3 15, etc.
• 1 says a present tense verb 2 says the past
  tense form. Reverse roles.
• Mammals 1 says rabbit 2 says deer 1 says
  orangutan, etc.

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Outline

• Potential advantages of groups
• Problems with groups

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Circle of Writers

• Groups of 2
• One partner is 1 Other is 2
• 1 and 2 write at the same time
• They exchange papers, read what their partner
  wrote, discuss
• 1 2 share the others ideas with the class

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Topic

• Potential problems with groups
• why the problem occurs
• effects of the problem
• experience with the consequences of the problem
  as S or T

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Example

• Problem too much noise
• Why Ss get very excited
• Effects headache, other Ts complain
• Experience My Ss played a word game in groups.
  They were shouting and laughing. Later that day,
  another T told me I had disturbed her next door
  class.

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• 1 I enjoy working with you!
• 2 _____________________!

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Keep Up The Good Work
But dont ask me to help
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Problems with Groups

• 1. Freeloading
• 2. Take-overs
• 3. Arguing

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Problems cont. ...

• 4. Socializing
• 5. Crowd control
• 6. Furniture

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Problems, cont. ...

• 7. Appearances
• 8. Ignorance
• 9. Coverage
• 10. Assessment

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How Can We Use Circle of Writers?

• During or after a lecture, CD-ROM, etc., Circle
  of Writers lets us assess students understanding
• Variation Ss can take turns to write
• Circle of Writers and Circle of Speakers can be
  combined

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Using Circle of Writers

• What question or task will you give the pairs?
  How much time?
• Use questions/tasks that promote discussion
• Give prompts for questions to encourage fuller
  answer?

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Circle of Writers Example

• What is one method of saving paper?
• How does the method work?
• Do you already do this?
• Why does it save paper?
• Can you convince other people to use this method?
  

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Circle of Writers Example

• Describe one plant
• Parts?
• Habitat?
• Its place in the web of life?

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Outline

• Potential advantages of groups
• Problems with groups
• Definition of CL

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Focused Discussion Pairs (Johnson Johnson,
1991)

• T asks a question - Ss work alone
• Partners share answers with each other and try to
  improve them
• All Ss need to be able to present and explain
  their new answer
• T calls on Ss at random to share the answer their
  group developed
• Johnson, D.W., Johnson, R.T. (1991).
  Cooperative learning lesson structures. Edina,
  MN Interaction Book Company.

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Task - Part 1

• Choose 1 problem with groups that does/would
  cause you difficulties
• Explain why the one problem is important and
  give an example of the problem

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Task - Part 2

• Take the problem you described in Part 1.
• Think of ways to solve the problem.
• Explain why you think your solutions will work.
• Perhaps CL techniques can help.

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Focus on Collaborative Skills

• What is one thing a grp member did to help your
  group work together as a team?
• Who did it? What did they say/do?
• Be incredibly specific.

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Collaborative Skills Examples

• Leong asked, Please explain positive
  interdependence to me. Asking for help
• Azizah referred us to the two questions and gave
  examples. Giving examples
• Renu said to me, You always have good ideas.
  What do you think? Encouraging others to
  participate

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• How can you use Focused Discussion Pairs?

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Using Focused Discussion Pairs

• T teaches, then gives Ss a question or task to
  check understanding
• Be sure to ask for reasons or for how the answer
  was obtained
• ?s/tasks w/ many possible answers or parts let
  many Ss answer

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FDP Example

• T explains how to do division
• Ss do division problems in groups
• T calls a number
• Ss with that number take turns to explain one
  step that their group took in solving the problem

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FDP Example

• T asks Ss to design a robot that uses
  photosynthesis
• Ss put their heads together
• T calls a number
• Ss with that number explain what their robot
  looks like and how it functions

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Definition of CL

• Concepts and techniques
• for enhancing the value of
• group activities

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Definition of CL, cont. ...

• What CL is NOT
• 1. Not new
• 2. Not all the time
• 3. Not magic

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What CL is NOT, cont. ...

• 4. Not usually by itself
• 5. Not simple
• 6. Not as easy for Ts as for workshop leaders

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What CL Is NOT, cont. ...

• 7. Not switched to all at once
• 8. Not mainly about groups
• 9. Not a fad

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What CL Is NOT, cont. ...

• 10. Not just for students
• Not just with a small classroom group

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Outline

• Potential advantages of groups
• Problems with groups
• Definition of CL
• Dimensions of CL

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Dimensions of CL - 1

• Group Size
• Group Composition

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Write-Circle of Speakers

• Each partner writes alone
• 1 talks for 2 mins. 2 listens
• 2 talks for 2 mins. 1 listens
• 1 2 share the others ideas with the class

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Write-Circle of Speakers

• 1. Is 4 a good size for groups? Why or why not?
• 2. Should T choose the group members? Why or why
  not?

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Dimensions of CL
2. Seating Arrangement

• Grps sit close together so they see/hear each
  other easily do not bother other grps

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Dimensions of CL
3. Collaborative Skills

• Instead of Ss assumed / hoped to know how to
  work together

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Collaborative Skills

• CL Collaborative skills taught

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Collaborative Skills

• Encouraging others to participate
• Asking for help
• Thanking others who give help
• Making suggestions
• Disagreeing

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Collaborative Skills

• Checking that others understand
• Asking for reasons
• Praising others
• Listening attentively
• Speaking quietly in groups

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Circle of Speakers

• What are collaborative skills your students need
  to improve?

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Circle of Speakers

• 1 gives an idea
• 2 gives an idea
• 1 gives another idea
• 2 gives another idea
• T calls a S to share partners ideas

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Dimensions of CL
4. Duration of Groups

• Instead of When grps finish an activity, the
  group disbands

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Group Duration

• CL Grps often exist for more than one activity,
  and discuss how they function

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Dimensions of CL
5. Group Solidarity

• Instead of Ss assumed / hoped to feel solidarity
  with and care about grp members

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Group Solidarity

• CL Ts attempt to build
• grp solidarity -
• Positive Interdependence

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Positive Interdependence

• Goal
• Resource
• Identity
• Role
• Reward

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Circle of Writers

• How can we encourage Ss to care about their
  groupmates learning?

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Dimensions of CL
6. Individual Participation/Learning

• Instead of Grp members assumed / hoped to want
  to participate / learn

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Individual Participation/Learning

• CL Activities foster participation / learning by
  all -
• Individual Accountability

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Dimensions of CL
7. Teachers Roles

• Instead of When Ss in grps, Ts catch up on
  paperwork

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Teachers Role

• CL Ts actively monitor grp learning/ functioning

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Dimensions of CL
8. Teachers Roles

• Instead of As far as Ss know, Ts dont
  participate in grps

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Teachers Role

• CL Ts discuss / model how they collaborate with
  fellow educators and others

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Discussion Question

• How do you or how could you collaborate with
  other Ts?

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Snowball (Kearney, 1993)

• Each S works alone to list ideas or information
• Pairs explain their lists to each other and make
  a combined list with no duplications
• Pair One and Pair Two present, explain, and
  combine their lists with no duplications
• Kearney, P. (1993). Cooperative learning
  techniques. Hobart, Tasmania Artemis Publishing.

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Dimensions of CL
9. Solidarity Beyond the Group

• Instead of No attention given to creating
  solidarity beyond the grp

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Solidarity Beyond the Group

• CL Ts try to create solidarity throughout the
  class and beyond

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Dimensions of CL
10. Solidarity Beyond the Group

• Instead of Cooperation just a way of learning,
  not an instructional theme

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Solidarity Beyond the Group

• CL Cooperation not only a way of learning but
  also a topic for learning

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Write-Pair-Switch

• Each S works alone to write answers (2 mins)
• In pairs, Ss share answers (2 mins)
• Ss switch partners share their former partners
  ideas with their new partner (2 mins)

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Topic

• What is one CL idea you would like to try?

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Examples
I want to try - Write-Pair-Switch -
Attention Signal
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Circle of Writers Example

• 4 pieces of paper per group
• Each S writes then passes the paper to their
  left
• Ss read what the other S has written, continue
  based on that, and then pass the paper
• Ss pass write until papers return to original
  writers

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Circle of Writers - Topic

• One question about CL
• When you receive someone elses paper, respond to
  that question
• Thus, each question will have 3 responses

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Example

• I wonder what to do with Ss who dont say
  anything in their group
• How can I use CL if there are more than 40
  students in my class?
• Can I cover the syllabus if I use CL?

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Circle of Speakers

• The class has a topic or question with multiple
  answers
• One at a time, each S stands and tells groupmates
  their response

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Circle of Speakers - Topic

• Give your reaction to the Circle of Writers
  responses that your groupmates wrote to your
  question about CL

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Using Circle of Writers

• Can be All at Once (1 paper /person) or One at a
  Time (1 paper/grp)

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Using Circle of Writers

• Each S begins a story passes to a groupmate who
  continues the story
• Each S does one part of a mathematics problem
  that has multiple steps
• 4 sheets each with a different animal. Ss write
  one characteristic of the animal and how that
  affects the animals behaviour.

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Using Circle of Speakers

• What is one thing you learned in todays class?
  Explain it.

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5 Lecture   10 Reading   20 Audio-visual   30
Demonstration   50 Discussion Group   75 Practic
e by Doing   90 Teach Others
LEARNING PYRAMID of Average Retention Rate
CRAIGEN, J. GREEN, N.
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A HEALTHY BALANCE
Cooperative Independent Learning Grades 7-12 Peel
School District, Canada
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Direct Teaching Learning ?
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Whos Teaching Whom?
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Please Thank Your Partners