Cooperative Learning

Cooperative Learning

1. What is it?

   • It is an instructional strategy where small teams of students (2 – 6 members) work together to maximize their individual and collective learning.
   • Cooperative Learning is an approach to teaching that makes maximum use of cooperative activities involving pairs and small groups of learners in the classroom.

2. 5 Elements of Cooperative Learning

   • Positive interdependence
     • Tasks and goals are clearly defined and commitment is made to both, personal and group success
     • Efforts of each team member benefits the individuals as well as the group
   • Individual and group accountability
     • Each team member must contribute to the group
     • Each team member must help the group reach its goals
   • Interpersonal and small group skills
     • Each team member must:
       • Be able to manage conflicts
       • Provide effective leadership
       • Be able to make decisions
       • Be able to build trust
       • Be able to communicate
       • Be motivated
   • Face to face promotive interaction
     • Students
       • Teach each other
       • Explain how to solve problems
       • Checks for one another's understanding
       • Promote one another's success
   • Group processing (Reflection)
     • Students
       • communicate openly, freely, respectfully discussing their concerns
       • Describe what members actions are helpful and unhelpful
       • Make decisions about behaviors to continue, to change, or discontinue

3. Essential of effective Cooperative Learning groups

   • Participation
   • Trust
   • communication

4. What does a Cooperative model look like?

   • Team mates are responsible for their own learning as well as for their teammates learning.
   • Teams are made up of high, medium and low academic achieving students.
   • Teams are heterogeneous in gender, race, culture, and socioeconomic status.
   • Team members cooperate and collaborate.
   • Team members benefit from the individual contributions of the individual team members.
   • Rewards are oriented towards the group.

Images and files in the map