Staff Directory

Cooperative Learning

Mar 1

This month my column will focus on the High Yield Strategy of Cooperative Learning. The following are five defining elements of Cooperative Learning:

1. Positive Interdependence (a sense of sink or swim together)
2. Face-to-face positive interaction (helping each other learn, applauding success and efforts)
3. Individual and group accountability (each of us has to contribute to the group achieving its goals)
4. Interpersonal and small group skills (communication, trust, leadership, decision making and conflict resolution)
5. Group processing (reflecting on how well the team is functioning and how to function even better

Cooperative Learning is an important factor to success outside of school. In fact, most professionals work in a cooperative or collaborative environment, so learning these skills in school helps prepare them for life.

Teachers can increase learning potential with specific research-based findings in this area. Research on Cooperative learning states the following:

 Regular use of cooperative learning leads to an increase of 4 to 6 percentile points.
 Cooperative groups should be kept rather small in size.
 Cooperative learning needs to be applied consistently and systematically. Students need to learn how to work in groups. This takes time. They also need to know the routines, expectations, and way that group work is to happen in their classroom.

You can find more information about these strategies on websites such as :

http://www.slideshare.net/chambless.laura/cooperative-learning-overview-ppt-for-ccc

http://gets.gc.k12.va.us/VSTE/2008/6cooperativelearning.htm