Cooperative Learning
Author:
Laura Welby
Associate Professor
Drafting/CAD/Interior
Cooperative learning is the instructional
use of small groups so that
students work together to maximize their own and each othersí
learning.
-Karl Smith
Designing a Cooperative Learning
Activity
Introduction
Whether you
have been teaching for years, or this is your first time in
front of students, you probably have heard about cooperative
learning and its benefits. Your own children have probably been
taught using cooperative learning on occasion. They may have
either been excited about their active learning experience,
or they may have been frustrated with it, depending upon how
adept their teachers were in the use of cooperative learning.
When done properly, students whose teachers use cooperative
learning tend to exhibit higher academic achievement, greater
persistence through graduation, better high-level reasoning
and critical thinking skills, and deeper understanding of learned
material. They also exhibit more on-task and less disruptive
behavior in class, lower levels of anxiety and stress, and greater
intrinsic motivation to learn and achieve. They have a greater
ability to view situations from others' perspectives, more positive
and supportive relationships with peers, more positive attitudes
toward subject areas, and higher self-esteem.
However, none
of these benefits will result if the instructor does not
understand the principals of cooperative learning and how to
properly
design and evaluate a cooperative learning activity. In this
lesson you will
learn what makes a successful cooperative learning activity
and you will be
lead through the steps to design your very own cooperative learning
activity. Designing a cooperative learning activity also requires
that you
evaluate the success of the activity. Like trying anything new,
you will want
to assess it and improve upon it before doing another one. It
will take
practice, but I assure you, the benefits of using cooperative
learning in your
classroom will be well worth the effort you put into it.
Cooperative learning is not meant to replace
all other types of teaching, but
rather be one of the tools you will use to help your students
better
understand the important concepts you are teaching them. When
done
correctly and creatively your students should find it one
of the most exciting
ways to learn.
I thank Dr. Richard Felder of North Carolina
State University and Dr.
Rebecca Brent, from East Carolina University for much of what
you will
read in this lesson. I also give special thanks to Susan (Prescott)
Johnston
of California State University at Dominguez Hills for providing
training to me
and my colleagues, on cooperative learning. As a result of
this training, I
have designed the following Cooperative Learning Activity
Planning
Template which should aide you in designing your own successful
cooperative learning activity.
