Cooperative LearningReasons for consideringCooperative LearningMore Reasons...Common WorriesLower standards?Less Material Covered?Losing Control?Misguided learning?Evaluation?Time factor?Challenges for the Teacher3. Four Patterns in Deep LearningMotivational ContextLearner ActivityInteraction with othersStructured Knowledge Base4. Team ConsiderationsTeam SizeTeam FormationRandom vs. CriteriaRotating Group RolesClassroom Norms5. StructuringThink-Pair-ShareRoundtableValue Line / Corners / Three-Step InterviewAdvanced Structures for Problem SolvingProblem SolvingTasks to solve problemsStructured Problem SolvingDiscovery MethodExample from evolution courseSend a problemReporting Methods7. Ideas for pairs8. Other ideas9. More ideas10. TechnologyTechnology11. AssessmentAssessmentPeer Assessment Ex.Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs)Some ExamplesSome ExamplesSome Examples12. SummarySummaryMain Book ReferenceAssociated ReferencesCooperative Cooperative LearningLearningMark RobertsonMark Robertson--TessiTessiProgram in Applied MathematicsProgram in Applied MathematicsUniversity of ArizonaUniversity of ArizonaReasons for consideringReasons for consideringCooperative LearningCooperative LearningActive learning is usually more Active learning is usually more effective than passive learningeffective than passive learningTeacher becomes a facilitator, rather Teacher becomes a facilitator, rather than lecturerthan lecturerTeaching and learning occurs within Teaching and learning occurs within the group, leading to better the group, leading to better understandingunderstandingSmallSmall--group activities develop group activities develop higherhigher--order thinkingorder thinkingMore Reasons...More Reasons...Student learns additional skills such Student learns additional skills such as teamwork, responsibility as a as teamwork, responsibility as a group member, articulation of ideas, group member, articulation of ideas, and social skillsand social skillsParticipation in an academic group Participation in an academic group provides support, which leads to provides support, which leads to student retention and successstudent retention and successCommon WorriesCommon WorriesStudents are less productive, Students are less productive, standards are lowerstandards are lowerLess material is coveredLess material is coveredTeacher loses control of the classTeacher loses control of the classLearning is misguided, students want Learning is misguided, students want to learn from authorityto learn from authorityDifficult to evaluate individual Difficult to evaluate individual studentsstudentsTime factor (reorganizing)Time factor (reorganizing)Lower standards?Lower standards?Research shows that students in Research shows that students in group learning situations always group learning situations always learn at least as much as those learn at least as much as those taught individually taught individually (Davidson 1990)(Davidson 1990)In addition to grading and individual In addition to grading and individual motivators, peer/team commitment motivators, peer/team commitment becomes a third motivatorbecomes a third motivatorTeacher must be involved to make Teacher must be involved to make sure the group is directedsure the group is directedLess Material Covered?Less Material Covered?Teaching versus learningTeaching versus learningLess material, but learned more in Less material, but learned more in depthdepthCareful planning can cover more Careful planning can cover more material than lecturematerial than lecture--based methods based methods by encouraging outby encouraging out--ofof--class learningclass learningLosing Control?Losing Control?Many students drift off during Many students drift off during traditional lecturetraditional lecture--based coursesbased coursesWhen working in groups, they are When working in groups, they are focused on the course contentfocused on the course contentSupervised participation encourages Supervised participation encourages students to make progress on the students to make progress on the materialmaterialMisguided learning?Misguided learning?Instructor must have confidence in Instructor must have confidence in the group learning ethicthe group learning ethicStudents consistently rate wellStudents consistently rate well--structured group courses as their structured group courses as their favoritesfavoritesMany additional personal skills Many additional personal skills besides course material are learnedbesides course material are learnedEvaluation?Evaluation?Group activities in general cannot be Group activities in general cannot be graded individuallygraded individuallyIndividual accountability is key to Individual accountability is key to maintaining a functional group work maintaining a functional group work ethicethicGroup activities should be structured Group activities should be structured so that participation leads to better so that participation leads to better evaluationevaluationTime factor?Time factor?Structure is vital, and can take time Structure is vital, and can take time to planto planAt first, group activities can be basic At first, group activities can be basic and progress to being more central and progress to being more central to the courseto the courseChallenges for the TeacherChallenges for the TeacherFocus moves from teacher to Focus moves from teacher to studentsstudentsMust develop observation skills to be Must develop observation skills to be able to guide and evaluate members able to guide and evaluate members of the groupsof the groupsStructure of the activities is crucial to Structure of the activities is crucial to framing the progress and subsequent framing the progress and subsequent guidance and evaluationguidance and evaluation3. Four Patterns in 3. Four Patterns in Deep LearningDeep LearningMotivational ContextMotivational ContextLearner ActivityLearner ActivityInteraction with othersInteraction with othersStructured Knowledge BaseStructured Knowledge Base((RhemRhem1995)1995)Motivational ContextMotivational ContextIf the student thinks they need to If the student thinks they need to learn something, they will be more learn something, they will be more motivated to do somotivated to do soMotivation comes from