Cooperative Learning in Classroom teaching and learning process

CO-OPERATIVE LEARNING IN CLASSROOM
TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS.
Compiled and prepared by: Dr. Geetika Saluja
1geetika.b.saluja@gmail.com

ACTION RESEARCH BY GEETIKA SALUJA 2

3
UBUNTU : "I am because we are and because we
are, you are." This simple statement encapsulates a
profound understanding of human inter
connectedness. It is a statement of being.
‘I am’ and ‘you are’ refer to the individual and ‘we
are’ refers to the community.
Does it mean that the individual is more important
than the community or that the community is more
important than the individual? Or are they
interdependent and therefore in balance?
geetika.b.saluja@gmail.com

Cooperative Learning is a teaching
arrangement that refers to small,
heterogeneous groups of students
working together to achieve a
common goal (Kagan, 1994). Students
work together to learn and are
responsible for their teammates'
learning as well as their own.
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What is Co-operative learning?

ELEMENTS OF CL
• According to David Johnson and Roger
Johnson (1999), there are five basic
elements that allow successful small-
group learning.
1. Positive interdependence
2. Individual and group accountability
3. Group processing
4. Group behaviors-social skills
5. Face-to-face interaction

WHY ONE SHOULD USE CL IN INDIAN CLASSROOMS?
• It is observed that during evaluation the
children do well with direct rather than
application based questions
• Many a times when a student is absent,
the next day other students do not offer
help.
• There is a need to encourage students
not to think only of their own learning
but of their class mates as well.
geetika.b.saluja@gmail.com 6

WHY ONE SHOULD USE CL IN INDIAN
CLASSROOMS ?
• When group projects are given only a
couple of students dominate the
interaction while the rest don’t get
enough opportunities to contribute
• Social skill development is not greatly
encouraged by the expository methods
• Need to create deeper understanding of
the topic in a congenial social
environment
7

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“Whenever problem solving is desired,
whenever divergent thinking or
creativity is desired, whenever quality
of performance is expected, whenever
the task is complex, when the learning
goals are highly important, and when
the social development of learners is
one of the major instructional goals...

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When an instructor wishes to promote
positive interaction among learners, a
facilitative learning climate, a wide range
of cognitive and affective outcomes, and
positive relations between themselves and
the learners…”
From Learning Together and Alone, David
W. Johnson, Roger T. Johnson

Cooperative Learning Groups Traditional L earning Groups
1. Heterogenous membership 1. Homogenous membership
2. No appointed leader, leadership is shared 2. A leader is appointed in each group
3. Shared task - interdependence 3. Task may not be a shared one -no
interdependence
4. Each member is accountable for the
group' performance
4. Individual members not accountable to
group's performance -> free-riders
5. Members held responsible for each
other's learning
5. Each person is responsible only for
himself
6. Members are taught to use social skills 6. Social skills are assumed or ignored
7. Group processing is conducted 7. No group processing
(Adapted from Johnson, Johnson & Holubec (199 l), unit 1: 14)
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HOW IS COOPERATIVE LEARNING DIFFERENT
FROM REGULAR GROUPWORK?

Cooperative Learning Group Traditional Learning Group
1. No appointed leader, leadership
is shared
1. Members are held responsible
for each other's and their own
learning.
2. Each person is responsible only
for himself
2. Task may not be a shared one -
no interdependence
3. Each member is accountable for
the group' performance
3. Individual members not
accountable to group's
performance -> free-riders
4. No group processing 4. A leader is appointed in each
group
5. Members are taught to use
social skills
5. Social skills are assumed or
ignored
6. Shared task - interdependence 6. Group processing is conducted.
HOW IS COOPERATIVE LEARNING DIFFERENT FROM
REGULAR GROUPWORK?

Cooperation: Competition: Individualistic:
1 A.
Learners work by themselves
to accomplish learning goals
unrelated to those of other
learners
1 B
Instructors structure
lessons so that learners
compete with each other
to achieve a goal only a
few can attain.
1 C
Lessons are structured so
that learners work together
to maximize their own and
each other’s learning.
Learners work together to
achieve shared goals.
2 A
Learners work alone.
2 B
Learners work alone.
2 C
All members of the group
strive for all group
members’ success.
3 A
Work in small groups. Groups
are heterogeneous.
3 B
Strive for their own
success.
What benefits self does
not affect others.
3 C
They strive to be better than
the rest of the group. What
benefits self, deprives
others.
4 A
Joint success is celebrated
4 B
Own success and others’
failure is celebrated.
Rewards are limited.
4 C
Own success is celebrated.
Adapted from Active Learning: Cooperation in the College Classroom (1991), Johnson, Johnson, and Smith

COMPETITIVELY STRUCTURED CLASSROOM:
I Swim, You Sink; I Sink, You Swim
INDIVIDUALISTICALLY STRUCTURED CLASSROOMS
I swim and I am alone
COOPERATIVE LEARNING CLASSROOM:
“I SWIM WE SWIM AND WHEN WE SWIM I SWIM”
Transforming their role from a 'Knowledge
Receiver' to ''Motivated Learner and Sharer.'
Dream of being ''Knowledge Creator' is not far
TYPES OF CLASSROOM AND STUDENTS ROLE IN IT

Cooperation: We Sink or
Swim Together
Competition: I Swim, You
Sink; I Sink, You Swim
Individualistic: We are Each
in this Alone
Lessons are structured so that
learners work together to
maximize their own and each
other’s learning. Learners
work together to achieve
shared goals.
Instructors structure
lessons so that learners
compete with each other
to achieve a goal only a
few can attain.
Learners work by
themselves to accomplish
learning goals unrelated to
those of other learners.
All members of the group
strive for all group members’
success.
Learners work alone. Learners work alone.
Work in small groups. Groups
are heterogeneous.
They strive to be better
than the rest of the
group. What benefits self,
deprives others.
Strive for their own success.
What benefits self does not
affect others.
Joint success is celebrated Own success and others’
failure is celebrated.
Rewards are limited.
Own success is celebrated.
Evaluated by matching
performance with clear
criteria, set in advance.
Graded on a curve or
ranked from “best” to
“worst”.
Evaluated by comparing
performance to pre-set
criteria.
Adapted from Active Learning: Cooperation in the College Classroom (1991), Johnson, Johnson, and Smith

• ELEMENTS OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING (CL)?
• According to David Johnson and Roger Johnson (1999), there
are five basic elements that allow successful small-group
learning.
1. Positive interdependence
2. Face-to-face interaction,
3. Individual and group accountability,
4. Group behaviors
5. Group processing.
ORIENTATION TO STUDENTS FOR CL

17
USING ROLE CARDS
Before roles are assigned, teachers should
explain and model the task and the
individual roles for students so that they
know and understand how his/her
individual task and role will contribute to
the success of the group. Roles should be
rotated on a regular basis so that all
students become proficient in each task.

18
USING ROLE CARDS
FACILITATOR : Ensures that everyone contributes
and keeps the group on task
REPORTER: Speaks for the group not just a personal
view.
TIME KEEPER: Keeps track of time.
RECORDER: Makes notes of important thoughts
expressed in the group.
MATERIAL MANAGER: Manages material of the
group during group work.

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USING ROLE CARDS
CHECKER: Checks written work and accuracy +
clarity of thinking during group disucssion.
ENCOURAGER: Encourages shay and introvert team
mates to contribute
QUIET CAPTAIN: Makes sue that the team members
speak in soft tone.
PRAISER: Encourages team mates with phrases like
“Good idea”, “Well said”, “Nice thought” and at
times using non verbal cues like thumbs up, pat ongeetika.b.saluja@gmail.com

USING ROLE CARDS
Before roles are assigned, teachers should explain and model the task
and the individual roles for students so that they know and
understand how his/her individual task and role will contribute to the
success of the group. Roles should be rotated on a regular basis so that
all students become proficient in each task.

WHAT MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES CAN BE USED?
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Reaching to a consensus
Listening
Encouraging words
Taking turns
Following directions

WHAT MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES USED?
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The quiet signal
12-inch voices:
Talking chips:
T T T rule:Team-then-Teacher rule

SOCIAL SKILLS
Social skills are the skills that are used in order to get
along with others. Many individuals easily
understand and implement Children and teens who
find social interactions challenging may need to
practice and develop their skill sets in a more
conscious and concrete style.
It is important for an educator to use an social skills
tool to asses the development of social skills in a
cooperative classroom
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EVALUATION OF THE TASKS
Students are evaluated their working as a group
for each task in
1 2 3 4 5
Not well ------------------------------------------------------
-------------very well
FOR EACH TASK EVALUATION SHEETS ARE
DESIGNED:
SELF EVALUATION OF GROUP WORK DONE
COLLECTIVELY BY GROUP MEMBERS BY COMING
TO AN CONSENSUS AFTER
EVALUATION SHEETS BY TEACHER/RESEARCHER OF
EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF THE GROUP IN
ACHIEVING ACADEMICS AND SOCIAL GOALS.ACTION RESEARCH BY GEETIKA SALUJA 25

PLACMENT AND ROUND ROBIN
• The think, pair, share strategy increases the kinds of personal
communications that are necessary for students to internally
process, organize, and retain ideas (Pimm 1987).
• In sharing their ideas, students take ownership of their learning and
negotiate meanings rather than rely solely on the teacher's
authority (Cobb et al. 1991)
•Conduct a Round Robin so that each participant can share their views.
•The circle in the middle of the paper is to note down (by the
nominated scribe) the common points made by each participant.
• Each group then reports the common points to the whole group.
•All members contribute equally.
THINK PAIR SHARE
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This strategy builds both individual accountability and positive
interdependence
JIGSAW
NUMBER HEADS TOGETHER

TEAM CHECK
As one group works on a
task, They make summary
of their learning and then
they give to other team to
check their work for
accuracy.

Here this was used to self evaluate the given task on basis of
attainment of academic goals and Social goals while functioning as
one cohesive unit.
PMI (Plus, Minus, Intriguing)

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NUMBER FRENZY
Divide students in groups of four.
Label each student in a group as number 1,
2, 3, or 4. Ask the groups a common
question.
The group then works together
to come up the correct answer.
Now you call out a number (between 1 and
4), and the person in a group that is
assigned that number is to give you the
answer to the question.

The One Minute Game. Divide the class into
teams of five or less. Have each group
contemplate answers to these questions, giving
them one minute to answer them:
•What was the main thing you learned today?
•Tell me two questions that you have remaining
about this lesson.
•What else would you like to know about this
topic?
This is a great cooperative learning activity
that helps students give you feedback about
the lessons they learned

MY REFLECTIONS FOR CL CLASSROOMS
Bridge : Bridge the gap between a student and
teacher by fostering trust not through being
lenient but through cultivating mutual respect.
Notice: The efforts and inputs made by students
and/or their peer for developing required
cooperative skills.
Connect: Connect the efforts with the objective
even when it seems to be a subconscious act.

Non judgmental appreciation: Natural appreciation
with a smile helps to bridge many miles in the journey
of guided self development.
Care: Add care and sensitivity in appreciation. Love
students for what they are. Respect individuality of
each child as each of them is unique in their own
ways.
Create conditions: For all types of learners to access
and process new information and ideas.

Reflection:
Individual and group self check at the beginning,
during and at the end of the task helps the group
to govern and coordinate their group dynamics.
Confident Individual: A confident educator leads
to building a confident individual and a confident
classroom
A small effort made by students for betterment if
noticed and appreciated at the right time will help
in building confident individuals.

CL classroom gives students opportunities to
interact and develop their social skills.
Students with no siblings or in nuclear family
usually don’t get this environment of
interaction at home.
As all students are encouraged to participate
and equal opportunities are given to all
Introverts gain confidence in sharing while
building on their social skills.

Cooperative Learning in Classroom teaching and learning process

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