Collaborative LearningCollaborative Learning

Ideas for Ideas for Effective Effective Classroom Classroom PracticePractice

Building a Classroom CommunityBuilding a Classroom Community

Research has shown that students learn best in a Research has shown that students learn best in a classroom where they feel free to express their classroom where they feel free to express their ideas, they feel needed, and they feel comfortable ideas, they feel needed, and they feel comfortable with their peers. Here are some tips on how to with their peers. Here are some tips on how to create this kind of a learning atmosphere:create this kind of a learning atmosphere:

--Learn students' names and help them to learn each others' names.--Learn students' names and help them to learn each others' names. --Use an icebreaker on the first day in order to help students get to --Use an icebreaker on the first day in order to help students get to

know each other.know each other. --Welcome questions and continually thank students for asking --Welcome questions and continually thank students for asking

them. If students seem hesitant to ask questions, try using the them. If students seem hesitant to ask questions, try using the "Think-Pair-Share" activity (see Collaborative Activities) or leave a "Think-Pair-Share" activity (see Collaborative Activities) or leave a little more wait time after asking if there are any questions.little more wait time after asking if there are any questions.

--Use group activities to help students feel more comfortable with --Use group activities to help students feel more comfortable with each other.each other.

--Arrive early to class in order to chat with students and stay a --Arrive early to class in order to chat with students and stay a couple of minutes after class to answer any individual questions they couple of minutes after class to answer any individual questions they might have.might have.

--Welcome diversity and model tolerance in the classroom. --Welcome diversity and model tolerance in the classroom. --Create lessons that allow students to be active learners with their --Create lessons that allow students to be active learners with their

own contributions, not just empty receptacles that need to be filled.own contributions, not just empty receptacles that need to be filled. --Ask for feedback on your teaching and do it often with various --Ask for feedback on your teaching and do it often with various

methods.methods.

Collaborative Learning:Collaborative Learning:Definition & TraitsDefinition & Traits

Collaborative learning is the act of giving the Collaborative learning is the act of giving the responsibility of the learning to the students.responsibility of the learning to the students.

Collaborative Learning -- the instructional use of Collaborative Learning -- the instructional use of small groups wherein students work together to small groups wherein students work together to maximize their own and each other’s learningmaximize their own and each other’s learning

Common Elements:Common Elements:– shared learning goals -- desired future state in which the shared learning goals -- desired future state in which the

students demonstrate as a group and individually a mastery of students demonstrate as a group and individually a mastery of the subject studiedthe subject studied

– goal structure -- specifies the ways in which students will goal structure -- specifies the ways in which students will interact with each other and the teacher during the instructional interact with each other and the teacher during the instructional sessionsession

Not all group learning is Not all group learning is collaborative learning.collaborative learning.

Groups arguing over divisive conflicts and power Groups arguing over divisive conflicts and power strugglesstruggles

A member sits quietly, too shy to participateA member sits quietly, too shy to participate One member does the work, while the other One member does the work, while the other

members talk about sportsmembers talk about sports No one does the work because the one who No one does the work because the one who

normally works the hardest doesn’t want to be a normally works the hardest doesn’t want to be a suckersucker

A more talented member may come up with all the A more talented member may come up with all the answers, dictate to the group, or work separately, answers, dictate to the group, or work separately, ignoring other group membersignoring other group members

Effective CooperationEffective Cooperation

……does not occur by chance.does not occur by chance. ……can not be based on the assumption that can not be based on the assumption that

all students possess good social and learning all students possess good social and learning skills. skills.

……occurs when the essential components occurs when the essential components required for each cooperative activity are required for each cooperative activity are ensured.ensured.

Learning Together:Learning Together:Essential Components Essential Components

PPositive Interdependenceositive Interdependence Students have two responsibilities:Students have two responsibilities:

– learn the assigned materiallearn the assigned material

– ensure that all members of the group learn the materialensure that all members of the group learn the material

Each student should see his or her contribution as Each student should see his or her contribution as essential for group success.essential for group success.– each student makes unique contributioneach student makes unique contribution

Interdependence occurs when students cannot Interdependence occurs when students cannot succeed unless all their group members also succeed unless all their group members also succeed.succeed.

Structuring interdependence: Structuring interdependence: common goal, joint common goal, joint rewards, divided resources, complimentary rolesrewards, divided resources, complimentary roles

IIndividual Accountabilityndividual Accountability

Teacher must assess (directly or indirectly) how Teacher must assess (directly or indirectly) how much effort each member is contributing to the much effort each member is contributing to the group’s work.group’s work.

Teacher must provide feedback to groups and Teacher must provide feedback to groups and individual students.individual students.

Teacher must help groups avoid redundant efforts Teacher must help groups avoid redundant efforts by members.by members.

Teacher must ensure that every member is Teacher must ensure that every member is responsible for the final outcome.responsible for the final outcome.

GGroup Processingroup Processing

At the end of the process, students reflect to At the end of the process, students reflect to determine which member actions were helpful and determine which member actions were helpful and which were harmful.which were harmful.

Students then make decisions about which actions Students then make decisions about which actions to continue, change, or delete.to continue, change, or delete.

Such processing allows groups to:Such processing allows groups to:– focus on maintaining good working relationships.focus on maintaining good working relationships.

– learn and improve cooperative skills.learn and improve cooperative skills.

– provide feedback on member participation.provide feedback on member participation.

– think at a metacognitive level as well as cognitive level.think at a metacognitive level as well as cognitive level.

– celebrate success of the group.celebrate success of the group.

SSocial Skillsocial Skills

Students must get to know and trust one another.Students must get to know and trust one another. Students must communicate accurately and Students must communicate accurately and

unambiguously.unambiguously. Students must accept and support each other.Students must accept and support each other. Students must resolve conflicts constructively.Students must resolve conflicts constructively.

FaceFace-to-Face Interaction-to-Face Interaction

Successful interaction occurs as a result of positive Successful interaction occurs as a result of positive interdependence.interdependence.

To maximize opportunity for success:To maximize opportunity for success:– keep groups small (2 - 6 students)keep groups small (2 - 6 students)

– keep groups flexible (heterogeneous within, homogeneous keep groups flexible (heterogeneous within, homogeneous without)without)

– assist students with guidelines for interaction:assist students with guidelines for interaction:

• acceptance, support, trust, respectacceptance, support, trust, respect

• exchange of informationexchange of information

• motivationmotivation

What’s the difference?What’s the difference?

Collaborative GroupCollaborative Group Traditional Group Traditional GroupPositive interdependencePositive interdependence No interdependence No interdependence

Individual accountabilityIndividual accountability No individual No individual accountabilityaccountability

Heterogeneous membershipHeterogeneous membership Homogeneous Homogeneous membershipmembership

Shared leadershipShared leadership One leader One leader

Responsible to each otherResponsible to each other Responsibly only for self Responsibly only for self

Task & maintenance emphasizedTask & maintenance emphasized Only task emphasized Only task emphasized

Social skills directly taughtSocial skills directly taught Skills assumed or ignored Skills assumed or ignored

Teacher observes & intervenesTeacher observes & intervenes Teacher ignores groups Teacher ignores groups

Group processing occursGroup processing occurs No group processing No group processing

Mutual assistanceMutual assistance Competitive Competitive

Cooperative Learning ActivitiesCooperative Learning Activities THINK-PAIR-SHARE: (1) The instructor poses a question, preferable one demanding analysis, THINK-PAIR-SHARE: (1) The instructor poses a question, preferable one demanding analysis,

evaluation, or synthesis, and gives students about a minute to think through an appropriate evaluation, or synthesis, and gives students about a minute to think through an appropriate response. This "think-time" can be spent writing, also. (2) Students then turn to a partner and response. This "think-time" can be spent writing, also. (2) Students then turn to a partner and share their responses. (3) During the third step, student responses can be shared within a four-share their responses. (3) During the third step, student responses can be shared within a four-person learning team, within a larger group, or with an entire class during a follow-up discussion. person learning team, within a larger group, or with an entire class during a follow-up discussion. The caliber of discussion is enhanced by this technique, and all students have an opportunity to The caliber of discussion is enhanced by this technique, and all students have an opportunity to learn by reflection and by verbalization. learn by reflection and by verbalization.

THREE-STEP INTERVIEW: Common as an ice-breaker or a team-building exercise, this THREE-STEP INTERVIEW: Common as an ice-breaker or a team-building exercise, this structure can also be used also to share information such as hypotheses or reactions to a film or structure can also be used also to share information such as hypotheses or reactions to a film or article. (1) Students form dyads; one student interviews the other. (2) Students switch roles. (3) The article. (1) Students form dyads; one student interviews the other. (2) Students switch roles. (3) The dyad links with a second dyad. This four-member learning team then discusses the information or dyad links with a second dyad. This four-member learning team then discusses the information or insights gleaned from the initial paired interviews. insights gleaned from the initial paired interviews.

SIMPLE JIGSAW: The teacher divides an assignment or topic into four parts with all students SIMPLE JIGSAW: The teacher divides an assignment or topic into four parts with all students from each LEARNING TEAM volunteering to become "experts" on one of the parts. EXPERT from each LEARNING TEAM volunteering to become "experts" on one of the parts. EXPERT TEAMS then work together to master their fourth of the material and also to discover the best way TEAMS then work together to master their fourth of the material and also to discover the best way to help others learn it. All experts then reassemble in their home LEARNING TEAMS where they to help others learn it. All experts then reassemble in their home LEARNING TEAMS where they teach the other group members. teach the other group members.

NUMBERED HEADS TOGETHER: Members of learning teams, usually composed of four NUMBERED HEADS TOGETHER: Members of learning teams, usually composed of four individuals, count off: 1, 2, 3, or 4. The instructor poses a question, usually factual in nature, but individuals, count off: 1, 2, 3, or 4. The instructor poses a question, usually factual in nature, but requiring some higher order thinking skills. Students discuss the question, making certain that requiring some higher order thinking skills. Students discuss the question, making certain that every group member knows the agreed upon answer. The instructor calls a specific number and the every group member knows the agreed upon answer. The instructor calls a specific number and the team members originally designated that number during the count off respond as group team members originally designated that number during the count off respond as group spokespersons. Because no one knows which number the teacher will call, all team members have a spokespersons. Because no one knows which number the teacher will call, all team members have a vested interest in understanding the appropriate response. vested interest in understanding the appropriate response.

Why Use Why Use Collaborative LearningCollaborative Learning

Works well with inquiry and constructivist Works well with inquiry and constructivist approaches.approaches.

Supports multiculturalism efforts.Supports multiculturalism efforts. Promotes social development.Promotes social development. Assists with classroom discipline.Assists with classroom discipline. Provides for more than one “teacher.”Provides for more than one “teacher.”

ResourcesResourceswww.teachervision.fen.com www.teachervision.fen.com

www.kaganonline.comwww.kaganonline.com

www.clcrc.comwww.clcrc.com

http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/collaborative.htmlhttp://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/collaborative.html

Is Ability Grouping the Way to Go---Or Should It Go Away? (A July, Is Ability Grouping the Way to Go---Or Should It Go Away? (A July, 1997, Education World story on this issue.) Logic, emotion, and 1997, Education World story on this issue.) Logic, emotion, and research often clash in the longstanding debate over the research often clash in the longstanding debate over the advantages and disadvantages of ability grouping (tracking). advantages and disadvantages of ability grouping (tracking). Should it be left up to the courts to decide whether such grouping Should it be left up to the courts to decide whether such grouping is fair or not? is fair or not?

The Tracking and Ability Grouping Debate Delineates the essential The Tracking and Ability Grouping Debate Delineates the essential points of the debate, with sections such as What Is Tracking?, The points of the debate, with sections such as What Is Tracking?, The History of Tracking, The Research, Principles for Future Policy, History of Tracking, The Research, Principles for Future Policy, and Impact of Grouping on Achievement. and Impact of Grouping on Achievement.