Cooperative Learning is an instructional strategy where small teams of students,
usually two to six members, work together to maximize their individual and collective
learning.
After team members are organized into these small groups and receive instruction from
their teacher, students within the team cooperate with one another and work through the
assignment until each team member successfully understands and completes it.
Ultimately the shared goals are accomplished individually by each team member, and
collectively by the group as a whole.
What Does a Cooperative Model Look Like?
- Students work cooperatively compared with traditional models where individuals
are only looking out for themselves.
- Team members are responsible for their own individual learning as well as for
their teammates learning.
- Teams are made up of high, medium and low academic achieving students.
- Teams are heterogeneous in gender, race, culture and socioeconomic status.
- Team members contribute their knowledge, experience, skills and resources to
the group.
- Team members cooperate and collaborate.
- Team members benefit from the contributions of the individual team members.
- Team members acquire new skills and knowledge.
- Rewards are oriented towards individual and group.
Reference: https://www.slideshare.net/JuicyUniverse.com/cooperative-learning-
1816077
Five Elements of Cooperative Learning
1. Positive Interdependence
- Tasks and goals are clearly defined
- Efforts of each team member benefits the individual as well as the group
- Commitment is made to both personal as well as group success
2. Individual and Group Accountability
- Each team member must contribute to the group as a whole
- Each team member is accountable for helping the group reach its goals
3. Interpersonal and Small-Group Skills - Each team member must:
- Be motivated
- Provide effective leadership
- Be able to make decisions
- Be able to build trust
- Be able to communicate
- Be able to manage conflict
4. Face to Face Promotive Interaction - Students
- Promote one another's success by sharing resources
- Encourage, help, and applaud each other's efforts
- Support one another academically and personally
- Explain how to solve problems
- Teach each other
- Check for one another's understanding
- Discuss concepts being learned
- Connect present with past learning
- Foster the groups mutual goal
5. Group Processing (Reflection) - Students
- Communicate openly, freely, respectfully discussing their concerns
- Maintain effective working relationships
- Describe what member actions are helpful/unhelpful
- Make decisions about behaviors to continue/change/discontinue
- Process status of goal achievement and accomplishments
Reference: https://www.slideshare.net/JuicyUniverse.com/cooperative-learning-
1816077
Essentials of Effective Cooperative Learning Groups:
Participation
- Each team member should contribute their time and energy
- Each team member should participate in the decision making process
Trust
- Each team member should trust that other team members will be contributing to
the group
Communication
- Each team member should listen respectfully and attentively to other team
members
- Each team member should contribute ideas
- Each team member should ask questions when clarification is needed
- Each team member should give constructive feedback
Reference: https://www.slideshare.net/JuicyUniverse.com/cooperative-learning-
1816077
