1.+Introduction+to+Cooperative+Learning

What is Cooperative Learning? **
 * Cooperative Learning**

Cooperative learning is an instructional process in which students work together to learn. Most often this occurs in small groups of three to five students. Cooperative learning allows them to be more independent and take responsibility for their own learning. There are a variety of activities ranging from simplistic to complex which allows teachers to use cooperative learning at any age level. According to Naested, Potvin and Waldron (2003), there are three general forms of social learning that occur. Students will acquire knowledge and then use communication skills to develop meaning and understanding. They also discuss the idea of peer teaching and how it can be a positive teaching strategy. Cooperative learning is based on group work, and as Bennett and Rolheiser (2001) explain Johnson’s 5 Elements to Effective Group Work are essential to successful cooperative leaning. These elements provide a foundation for our lesson plans and offer a point of reference that creates a stable core for effective learning environments.

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 * Benefits and Challenges of Cooperative Learning: **
 * **Benefits **
 * 1) **Academic Achievement: ** remains the strongest researched educational innovation ever with regard to producing achievement gains
 * 2) **Ethnic/Race Relations: **Heterogeneous cooperative teams are the single most effective tool we as educators and we as a nation have to transform race relations in positive ways
 * 3) **Self-Esteem: **feelings social and academic esteem, accepted more by their peers
 * 4) **Empathy: **gain in ability to take the role of the other and to understand and empathize with the point of view and feelings of others
 * 5) **Social Skills: **listening, taking turns, conflict resolution skills, leadership skills, and teamwork skills
 * 6) **Social Relations: **feel accepted, liked, and cared for
 * 7) **Class Climate: **increased liking for school, class, academic content, and the teacher
 * 8) **Responsibility: **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">enhanced internal sense of control; students feel more like origins than pawns, What they do makes a difference
 * 9) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Diversity skills: **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">students learn to understand and work with others who differ from themselves
 * 10) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Higher Level Thinking Skills: **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">We tend to persist in our own way of thinking until we are challenged by interacting with someone with different information and/or a different way of interpreting the information.
 * 11) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Individual Accountability **
 * 12) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Equal Participation **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">.
 * 13) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Increased Participation: **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;"> students in cooperative learning are engaged a far higher percent of the time
 * 14) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Social Orientation: **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;"> know the success of a teammate (mastering the material, for example) will increase the probability of their own success. They begin to see others as someone to work with rather someone to beat
 * 15) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Self-Knowledge and Self-Realization: **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">learn about self, leads to change and growth and realize ones own potential. example: dominant, shy, rude etc.
 * 16) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Workplace Skills: **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">work in teams in preparation for workplace
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">**Challenges**
 * 1) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Lack of Social Skills: **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">students who do not know how to work with each other may lead to putting each other down, boss people around, fail to resolve conflict
 * 2) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Group Grades **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">: One student does most or all the work, the rest receive the grade
 * 3) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Lack of Diversity Skills: **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">higher achiever looks down on lower achiever
 * 4) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Avoidance of Failure: **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">A student is afraid to appear dumb in front of his peers and masks the fear of failure by not participating
 * 5) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Between Team Competition **
 * 6) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Complex Co-op Lessons: **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">takes time and effort, sometimes benefits not reaped
 * 7) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Special Materials needed **
 * 8) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Dependency: **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">dependent on working in teams and do not want to work alone
 * 9) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Lack of Management Strategies **
 * 10) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Off Task Behavior **
 * 11) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">No preparation with neighboring teacher: **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">classroom participation can be loud and disrupt surrounding classrooms
 * 12) **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Feeling Used; Being Used **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">: students feeling used

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">1//. Jigsaw// Divide students into 5- or 6-person jigsaw groups. Appoint one student from each group as the leader. Initially, this person should be the most mature student in the group. Divide the day's lesson into 5-6 segments. Assign each student to learn one segment, making sure students have direct access only to their own segment. Give students time to read over their segment at least twice and become familiar with it. Form temporary "expert groups" by having one student from each jigsaw group join other students assigned to the same segment. Give students in these expert groups time to discuss the main points of their segment and to rehearse the presentations they will make to their jigsaw group. Bring the students back into their jigsaw groups. Ask each student to present her or his segment to the group. Encourage others in the group to ask questions for clarification. Optional: Give the students a quiz to ensure students are actively taking in the information.
 * Six Cooperative Learning Strategies: **

2. //Four Corners// Begin with a statement, an issue, or a question with four options to choose from. Four corners will be assigned an option. Students will choose a corner that best captures their perspective, view or response. As an alternative, students may discus their choice with a partner to further expand their views on the matter. They should be prepared to share their response to the class.

3. //Place Mat// Students will be working alone and together around a single piece of paper that is divided up into sections based on the number of members in the group. A square will be located in the middle of the paper. Groups of 2 or 4 are said to work best. Given an assigned topic, students will individually write their idea in the designated space. Students will then share with their group members of what they wrote. Common ideas will be written in the middle square to share with the entire class.

4. //Inside/Outside Circles// Students are separated into groups of six, with one group on the inside and the other group on the outside facing each other. A question will be posted on the board, while students discuss the question with their partner. The outside group will move to the right where students will discuss the same question with another student. The teacher can continue to post new questions on the board.

5. //Graffiti// This is a brainstorming technique that gathers information from the majority of students. The class is divided into 3-5 groups. Each group is given a large piece of paper with a specific topic. They are given a certain amount of time to brainstorm and write all of their ideas on the paper. Then the groups rotate to the next topic and repeat the process until they have worked on all of the topics.

6. //Team Games and Tournaments// Is suggested for grade 2 and up and it is usually employed as a check for understanding information that was taught or acquired. First, students work in a home team of three and review the information learned. Then they break into Tournament Groups where on student from each home team gets together with two students, each from one other home team. Tournament groups then respond to a number of questions. The questions and answers are on handouts and are numbered 1 to 8 in four groups for 32 questions. When they have completed the questions or the time is up, they return to their home team and add up their individual tournament scores. The groups with the most points receive an incentive. To set up the tournament, create 16 to 32 questions and divide the questions into four groups. Type each group of questions onto a separate piece of paper, and title each page: Hearts, Diamonds, Spades and Clubs. Do the same with the answers. Each tournament group should have one deck of cards (ace to eight of each suit for 32 questions) one question and one answer handout, and one recording sheet. Letter off students A, B, C. In terms of roles, A will be the teacher, B will be the student, C will be the recorder. The roles rotate after each question. The student draws a card and shows the group (eg. Seven of Hearts). Person A (the teacher) turns to Hearts and reads question seven. The student now thinks and responds. The result is recorded and the students rotate roles.

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