COOPERATIVE LEARNING

1. COOPERATIVE LEARNING

2. is a cluster of specific instructional strategies that involve students working collaboratively to reach common goals; Cooperative Learning

3. is characterized by a set of basic elements: • positive interdependence • individual accountability • equal opportunity for success • social/collaborative skills • group processing • face-to-face promotive interaction; Cooperative Learning

4. puts students in both learning and teaching roles; • aims to achieve two major goals • attain content-related instructional objectives (Task Work); • develop students social and collaborative skills (Team Work); • is NOT equivalent to “group work”. Cooperative Learning

5. Define, demonstrate, model, and explain social skills. • Model cooperative learning skills yourself • Emphasize expected group behaviors daily • Discuss negative effects of put-downs on classroom contribution. Enforce the rule of “No put- downs allowed” with the compliment rule that “if a student gives a put-down, she immediately owes the other person two compliments”. How to establish a positive group climate

6. Have students regularly tell their teammates • “I am glad you are here”, “I am glad you were here”, “thanks for helping”. • Have students give each other positive feedback each time they work as a group • “It helped when you", “Three ways we did well were . . .” • “One way each member contributed was . . .” How to establish a positive group climate

7. When group members have problems, help them perceive them as interesting problem solving situations. Work them through the steps: • define the problem in specific terms, • brainstorm possible solutions, • try each one until the problem is solved. How to establish a positive group climate