Collaborative Learning

1. Collaborative Learning Bill Cerbin “Take Five: Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning” - January 19, 2010Hosted by the UW-L Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning – website: http://www.uwlax.edu/catl

2. Learning activity: Students explain, clarify, compare ideas with another student. Instructor poses question to class Students write a response (1-2 minutes) Students pair up with another student nearby Each student explains his/her response to the other If they disagree, each clarifies his/her position and determine how/why they disagree Tip 1 – Think-Pair-Share 1 “Take Five: Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning” - January 19, 2010Hosted by the UW-L Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning – website: http://www.uwlax.edu/catl

3. Why Use Think-Pair-Share? Keep students engaged in large classes Prime students for whole class discussion Target key concepts for review Enhance students’ metacognition—they become more aware of gaps in their thinking Student responses are feedback to the instructor about how they are making sense of the material

4. Learning Activity: Students teach one another by explaining, giving examples, summarizing, asking questions, predicting, and so forth. An example focused on reading Instructor preps students by showing how to read a text In groups students jointly read course material (e.g., primary source, article, artifact) Students take turns being the teacher and leading discussion of a segment of text Student summarizes the segment, asks a question, and clarifies material 2 Tip 2 – Reciprocal Teaching “Take Five: Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning” - January 19, 2010Hosted by the UW-L Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning – website: http://www.uwlax.edu/catl

5. Why Use Reciprocal Teaching ? To improve students’ ability to do specific intellectual activities such as reading primary sources, interpreting graphs, analyzing artwork Role of teaching puts student in position of monitoring their comprehension and re-organizing the material Exposes student to other ways to interpret the material

6. Learning Activity: Students solve a set of problems. Ask students to form pairs and explain the roles: Problem solvers: talk through their reasoning process as they solve a problem Listeners: encourage PS to think aloud and ask for clarification as needed Pairs solve a set of problems and alternate role for each new problem 3 Tip 3 – Think-Aloud Pair Problem Solving “Take Five: Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning” - January 19, 2010Hosted by the UW-L Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning – website: http://www.uwlax.edu/catl

7. Why Use TAPPS? Emphasizes process rather than product. Students can practice formulating ideas, rehearse routine skills, attend to sequence, identify gaps and errors in understanding. Instructors can observe students’ reasoning process.

8. Learning Activity: Students analyze and classify course material. Form groups and distribute blank grid as a handout Give students uncategorized, scrambled items of information Groups categorize the information in the grid. Instructor should recommend process—open discussion, take turns, divide categories w/in group Instructor displays correct version of the grid. Students compare their work, ask questions and revise 4 Tip 4 – Group Grid “Take Five: Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning” - January 19, 2010Hosted by the UW-L Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning – website: http://www.uwlax.edu/catl

9. Group Grid Example

10. Why Use a Group Grid? To help students process and re-organize information. Useful when students are trying to absorb a lot of new information. Analyzing and re-organizing the material is better than simply re-reading it.

11. Learning Activity: Students use collaborative writing to develop better understanding of the subject matter Use a wiki for collaborative writing Use assignment that has authentic purpose and audience such as creating Wikipedia entries or study guides for the course Establish guidelines to scaffold the process 5 Tip 5 – Wiki Group Writing Assignments “Take Five: Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning” - January 19, 2010Hosted by the UW-L Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning – website: http://www.uwlax.edu/catl

12. Why Use Group Writing? Use writing-to-learn to help students develop and revise ideas Students have opportunities to see how other students view the same topic An assignment with an authentic purpose and audience can increase students’ interest and commitment

13. Summary/Questions Summary • Think-Pair-Share • Reciprocal Teaching • Think Aloud Pair Problem Solving (TAPPS) • Group Grid • Wiki Group Writing Assignment Questions—anyone, anyone? “Take Five: Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning” - January 19, 2010Hosted by the UW-L Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning – website: http://www.uwlax.edu/catl

14. Resources & Follow Up CATL Colloquium on Collaborative Learning: Friday, March 26, 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM Borrow Collaborative Learning Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty from CATL Contact: Bill Cerbin, Director CATL cerbin.will@uwlax.edu or 785-6881 184 Wing

15. CATL has several copies to loan

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