Randomised Evaluations of Cooperative Learning

1. Randomised Evaluations of Cooperative Learning Nancy A Madden Robert E. Slavin Institute for Effective Education University of York

2. Cooperative Learning • Children work in teams of four • Team goal: Every child learning • Team succeeds if all members make progress

3. Cooperative Learning: Essential Elements • Group goals • Individual accountability

4. Cooperative Learning: Research and Dissemination • Positive effects on achievement • mathematics, English, science, other subjects, grades 2-12 • Large-scale randomised and matched evaluations • Intergroup relations • Wide dissemination: 85% of elementary, 68% of secondary in 1993

5. Why Does Cooperative Learning Work? • Motivation from peers • Learning by teaching • Peers explain at level of learner • Active role for pupils

6. Randomised Evaluations of Cooperative Learning in the UK • Randomised evaluation of cooperative learning – maths, years 4-5 • SSAT study, secondary schools, maths, English

7. PowerTeaching • Cooperative Learning • Random Reporter • Think, Pair, Share • Formal team assessment • Cycle of Instruction • Active teaching • Partner practice • Formative assessment • Summative assessment

8. Randomised Evaluation of PowerTeaching in maths, years 4-5 • 40 high-poverty primary schools throughout England • 20 randomly assigned to PowerTeaching • 20 delayed-treatment control • Pre- and posttested on optional SATs • Analysis: HLM

9. Randomised Evaluation of PowerTeaching in Secondary (KS3) English and Maths • Partnership with Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) • Training volunteer teachers in high performing specialist schools (HPSS) • In 2009-2010, HPSS teachers will serve as mentors for other schools • 40 new schools will be randomly assigned to PowerTeaching or delayed treatment