Cooperative Learning in the Classroom

Cooperative learning involves students working in small heterogeneous groups to

accomplish common learning goals and maximize learning for all. The ability to build
and maintain positive relationships is important for students. When students leave
school, successful participation in the community and in the workplace depends not
only on knowledge and information-handling skills, but also on skills of
communication, critical thinking and problem solving, as well as the ability to plan
and make decisions with others.

Benefits of Cooperative Learning

Research suggests that cooperative learning contributes to:
 Higher self-esteem.
 Higher achievement.
 Increased retention of information.
 Greater social support.
 More on-task behavior.
 Greater collaborative skills.
 Greater intrinsic motivation.
 Increased ability to see other points of view.
 Better attitudes toward school and teachers.
 Greater use of high-level reasoning.
 More positive psychological adjustment.

Elements of Cooperative Learning

There are five basic elements of effective cooperative learning:
1. Group Connection:

Group members must feel that they are connected and that they need each other in
order to accomplish a common goal. This sense of positive interdependence may be
enhanced through joint rewards (received by all when all teammates are successful),
shared resources, assigned complementary and task-related roles and the
establishment of a common identity. All group members must succeed for the group
to succeed.
2. Individual Accountability:
The success of the group should be dependent on the individual
efforts of all group members, so that all students feel a sense of
responsibility toward mastering the learning and supporting
other members. To strengthen individual accountability and
maximize success for all, clearly establish expectations and
assessment methods at the beginning of the lesson.
3. Social Skills:
In order for students to collaborate effectively, appropriate
communication, leadership, decision-making and conflict management skills
must be taught. Students are most likely to
use social skills when they understand the need for and specific
attributes of the skills, have opportunities to practice the skills in
a meaningful situation, and receive feedback on their use of the skills.
4. Face-to-face Interaction:
Students benefit from participating in carefully structured
cooperative learning groups. Group members should be in
close proximity to encourage dialogue so they can continually
help each other, share ideas and encourage efforts to learn.
Face-to-face interaction is most effective when students engage
in higher-level thinking tasks, and when group connection,
individual accountability and social skills are also present.
5. Individual and Group Reflection:
Reflection is critical to the success of cooperative learning.
Students should be given opportunities for individual and group
reflection about their achievement of the academic task and
their collaborative efforts. This process helps students to
appreciate the value of collaborative skills, expand them
effective use of strategies and improve working relationships in
the group. Reflection can be encouraged through discussion as
well as tools such as questionnaires, learning logs or checklists.
Cooperative Learning Strategies
Various strategies exist for cooperative learning and can be used at whenever
the instructors see fit for their use.
Think-Pair-Share
Is a method that allows students to engage in individual and small-group
thinking before they are asked to answer questions in front of the whole
class. There are four steps to this method. The first step, groups of four
students listen to a question posed by the teacher. Secondly, individual
students are given time to think and then write their responses. Thirdly, pairs
of students read and discuss their responses. Finally, a few students are
called on by the teacher to share their thoughts and ideas with the whole
class. This method can be very useful and work well in the science classroom
due to the continual request of science teachers having students formulate
hypotheses about the outcome of an experiment before it is done.
Example: A teacher could pose the question, ‘What is
photosynthesis?’ students then think individually about the
question. After a couple minutes of thought the students then
turn to a shoulder partner and discuss their thoughts with each
other. The teacher then facilitates a whole class discussion.
 Three-Step Interview
Is a strategy that is effective when students are
solving problems that have no specific right answers. Three problem solving
steps are involved in this process. In step one the teacher
presents an issue about which varying opinions exist and poses several
questions for the class to address. Step two, the students, in pairs
become the interviewer and the interviewee. Step three, after the first
interview has been completed; the students’ roles are switched. After
each student has had a turn, the pairs read their interviews to the class.
After all interviews have been done, the class writes a summary report
of the interview results.
Example: A teacher presents stem cell research as a cure to
Alzheimer’s disease then students pair off and interview each
other about this topic. Following the interviews, a presentation
to the class is made.

Round Table or Rally Table

Are simple cooperative learning structures that cover much content, builds team
spirit, and incorporates writing. The roundtable has three steps to it. In the first
step, the teacher poses a question that has multiple answers. Step two, the first
student in each group writes one response on a paper and passes the paper
counterclockwise to the next student. Finally, in step three, teams with the
greatest number of correct responses gain some type of recognition. This type of
cooperative learning can easily be used in the science classroom. For example,
the students may be asked to write as many reptile names as they can. At the
end the group with the most reptiles written down is rewarded.

Example: A teacher displays a picture and asks what are various food chains
found within the ecosystem of the picture. One student writes a food chain on a
piece of paper then passes the paper to other members of the team for them to
write a food chain that they see in the picture. Students continue to pass around
the paper until the teacher stops the activity or until a group runs out of answers.

Group Investigations
Are structured to emphasize higher-order
thinking skills such as analysis and evaluation. Students work to
produce a group project, which they may have a hand in selecting.

Example: Science fair projects.

 STAD (Student Teams-Achievement Divisions)
Is used in grades 2-12. Students with varying academic abilities are assigned to
4 or 5 member teams in order to study what has been initially taught
by the teacher and to help each student reach his or her highest level
of achievement. Students are then tested individually. Teams earn
certificates or other recognition based on the degree to which all team
members have progressed over their past records.

Example: Review Day activity before a test.

Jigsaw II
Is used with narrative material in grades 3-12. Each team
member is responsible for learning a specific part of a topic. After
meeting with members of other groups, who are the "expert" in the
same part, the "experts" return to their own groups and present them
findings. Team members then are quizzed on all topics.

Example: Discussion of the interplay of the systems of

the human body.

Round Robin Brainstorming or Rally Robin

Are a strategy when the class is divided into small groups of 4 to 6 students per
group with one person appointed as the recorder. A question is posed by the teacher
with many possible answers and students are given time to think about answers.
After the "think time," members of the team share responses with one another
round robin style. The recorder writes down all the answers of the group members.
The person next to (clockwise) the recorder gives their answer and the recorder
writes it done then each person in the group in order (clockwise) gives an answer
until time is called. This strategy is very similar to round table. The main difference is
that in round robin one student does all the recording for all members of his/ her
group.

Example: A teacher displays a picture and asks what are various food chains
found within the ecosystem of the picture. One student is the recorder and writes all
of the group's answers on a piece of paper. This strategy continues until the teacher
stops the activity or until a group runs out of answers.
 Three-minute review
Is used when the teachers stop any time during
a lecture or discussion and allows teams three minutes to review what
has been said with their group. Students in their groups can ask a
clarifying question to the other members or answer questions of others.

Example: After discussing a multiple step process like

digestion, students can form teams and review the process or
ask clarifying questions.

5 tips for implementing cooperative learning strategies

Students often benefit from simply taking part in cooperative learning strategies. But
the following tips will help you increase the effectiveness of these techniques.
1. Set ground rules to keep them on track
Group learning may encourage students to engage in conversation, but you also
want to make sure they stay on topic and task. Some rules you might establish
include:
 Contribute your own opinions and research
 Encourage each other to speak up
 Respect each other's contributions
 Offer solutions to problems
 Give and accept feedback
2. Establish roles for each student
In some cooperative learning strategies, you might assign roles to specific
individuals. These could include:
 Organizer
 Recorder
 Timekeeper
 Presenter
 Checker
Specific roles can help clarify a student's responsibilities within a group and may
empower them to take action. Sometimes, in a brainstorming activity, it may be best
to keep roles open to ensure equal participation.
3. Establish group goals
Setting clear goals with numeric targets can help guide students through a
cooperative activity. For example, in a brainstorming activity, you might suggest that
each student contributes five ideas to reach a group goal of 20 ideas. This can help
them take individual responsibility, as well as understand the shared goal.
4. Consider assessment
One of the most important things to consider after group learning is assessing how
much the students learned. Individual quizzes and surveys can provide insight into
comprehension and progression. Besides learning topics, you might also assess
students' progress with social skills and how they behave in groups. This can help
show how they might apply their interpersonal skills beyond the classroom.
5. Build trust
Trust is important between students in groups, but you also want students to trust
your choice to conduct cooperative learning. For example, if a student experiences a
learning challenge during group work, it's important to address that issue with them
immediately and identify ways to improve their experience. Check to see how
they’re feeling before the next group activity to see if there is anything they might
need to feel more comfortable. A trusting environment can help students feel safe
sharing and ultimately learn more.