Cooperative Learning

10 Tips for Cooperative Learning

The object is for students to help each other improve their undestanding of concepts being taught. In essence, each member is responsible for learning , as well as helping teammates learn too. Students are to keep practicing concepts until the entire team understands and completes the assignment given.

The article gives 10 tips:
1. Playing teacher
2. Interviewing each other in pairs, revers the roles
3. Brainstorm: work in groups, give out a different question that can have many answers to each team, teams brainstorm the question
4. "number frenzy": divide students into groups of 4, each member receiving a number 1, 2, 3, and 4. Have small groups work on a common question. When the class gets to together, call out a number 1 -4, and each member of the small group with this number answers the question
5. Group grading: in a small group have students grade each other's work
6. Great debate: debate over a concept being taught
7. Listing activity: have small group list words and/or phrases that describe what they are being taught - share with classroom
8. The One Minute Game: Work in small groups, give them one minute to answer these questions: - what was the main thing you learned today?; -tell me two questions you still have about this lesson?; - what else would you like to know about this topic?
9. Assigning group roles: helps each member to feel that they are contributing to the group in a good way. Possible roles: Leader (make sure everyone has mastered the concepts); Secretary (records responses); Monitor (time keeper); Manager (assists leader, stands in for missing members)
10. Ranking order: assign students to a group after they ranked how they feel about the issue. Take 1 student from each end, and 2 from the middle ground.