SLO #3 – Action research – Cooperative Learning
RESEARCH SKILLS by designing and conducting research ethically and effectively and
presenting their findings at a professional level in oral and written forms.
I conducted research in my 6th grade science class regarding the effects of cooperative
learning on academic achievement, motivation to learn, and interpersonal skills. The study
aimed to build small learning communities in my classroom. My goal was to provide learners
with nurturing, positive relationships with other students. I theorized that beneficial
interpersonal connections and a sense of belonging would help motivate my students to put forth
additional effort.
Students were grouped by academic ability, gender, personality, perseverance, ability to
stay on task, and previous success at team learning. Students were instructed using the StudentTeams Achievement-Divisions (STAD) method. This method began with information being
presented to students in a lecture format. Next, students worked in groups to master the material.
Subsequently, they were given individual quizzes. Teams were recognized by earning
improvement points on successive quizzes.
Even though I had implemented team learning in my classroom before, I had never been
satisfied with the results. I had struggled to get students to feel like their success was mutually
tied together. However, it always appeared that one or two students in the group frequently did
most of the work, or else students worked separately. Most students seemed to prefer working
collaboratively; yet I often questioned whether they were actually achieving a great deal of
learning in their groups. Just being in groups together was not enough. Students seemed
unconcerned with the success of their group mates and they were only interested in their own
achievement. There was not much incentive for them to aid their partners in learning the
material and I was not satisfied with the results.
One of the key reasons I chose to study team learning was because I needed practice
applying this instructional method successfully in my classroom. I knew that, if executed
effectively, collaborative teams could bring about a learning community in which all students felt
acknowledged and accepted. At the same time it could promote the use of higher level thinking
skills and active, meaningful learning. Moreover, I knew that listening to students working in
groups could provide me with a greater insight into how well key concepts were being
understood.
When given a choice, most students preferred to work in a group. Yet, there continued to
remain a small group of students who preferred to work alone. The results of the study were
inconclusive when it came to cooperative learning’s effect on achievement. However, I can say
with confidence that the positives outweighed the negatives. Intragroup relations improved and
students’ ability to resolve conflicts was boosted. Students benefited from the opportunity to
discuss their ideas with their classmates and solid relationships were forged.
The ultimate goal here was to foster caring relationships and to offer students a
community of supportive peers in hopes that it would encourage learners to excel and reach their
full potential. In the end, I believe that cooperative learning had a great positive impact on the
interpersonal relationships between students and I will continue to employ team learning to
promote valuable connections between learners.
I made many mistakes during my research; however, I will continue to refine my
skills in implementing cooperative learning in my classroom. With enough practice, I hope that
those who initially preferred to work alone may change their mind about their preference.