BENEFITS OF ACTIVE AND COOPERATIVE LEARNING 1. Provides opportunities for higher order thinking as opposed to passive listening. Reinforces listening to others and gives opportunity for immediate feedback and adjustment of thought. Students talking together provide for input and listening. Students often have to assess the thoughts/ideas of peers, determine whether they “fit” their own, whether they disagree, or partially agree. Students have an opportunity to speak their ideas/thoughts for better formulation. Some often say, “I didn’t think of that” or “That’s a different slant.” 2. Promotes greater student-faculty and student-student interaction. Students assist each other in understanding material/content. This may even help students broaden their perspectives on issues or problems. Professors have an opportunity to move from group to group, listen and if appropriate add comments. For some students this is the only personalization with a professor that ever occurs. Professors may answer questions that might never be asked without the closer interaction. Problems or misunderstandings can quickly and quietly be handled. 3. Increases student retention and limits anxiety. Students are not overloaded with information. Students actually get time to think about, to talk about, and process information. Improves interaction and “talk” (Vygotskian Constructivism) and provides opportunities for students to think about and process the information. Time for “talking” and/or “writing” is needed to help students make sense of what they hear before attempting to “take in” even more information. 4. Permits opportunities to connect the content to real life. Students are often hesitant to speak up and offer opinions, especially in very large classes. Students can provide real life examples of the content being discussed, thus increasing the relevancy of the learning. 5. Builds self-esteem in students. Students help each other as discussion occurs. Students are more likely to respond to the whole class after discussing thoughts with a partner or small group. Responses may be more carefully conceived as they try responses with each other. Students may even discover that they understand the information because they must articulate the content to 1 another. Greater satisfaction with the learning experience occurs. Students make personal connections to the content. Enjoyment of learning often leads to greater retention. Interaction often promotes a more positive attitude toward the subject matter or course. 7. Provides for improvement of social interaction skills, greater acceptance of others, and a greater sense of “community” in the class - in part by addressing learning style differences. Students may even begin to create study groups for greater learning. Students who teach or tutor each other learn more about each other and how to better communicate information to others. Students benefit from building group skills by working together. Not everyone will agree; students may learn to cope with those who have differing viewpoints, OR recognize that some problems can be very complex and not easily solved with simple responses. 8. Encourages alternative forms of assessment. Professors have greater opportunities to observe actual processing of information, seeing the results of group projects or field experiences. The applied projects indicate true knowledge. 9. Promotes higher levels of achievement, greater depth of thought and improved attendance. Enjoyment of interaction and relevancy of content tend to encourage students to master the content. When students are responsible for reading a chapter, then use or discuss the content to create a product find that retention is greater. This often leads to improved attendance. 10. Encourages innovation in both teaching and student involvement. Technology is easily incorporated by students and/or professors. Students may e- mail each other, join chat rooms, and collaborate on group projects effectively using the technology, rather than meeting face-to-face. Students may present projects, activities, etc. using a variety of approaches rather than the typical paper. They have more freedom to use their own strengths in the final product. Students may determine the form of projects and often work well beyond initial expectations. 2 GETTING STARTED WITH ACTIVE TECHNIQUES 1. Talk to faculty using active learning and get ideas from them. 2. Observe classes where active learning is going on 3. Attend workshops, training sessions, or seminars on how to incorporate active learning approaches. 4. Read research and articles about the values and ways to use active learning. 5. Plan carefully and start with simple approaches. Pair work is often the easiest to begin using and has the least chance for social problems. • A worksheet in pairs is a simple way to start. • You may want to assign a reading and ask students to work together in class on a task related to what has been read. 6. Ask a colleague to observe active learning lessons and give constructive criticism. 7. If students are creating products, projects, etc., be sure to provide rubrics on how you will grade the results. PERCEIVED PROBLEMS WITH ACTIVE/COOPERATIVE TECHNIQUES 1. Loss of control over the class When a professor lectures, s/he maintains control over what is covered in a class. Some even post lecture notes to guarantee coverage. 2. Lack of confidence in trying new methods Trying new methods means a move away from a comfort zone and even assuming some responsibility when students are NOT learning what is expected. 3. Fear loss of content coverage. The age old problem of amount of material covered versus depth of understanding rears its head. Group interaction may take more time. 3 4. Lack of prepared materials for use in the class. Current textbooks seldom provide ideas on how to use active or collaborative approaches, so the professor has to prepare materials for groups. Some textbooks offer questions at the end of chapters; these might be a starting point for small group discussion. 5. The ego of the professor. Some professors want and need to be the center of attention. The class is their theater. 6. Concern for student evaluations of the professor. What is being evaluated on the student evaluation forms may need to be reviewed. Do the evaluation forms measure “effective teaching behaviors?” 7. Students will resist collaborative learning techniques. Students will no longer compete against each other, but work to help each other learn. 8. Lack of background or training in the use of active learning approaches. Most professors are not trained in pedagogy or andragogy; as a result, they teach the way they were taught. 4 SMALL GROUP AND COOPERATIVE STRUCTURES Small Group Review 1. NUMBERED HEADS Sometimes referred to as “structured problem solving,” this strategy is especially good for mastery of content. Each student is given a number (stay with groups of three or four.) The professor poses a problem, a question, an issue requiring analytical, creative, or evaluative thought. Students in the group discuss the problem and prepare a response. The professor then calls a number and that person must answer the problem for his/her group. Only one member of the team responds, but all members will receive credit, partial credit, or no credit for the response that is written. The next problem, question or situation is given, the group discusses it, and again a number is called for the answer. Comments: This strategy is a great review and requires everyone to work together and to help each other. Some examples might be substituting values in a formula and asking students to solve the problem. Students may explicate a poem from assigned reading, explain a titration in chemistry, describe how supply and demand change with changing variables, or describe a strategy that might be used in changing situations. 2. WHAT WAS LEARNED? HOW USED? With about 7-10 minutes remaining in a class period, ask small groups, no larger than 4 or 5 students to respond to the following: a) What new information or old and reinforced information did you learn today and how might you use it? OR b) What was one of the key concepts learned today? Why is it important? Each student in the group must respond with a different concept. This provides a fair summary of the class content. Comment: If you wish to reinforce this technique, stand at the door and ask each student to tell you what was learned and why he/she chose that concept. This could also be used as a writing activity. Homework Reinforcers 1. DYADIC ESSAY CONFRONTATIONS Generally used to incorporate meaningful writing assignments into courses taught. The students must read and comprehend the content. The method builds on three concerns: a) the need for the student to be exposed to diverse opinions and perspectives, 5 b) the need for meaningful experiences to connect ideas from varied sources, c) the need for an interactive environment. The method uses the following steps: I) The professor assigns readings such as a chapter, article, etc. outside class time. The student is required to reflect on what has been read. II) Each student creates an integrative essay question on the content that encourages comparisons with other materials that have been previously read or covered in class. III) Each student prepares a response to his/her own essay question. The response should be no longer that one-page, single-spaced. IV) Each student brings the essay and model response to class. V) During class time, students exchange essay questions with partners or members in a triad. The partner/s write a response to the question. VI) Team members read and comment on both the prepared model and the responses in a spontaneous manner. Focus should be on divergent and convergent ideas in the discussion. Comment: *This approach could be used with on-line classes. Also, this is a good technique for combining several concepts. 2. COOPERATIVE WORKSHEETS Prior to lecture students must complete written questions related to the reading with a partner. The written assignment may also require students to identify how the information could actually be applied. This written assignment may include but is not limited to: a) Summarizing key concepts from the reading, b) Explanation of vocabulary terms, c) Study guide questions, d) Student generated questions about the reading, or e) Short written links between what has already been learned and the new information. 3. READING DISCUSSION CIRCLES Students are assigned a section of text, article, etc. for the next class. They are told that the groups will conduct a “Reading Comprehension Circle.” Upon arrival each person in a group draws a role that must be performed for the group discussion. Roles must then be performed as students discuss the read assignment. The roles may be: a) Discussion leader – keeps the discussion flowing by asking questions about the content and encouraging the discussion, b) Vocabulary master – person identifies and helps to explain the meanings of key vocabulary terms, c) Connector/Application master – provides examples from 6 real life and draws additional ideas in life from the groups, d) Comprehension master – asks questions and helps the group make sense out of the reading assignment, e) Summarizer – gets students to summarize sections in their own words. Comments: Post-it notes often help students refer to specific places in the text. The leader for each of the positions is NOT the expert, but the person who helps the members of the groups relate to the information in critical ways. Problems in reading often occur from misunderstanding what the author means, not relating reading to practical use, the inability to handle vocabulary in an meaningful way, and inability to see what is important and separate that from support information. Opportunities to discuss content in a meaningful way helps students comprehend and relate to possible uses. Cooperative/Collaborative/Peer Teaching Learning approaches in which students or teams of students become peer teachers. 1. GUIDED COOPERATIVE LECTURE A simple cooperative structure in which the instructor lectures for no more than 20 minutes. Students listen but do not take notes. Students in pairs or triads are then give a few minutes to write notes about the lecture. This is followed by a discussion by the pair or triad in which students answer questions that were prepared by the professor in advance. Students have an opportunity in the discussion to help each other answer the questions. The procedure may be repeated for covering more information. A short quiz may be given using the individual response system or students may be asked individually to write a short essay to a general question/s. 2. BUZZ GROUPS Before covering information, identify questions or a situation that you expect students to discuss with one or two others. After covering the information, permit students to discuss the choices or select a possible solution to the situation identified. After a short discussion with group members, students must write their individual responses or choose the appropriate solution to the situation. You can use a show of hands, ask students to turn in their answers at the end of the class OR you might use an electronic response system to record their answers or choices. You may respond immediately to their answers or save the reaction to their response/s until the next class period. Comments: *This can be done with students using e-mail with groups or a chat room for on-line courses. VARIATION: Students are provided “a point to ponder,” which they must accept or reject, raise hands for choices and then justify choices to the group. 7 Each group identifies a spokesperson while the professor calls on groups at random to explain choices. 3. JIGSAW Each member of the jigsaw assumes responsibility for learning a specific part of the content. Each person must master the content to teach that content to others in his/her group. The steps are as follows: a. Task Division – A task or passage or set amount of content is divided into its requisite parts. (Best done by the professor) b. Home Groups– Each team sends one member to a group to learn and master material on a part of the content. That individual works with members of other home groups to gain expertise. c. Expert or Focus Groups – Students having the same topic meet in the Expert Group to discuss information, master the topic and plan how to teach the information to his/her Home Group. d. Home Groups – Students return to their original Home Group and teach what has been mastered to their own group members. e. Summary Activity – All of the parts must be put together in the form of a report, a quiz, presentation, or completion of questions. Comments: This could be done with an entire class that has small groups teaching content to the rest of the class. Math teachers might use groups to sketch graphs using different types of polynomials; team members might analyze material for in-depth understanding – decisions of leaders, character analysis in a novel, etc. or students may learn various types and procedures for types of writing, (i.e. editorials, sales pitches, thesis statements, outlining, or forms of citation of sources.) 4. FOCUS TRIOS This strategy can be used with any subject matter. The technique builds on what students already know about a topic. Students are told the topic of a lesson and in groups of three our four create a list of what they already know about the topic. This may be done prior to a videotape, lecture, reading an article, listening to some music, etc. The students then create a few questions about what they would like to know about the topic. After gaining the benefit of the content through lecture, etc. the students try to answer the questions generated AND summarize what they just learned. A good follow-up activity is asking the students to identify where and how the information gained could be practically applied. (This may not work for all lessons.) VARIATION: Students may be asked to respond to the papers that others in their groups have written. Papers should be read at least three times. The first reading requires others in the group to mark the paper with a star what he/she likes and places a question mark where there is something that is unclear or weak. Students in a group then discuss their marks. The paper is read a 8 second time to mark problems with grammar, usage, punctuation, spelling, or format. This is also followed by a discussion. The third time the paper is read team members proof the final draft and point out possible errors. (This will NOT be done in one class period, unless papers are very short and the writer has time to make appropriate corrections.) The papers of all students in the group undergo this process. Comments: *The variation could easily be done with on-line classes working in small groups. Students may each have their own color and make their comments in their color ink. The professor may want to be included in the receipt of the changes recommended. This does NOT have to be an English paper. 5. SEND/PASS A PROBLEM ON This technique is effective for problem-solving and seeing problems and solutions from varying points of view. Also, the technique supports building critical thinking. Teams identify a problem or issue in the subject area (i.e. ethics or cryogenics). Each team writes the problem or issue on the front of a folder or the teacher creates the problem situation and writes the problem on the front of a folder. The following steps are then followed: I) The team brainstorms solutions in writing and places the ideas in a folder to pass on to another team. II) The members of the second team, without looking at the ideas generated compile another list of solutions and place those in the folder. The folder then goes to a third team. III) The third team looks at the problem or issue, reads the suggestions provided by the previous two teams and decides upon the two most effective solutions. These are justified in writing and given to the professor for further discussion. Comments: Have several problems being circulated so that all teams in the class are involved in brainstorming and making decisions. This is a particularly good approach for engineering problems or situations. May also be used for math when complex problems could be solved by several approaches, in sociology or philosophy for complex issues in which varying viewpoints must be considered, or in history to evaluate decisions made by leaders in the past OR that leaders today must face. * This could be adapted to on-line teaching using chat rooms. 6. CRITICAL THINKING ASSIGNMENTS During the semester, pairs of students receive “critical thinking assignments.” These assignments consist of reacting to a situation or example. Students must connect to information, concepts or skills that have been presented as part of the course. Groups will: a) evaluate the evidence for accuracy and reasonability, b) distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information, 9 c) d) e) f) predict an outcome based on the evidence, identify assumptions from information provided, draw conclusions, and justify their conclusions. Students benefit from working with another person who can be a sounding board and critic of thoughts. Comments: *This can also work with on-line partners or small groups as they can interact with each other over e-mail and chat rooms. Summary Activities / Lesson Closures 1. ROUNDTABLE This technique requires each student in a group to have input. Each student has a copy of the questions, etc., but mark only on a “master” response sheet that includes a space for an individual response and space for a group response. The master sheet is passed from one student to another with each person reading a question and responding to the problem, question or situation. The responder reads his/her answer to the group and gives an explanation for the response. The student then writes his/her name next to the response. After this is done, students discuss the answer and write a group response, if the group answer is different from the first answer. If a student does not have the answer to the situation, problem, or question, no response is written, but the student writes his/her name in the space. The group can then write its response in the group response section. Comments: Good technique for reviewing material or to create simple applications to a concept. This does not work well with complex information. 2. ONE MINUTE PAPER (Never takes only one minute, plan for 3-5) At the end of a section of information (no more than 20 minutes) or at the end of the class, ask students to write: a) What was the most important piece of information learned, or b) What was the most practical piece of information covered (and explain), or c) Outline key points learned in the class, AND d) Ask a question that occurred during the lesson, but was not answered. Comments: Read and respond to what the students have written. You will be amazed at what you have taught. This is a great opportunity to correct misconceptions and be sure to answer or respond to the student’s question. If the same question shows up on many papers, you can answer the question in the next class. Students appreciate that you really read what they have to say. You may also give credit for their thinking! This encourages them to come to class to participate in the class. * EASILY USED OR ADAPTED TO ON-LINE LEARNING AND TEACHING 10 MODIFIED COOPERATIVE STRUCTURES Why Do You Need To Know How To Do This? Peer teaching/learning is one of the better ways to learn and retain content. The method permits students to be involved and make decisions about their own learning. You can guide student groups and let them progress at a comfortable rate. The methods also increase a sense of “community” among students. Why Use Pairs or Triads? 1. For most, not as intimidating as larger groups. 2. Vocabulary of students is similar. 3. Examples are closer to “what they know” and their own “learning levels.” 4. Peers often understand types of difficulties quickly, because they may have experienced them. 5. Students build deeper understanding by teaching and talking. 6. Students find solutions without the teacher – empowers them and builds the “AHHA!” Determining Partners 1. Let students choose their own partner/s. You may have to help this a little, because “water often seeks its own level” and students with greater understanding may need to be interspersed with others for greatest effect. 2. Use random choice until you begin to get to know the students. 3. Keep in mind that changes may have to occur (good to change groups from time to time). Changing can help students get to know each other. This may even help students determine study groups. Role of the Teacher 1. Supervise students working together. Walk from group to group, listen, and ask questions or interject thoughts where appropriate or needed. Moving from group to group tells the students you are interested in what they are doing and helps them stay on task and stay focused. 2. Provide support when needed 3. Give insights when information is incorrect from a team Small Group Structures 1. THINK-PAIR-SHARE This is a small group or partner strategy in which students respond to a problem or situation individually, then compare and discuss their responses with another. This method works best with teacher-led instruction. All students are required to make an individual response in writing that is shared with one or two others. The professor may check the work OR students may check their work against a MASTER prepared by the professor. 11 Why Use Think-Pair-Share? 1. The strategy moves the students away from a guessing mode or that of trial and error and permits individual students to: a) think through a problem on their own, b) try their ideas on someone else, and c) revise their ideas with additional input. 2. Students are able to work from a conceptual base and justify their thinking. This use of “talking out” requires additional thinking and clarification. As a result, students often catch their own errors in the explanation. How Can The Professor Structure Think-Pair-Share? Ask each student to complete the problem or task on his/her own, in his or her own way. When the task is completed, paired students compare and/or contrast their responses with each other. Students explain what they did and why they responded the way they did. Students then have an opportunity to revise their initial responses before the response is shared with an entire class. 2. PAIRS CHECKING This strategy requires students in pairs to practice solving problems that have been taught. The students divide the problems in half and take turns working the problems. The checking occurs as each one describes how to work the problem or handle the situation. When disagreement occurs students can ask for help from the teacher. Clarification and “talking out” helps both understand the problem/s. Why Use Pairs Checking? 1. Adds a sense of security to one’s ability to actually do the problems. 2. Students have an opportunity to DISCUSS their thought processes; this may lead to automatic correction and clarity. 3. The discussion actually increases understanding and retention of the process. 4. Simulates “real life” situations, where help from another is available. (Gives structure on how to work with another person). How To Structure Pairs Checking One person in the pair attempts to solve a problem or situation as the second one serves as a coach by giving hints, asking questions, pointing out possible errors, or recommending another way of processing. The “solver” actually works through the problem and explains “out loud” what s/he or he is doing to the others in the group. The “coach” or “checker” listens and tries to connect what is being said to the teaching example. The “coach” must give the “solver” a chance to solve the problem, but may ask: a.) What are you trying to find? b.) How will you do that? c.) Why did you…? The partners switch and the coach becomes the solver for the next problem. 12 3. COMBINING PAIRS Combining pairs is much like Pair Checking, but requires the pair to think, talk and work out problems or situations together that will be checked by a second pair. This approach uses the benefit of “more heads than one” when working through a problem. Students actually have to talk to each other and explain the process. Uses higher order thinking as they analyze the work of others. Why Use Combining Pairs? Can use learning pairs at the instructional level OR at the practice level and helps students understand a problem or situation by talking out the possibilities. How to Structure Combining Pairs The group is divided into pairs and each pair works a problem together, once again talking about the problem together. When the problem is completed,another pair checks their work; they, in turn, check the work of the pair with whom they have been combined. 4. TURN TO YOUR PARTNER Similar to the Combining Pairs, students have the benefit of “talking out” their solutions and “why” they completed the problem or task in the m.Students must talk through the problem explaining each of the steps and justify thinking to a partner or two partners. Why Use Turn To Your Partner/s? 1. Talking through one’s approach gets the students “thinking out loud.” 2. Thinking out loud helps the analytical process and students often catch their own errors before partners point them out. 3. Works very well when steps have been skipped or thinking is faulty. Partners can explain correct process or steps. How to Structure Turn to Your Partner 1. Have problems or tasks that students must work together. 2. Each student talks through the steps of the problem or task while the partner listens, asks questions, or disagrees. 3. A check on the correct answer may reinforce the work, but “solver” must justify why a problem was solved in a particular way. 5. CREATING QUESTIONS This technique is a variation of a study skills approach referred to as the “reciprocal approach” where students help each other by beginning with what they know, what they want to know (or need to know), and move to summarizing what they have learned. The technique helps students move to higher order thinking and to connect learning to their “real world.” 13 Why Use Creating Questions? 1. Students connect problems to what they already know; this helps students realize that problems are connected to life, and that they do have a base of knowledge. 2. Students create questions or problems that they must solve using higher order thinking and connecting their learning to real life experiences. How to Structure Creating Questions 1. Students begin a problem by asking what the structure looks like - if they have seen similar problems - how the problem differs from other problems they know how to solve. 2. Once they recognize similarities and differences, students question each other on ways to solve the problem. 3. Students check their work against a “master.” 4. Students then create their own similar problem and challenge their partner to solve the problem. 5. Students create a word problem related to what they have just learned and ask partner to solve the problem. 6. HOMEWORK CHECKERS Students work completely on their own, while a partner does the same. Students are responsible for their own progress, but have access to a partner or partners with whom they can talk over their work. Why Use Homework Checkers? 1. Students must take responsibility for their own work, but still have the benefit of a support system or assistance if deemed needed. 2. Work is checked against a “Master” list and help is available where students have not found the correct answers/solutions. How to Structure Homework Checkers 1. Students work on their own solving problems or situations, but have a partner that serves as the “checker.” 2. When work is complete, or students need to see if they are progressing correctly, the checker compares answers against a Master giving the correct answers. 3. Any problems incorrectly completed can then be “discussed” with the “checker.” 7. TEST REVIEWERS Students use this simple technique to quiz each other on problems they have previously been taught. Pairs/triads pose problems they anticipate will be on the test and help each other work through those problems Why Use Test Reviewers? 1. Students anticipate and study problems likely to be on a test. 14 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Students help each other anticipate problems. Students get practice with problems. Students verbally explain how problems were solved. Students get feedback immediately from partner/s. Prepares students on a study technique to be used for other subjects as well. How to Structure Test Reviewers 1. Students are assigned or get into pairs or groups of no more than three. 2. Students ask what type/s of problems they believe will be on the test and find or create problems that fit those types. 3. Students give those problems to their partner/s to solve. 4. Student giving the problem checks the work and asks the solver to explain how s/he solved the problem. 5. Students are able to discuss how problems were solved. 15 Bibliography Aronson, E. and Patnoe, S. (1997) The Jigsaw Classroom: Building Cooperation in the Classroom. New York: Addison Wesley Longman. Bain, Ken. What the Best College Teachers Do. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2004. Barkley, Elizabeth, Cross, K. Patricia, Major, Claire Howell. (2003) Collaborative Learning Techniques: A Practical Guide to Promoting Learning in Groups. Indianapolis: Jossey-Bass. Bash, Lee. (Ed.) (2005) Best Practices in Adult Learning. Bolton, MA.: Anker Publishing Co. Bean, John C. 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(1998) Creating Learning Centered Classrooms: What Does Learning Theory Have to Say? ERICASHE Higher Education Report 4. Wash., D. C.: George Washington University. Swail, Watson Scott, Redd, Kenneth E., Perna, Laura W. (2003) Retaining Minority Students in Higher Education: A Framework for Success. Indianapolis: Jossey-Bass. Travis, Jon. (1995) Models for Improving College Teaching: A Faculty Resource. ERIC-ASHE Higher Education Report 6. Wash., D. C.: George Washington University. Weimer, Maryellen. (2002) Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 17 Wlodkowski, Raymond J., Ginsberg, Margery G. (2003) Diversity and Motivation: Culturally Responsive Teaching. Indianapolis: Jossey-Bass. Wlodkowski, Raymond. (1999) Enhancing Adult Motivation to Learn: A Comprehensive Guide for Teaching All Adults. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Wulff, Donald. H. (Ed.) (2005) Aligning for Learning: Strategies for Teaching Effectiveness. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing Co. 18