Cooperative
Learning
Why?
 Cooperative learning groups can:
 Promote student learning and achievement
 Increase students’ retention of knowledge
 Enhance students’ enjoyment of learning
 Help students develop oral language skills
 Help students develop social skills
 Promote student self-esteem
 Help promote positive race relations
 Cooperative learning is one step of the gradual
release of responsibility model.
5 Elements of Cooperative
Learning
 Positive Interdependence
 Face-to-Face Interaction
 Individual and Group Accountability
 Interpersonal and Small-Group Skills
 Group Processing
Positive Interdependence
 Each group member’s effort is required for
success.
 Each group member has a unique contribution
or role to play within the group.
Face-to-Face Interaction
 Students use their oral language skills to explain
their thinking.
 Students teach each other.
 Check for understanding.
 Connect learning.
Individual and Group
Accountability
 Keep the size of the group small (4 people).
 Give an individual test to each student.
 Randomly call on students to present their
group’s work.
 Observe how group members are contributing.
Interpersonal & Small-Group Skills
 Social skills must be taught!
 Leadership
 Decision-making
 Trust-building
 Communication
 Conflict management
Group Processing
 Group members discuss how well they are
working together.
 Describe what behaviors are helpful and not
helpful.
 Make decisions about what to change.
Management Tip: Quiet Signal
 Students can SEE and HEAR it when interacting in groups.
 It is not overly annoying!
 Students know how to spread the quiet signal to others.
 Room should be quite within 3-5 seconds.
 Examples:
 Teacher raises hand and counts slowly from 5 to 0.
 If you can hear me, clap once, etc.
 Teacher uses a rain stick—when the beads are quiet,
students should be quiet.
Cooperative Learning Structures
 Jigsaw
 Team, Pair, Solo
 Think-Pair-Share
 Circle the Sage
 Three-Step Interview  Value Line
 Round Robin
Brainstorming
 Three-minute Review
 Numbered Heads
Together
 Talking Chips
 Show Down
 Inside / Outside
Circle
Jigsaw
 Students are placed into expert groups. In these
groups, they are assigned a specific section of
text or a specific piece of material to learn.
After the expert groups have met and feel
comfortable with the material, new groups are
formed with one member from each expert
group. In the new groups, each member
teaches the rest of the group the assigned
material.
Think-Pair-Share
 First, students think silently about a question
posed by the teacher.
 Second, students pair up and exchange ideas.
 Third, the pairs form groups and share.
Three-Step Interview
 Each member of a team of 4 chooses another
member to be a partner. Individuals interview
their partners by asking clarifying questions.
Then, the partners switch roles. Finally, individuals
share their partner’s response with the team.
Round Robin Brainstorming
 In small groups of 4, one person is appointed a
recorder. The teacher asks a question that has
many different possible answers. First, students
are given time to think. After think time, students
share their responses with the group, round robin
style. The recorder writes the answers of each
group member.
Three-Minute Review
 Teachers stop anytime during a mini-lesson or
discussion and give teams three minutes to
review the material. Students may ask each
other questions, clarify information, etc.
Numbered Heads Together
 In a team of four, each member is give a
number (1, 2, 3, or 4). The teacher asks a
question. The group discusses the answer. Then,
the teacher calls out a number and each person
with that number is asked to give the answer.
Team, Pair, Solo
 Students work out a problem as a team, first.
 Then, students work with a partner.
 Finally, students complete the problem
independently.
Circle the Sage
 The teacher identifies 4-5 students who
understand a concept in-depth (the sages).
 These students spread out across the room.
 Team members go to different groups.
 In the group, the sage explains the concept or
material. Students can ask questions, take notes,
etc.
 Members of the groups report back together to
share what they learned from their sage.
Value Line
 The teacher makes a statement. Students stand
on an imaginary line across the room from
strongest agree to strongest disagree.
 Students line up without talking.
 Students discuss their view with other students
sharing a similar perspective (those standing
near them).
 The line is folded and then they talk with a
partner about their differing views.
Talking Chips
 Each student in a group receives one talking
chip.
 Students place their chip in the center of the
team table each time they talk.
 Students may speak in any order, but cannot
speak a second time until all the chips are in the
center.
 Students re-distribute the chips and continue.
Show Down
 The teacher reads a question.
 Students write their answer on a white board,
covering their answer.
 Teacher announces, “Show Down!”
 Students compare answers in their groups and
make sure everyone in the group has the right
answer.
Inside / Outside Circle
 Students stand in two circles.
 The inside circle faces out, and the outside circle
faces in.
 Students have a partner.
 The teacher asks a question. The partners discuss. If
there is a right answer for the question, pairs need to
make sure they know the answer. If they are stuck,
they may consult with pairs on either side of them.
 The teacher may ask for a choral response or call on
an individual.
References
 Work by Spencer Kagan: www.kaganonline.com
 http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/cooperativ
elearning.htm
 Kagan powerpoint: kagan-ppt-013008-
1231382601240090-2.ppt