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What is cooperative learning and why is it encouraged at NVC?
Cooperative learning is defined as the instructional use of small groups so students work together to maximize their own and each other’s learning. There is a great deal of evidence that cooperative learning works. The Learning Pyramid summarizes the average retention rates for a number of instructional methods. Learning and retaining course material is the key to academic success. Cooperative learning strategies involve the immediate use of learning and teaching thereby achieving the highest level (90%) of retention. Cooperative learning strategies also provide valuable social skills that help in our classroom and prepare our students for future challenges.
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Cooperative learning team - mission statement
The Team will fulfill its mission by offering training and mentoring to full and part-time instructors in support of Northwest Vista’s plan to enrich and support the learning experience.
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How will this Web site help?
The site provides a summary of the basic information and portal for sharing strategies by discipline. The discussion board(must be accessed through Web CT), arranged by discipline, may be used to share ideas and to post lessons plans. The site is intended as a complement to the face-to-face training sessions conducted by the Team, not a substitute for it.
Review the Session Descriptions and select the session of your choice. To see the training schedule and register for a session go to Reserve a Seat.
You may be eligible for a stipend for attending the sessions. Stipends will also be awarded for Lesson Plans. Please select the "Announcements" link in Web CT for details.
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Types of cooperative learning groups
There are three types of groups in cooperative leaning:
- Formal - The formal group has a structured design and form such as a project, activity or paper with a duration of one to several weeks.
- Informal – This is a spur of the moment, very short-term group lasting only a few minutes. Research indicates that after about 15 minutes of classroom lecture most students stop listening. The informal group is often used as a discussion tool that allows students the time to assess their learning and understanding with the students seated nearby. The instructor might say, for example, “each of you turn to the person next to you and find out what they think is the most difficult part of what I just went over…..…see if you agree or can you help out”. Ask for volunteers to share what they heard and perhaps spend a few more minutes on the topic. Another useful learning and teaching exercise is to direct the informal group to work on an assignment that calls for the immediate use of the material just covered in class. Specific role assignments should be made. The “break” from the lecture also helps to refresh their attention for another 15 minutes of lecture material.
- Base – A base group is really a support group usually lasting the entire semester.
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Essential elements of cooperative learning
“Group” work is NOT the same as cooperative learning. There are five essential Basic Elements that set cooperative learning groups apart. It is critical for the instructor to understand the profound differences between Cooperation & Competition & Individualistic.
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Cooperative learning does not just happen
The instructor makes pre-instructional decisions, explains the task, monitors and assesses. The Instructor’s Role will challenge you to stretch but the outcomes will be worth it. All of us have made mistakes as we have implemented cooperative learning strategies. We have a list, a list that will likely grow but we also have a few hints for success. Please click on Mistakes and Hints. Your effort to employ successful cooperative learning strategies will be enhanced if you make adjustments based on Student Feedback.
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Getting started
Ok, you have attended a number of training sessions, read the material and are ready to get started. Start slowly and at the beginning of the semester is usually best. After taking care of the your start of semester tasks, (review syllabus, policies, introductions, get your book now speech) maybe sometime early in the second week of class create Base Groups using the Base Group Formation notes. Try, and we know it is hard, to stop lecturing after about 15 or 20 minutes and utilize the informal group. Planning a successful formal group strategy is challenging. You may only plan one or two the entire semester. Use the Planning Form as a guide. In addition to having actual plans posted by discipline on the Discussion Board (please go to the Announcements and How to Submit Plan links on WebCT) you will find actual plans there in the section labeled plans. As you review and formulate plans you will want to analyze them in terms of “Do they satisfy the elements of cooperative learning?” The Reflection Chart should be helpful in that respect.The Team is here to help you!
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Reference material
We are fortunate to have available in the library a great deal of information on cooperative learning. Please see the Bibliography that our librarians were kind enough to share with us. Please also see Group Work in Discussion Sections and Techniques for Cooperative Learning. We invite contributions from all of our faculty and staff.
Roger T. Johnson and David W. Johnson, at the University of Minnesota's Cooperative Learning Center, are leaders in cooperative learning research and training.
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