Cooperative Cooperative LearningLearning

Modern pedagogy seeks ways to Modern pedagogy seeks ways to help learners become more help learners become more independent in the learning independent in the learning process and keen to become process and keen to become lifelong learners. lifelong learners.

In order to gain this kind of In order to gain this kind of learners’ autonomy, cooperative learners’ autonomy, cooperative learning can be used in the learning can be used in the classroom.classroom.

DEFINITIONDEFINITION small teams of studentssmall teams of students different levels of abilitydifferent levels of ability work together – various learning work together – various learning

activitiesactivities Group work – not individual Group work – not individual Ss explain, discuss, teach what they Ss explain, discuss, teach what they

know and help classmates learn. know and help classmates learn. Learning community - atmosphere Learning community - atmosphere

of achievementof achievement

Achievement of many social and Achievement of many social and academic benefits. academic benefits.

build cross-ethnic friendshipsbuild cross-ethnic friendships experience enhanced self-esteemexperience enhanced self-esteem build life-long communication build life-long communication

skillsskills create critical and creative habits create critical and creative habits

of mind, which they will need in of mind, which they will need in order to function as productive order to function as productive members of society later on in members of society later on in their lives..their lives..

What is the teacher's role?What is the teacher's role?

Cooperative Learning - a must for Cooperative Learning - a must for teachers -communication and social teachers -communication and social relations developed with students.relations developed with students.

represents a major change from represents a major change from teacher-fronted instruction. teacher-fronted instruction.

using CL does not mean abandoning using CL does not mean abandoning teacher-fronted mode; it means teacher-fronted mode; it means combining various modes of learning.combining various modes of learning.

the teacher's role is that of "task the teacher's role is that of "task setter." setter."

As groups work on tasks, teacher - As groups work on tasks, teacher - facilitator moving from group to group facilitator moving from group to group to monitor the learning process. to monitor the learning process.

Teachers teach ss social skills Teachers teach ss social skills Collaborative skills include leadership, Collaborative skills include leadership,

decision-making, trust-building, decision-making, trust-building, communication, and conflict-communication, and conflict-management skillsmanagement skills

PrinciplesPrinciples of of CLCL

Heterogeneous GroupingHeterogeneous Grouping

Students involved in CL tasks : mixed Students involved in CL tasks : mixed in terms of ethnicity, social class, in terms of ethnicity, social class, religion, personality, sex, age, religion, personality, sex, age, language proficiency, and diligence.language proficiency, and diligence.

Collaborative SkillsCollaborative Skills

Collaborative skills are those needed Collaborative skills are those needed to work with others. to work with others. (leadership, decision-(leadership, decision-making, trust-building, communication, and conflict-making, trust-building, communication, and conflict-management skills)management skills)

Group AutonomyGroup Autonomy

This principle encourages This principle encourages students to look to themselves students to look to themselves for resources rather than for resources rather than relying solely on the teacher.relying solely on the teacher.

Equal ParticipationEqual Participation

Traditional classroom: only one Traditional classroom: only one student participating at any time. student participating at any time. By working in teams, ALL students By working in teams, ALL students are encouraged to contribute.are encouraged to contribute.

Individual AccountabilityIndividual Accountability

Individual Accountability: all students Individual Accountability: all students involved and responsible for their involved and responsible for their own learning. own learning.

Positive InterdependencePositive Interdependence

Lies at the heart of CL : what helps Lies at the heart of CL : what helps one member of the group helps the one member of the group helps the others and what hurts one hurts the others and what hurts one hurts the others too. others too.

“ “All for one, one for all” feeling.All for one, one for all” feeling.

ConclusionConclusion Cooperative learning offers many

potential benefits. These benefits include increased self-esteem, greater liking for school, enhanced inter-ethnic ties, and improved complex thinking.

Because CL may be difficult at first, it requires serious initial thought, long-term vision, and persistence to succeed.

““Society cannot surviveSociety cannot survive without the without the cooperation of its members. cooperation of its members.

The society of man has survived because The society of man has survived because the cooperativeness of its members the cooperativeness of its members made survival possible.... made survival possible....

It was not an advantageous individual It was not an advantageous individual here and there who did so, but the group.here and there who did so, but the group.

In human societies,the individuals who In human societies,the individuals who are most likely to survive are those who are most likely to survive are those who are best enabled to do so by their group”.are best enabled to do so by their group”. (Ashley Montagu)(Ashley Montagu)

Reference:Reference:

Courtney K. Miller & Reece L. PetersonCourtney K. Miller & Reece L. Peterson Johnson, Johnson, and HolubecJohnson, Johnson, and Holubec Dr. Robert SlavinDr. Robert Slavin Dr. Spencer Kagan Dr. Spencer Kagan CohenCohen Stanne Kohn Sapon-Shevin