I really like this model at first glance. It seems as though students would learn a lot from teaching each other about different topics. Also, I think that through this model students would learn a lot from their peers. Some barriers to this model might be that some students work better independently, and don’t work very well with groups. Also, I could see it being a problem for some students that the groups are evaluated interdependently. This may be able to be prevented by having students each state what they contributed to the group work, and having students have different roles. Teachers could then evaluate each student based on what they contributed to the group and how the final project turned out. A lot of the models presented offer great strategies for having all group members participate equally such as the Jigsaw strategy. I also like the idea of assigning roles to different group members (leader, reporter, recorder, monitor).
I think I will definitely use this model in the future. This model seems to lead to increased critical thinking skills, and students seem to retain the information more since most strategies require them to teach their classmates about the topic being studied. Active learning is also a nice feature of this model. I think when I use cooperative learning in the classroom, I will use some of the strategies presented such as think-pair-share, jigsaw, affinity, find the fib, etc. I think these would be an effective way for students to learn the material.
I think several web-based tools would be beneficial when using this model online. I think that students could use digital cameras to record information to teach other groups. They could also create PowerPoint presentations, Vokis, Wordles, etc. to present different ideas to their classmates. Students could also learn cooperatively by talking about different topics in chat rooms or discussion threads with certain people in their group. Also, students could use programs such as Quizlet, or other flashcard applications to use the “Send a Problem” strategy online. Students could be sent a flashcard and try to figure out the answer to the math problem, for example, and then collaborate to solve the problems. Overall, I think students can take a lot from the cooperative learning model by listening to their peers’ various perspectives and by actively teaching others about different subjects.
I like the ideas and possibilities you have discussed for how you would implement this process. I took a few notes on them myself haha, I think they could be very useful!
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine, You bring up some valid points. I agree with you that the independent students may not do as well with this model. It would be great if a classroom offered multiple learning models to match the different learning styles of the students.
ReplyDeleteI really like your ideas as to how to implement various technologies in the classroom and integrate them in with the cooperative learning groups. Students would really get a "kick" out of using Voki. As Educators, I think it is important that instead of quickly saying, "it won't work", I think we must be more proactive to think "outside of the box" as you mentioned with the various technologies.
ReplyDeleteI agree that one major challenge of cooperative learning is the evaluation piece.
ReplyDeleteMy class is currently learning about communities (school, neighborhood, and city). Students are working in project teams to create a newspaper to share their learning & knowledge about the local community. These cooperative learning groups have been a great means for students to work together, conduct interviews, compile data, share ideas, and record their learning.
The collective newspaper will serve more as a formative assessment, though. For a final evaluation (summative assessment) of student understanding of the unit, they will complete an independent reflection. While I can evaluate their work together in the group, I want to ensure that each student has a demonstrated knowledge of material that meets the unit objectives. (Julie Jones)