#7 Cooperative Learning Techniques

There are a number of cooperative learning techniques that can be categorized by the skills that each technique improves upon. Within each category is a possible structure to direct the development of a cooperative learning activity. The techniques with a possible structure are listed and expanded on below.

Discussion - communicating

• Think-Pair-Share: Students get together in pairs. Then the teacher 1) asks a question, 2) gives the students time to discuss and come up with an answer, and 3) asks for responses from the pairs. The teacher can then use the responses to initiate a lecture, a discussion or to assess what the students already know or need to learn. This structure could also be Write-Pair-Share. Examples
  

Reciprocal Teaching - explaining, providing feedback, understanding alternative perspectives

• Jigsaws: The class is divided into several teams who prepare separate but related assignments. When the assignments are prepared the class is re-divided into new groups with one member from each group in the new team. That person then teaches the new group what he or she learned. The new team undertakes a new assignment that pulls everything together. Example
  

Graphic Organizers - discovering patterns and relationships

• Group Grid: Students together practice organizing and classifying information into a table. The teacher could have the students first identify the classification scheme that will be utilized.
  

Writing - organizing and synthesizing information

• Peer Editing: Students are paired up in the beginning stages of an activity with peer feedback occurring throughout the process. Each student describes their ideas while their partner asks questions and forms an outline based on their partners answers.
  

Problem Solving - developing strategies and analysis

• Send-a-Problem: Students partake in problem solving rounds giving their solutions. The students are then asked to review their peers' solutions, evaluating their answers and developing a final solution. Example
  

There are many more examples of cooperative learning techniques. I am amazed at how much information is out there on this subject. I have not found one reason yet why as a science teacher I would not want to use cooperative learning in my classroom. The techniques seem very engaging and a great way to keep our students interested and feeling comfortable in a science classroom.

----------------------------------------http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/cooperative/techniques.html