Cooperative learning is a powerful strategy to engage your students, foster collaboration, and differentiate instruction. But how do you design and implement cooperative learning activities that are effective, meaningful, and aligned with your learning goals? This article explores research-based principles and models of cooperative learning that you can use in your classroom.
Cooperative learning is not just a way to group students randomly or assign them tasks. It is a structured approach that involves positive interdependence, individual accountability, group processing, social skills, and face-to-face interaction. Research has shown that cooperative learning can improve academic achievement, motivation, self-esteem, social skills, critical thinking, and diversity awareness. Cooperative learning can also help you differentiate instruction by addressing the diverse needs, interests, and abilities of your students.
I have used many different models of cooperative learning in my classroom, with varying degrees of success. Watching my own children participate in remote cooperative learning experiences has challenged my beliefs and allowed me to understand the impact of group work from the student's point of view. At this point, while I think getting students talking regularly about the curriculum is important, I'm not so sure grouping students together to complete a project (especially outside of class time) is still a good idea. Communication and social emotional skills, as well as busy schedules, create significant barriers.
One of the most widely used and researched models of cooperative learning is the Johnson and Johnson model, developed by David and Roger Johnson. This model emphasizes five essential elements of cooperative learning: positive interdependence, individual accountability, promotive interaction, group processing, and social skills. The Johnson and Johnson model provides a framework for planning, implementing, and evaluating cooperative learning activities. You can use various techniques to create positive interdependence, such as assigning roles, goals, rewards, resources, or tasks. You can also use various methods to ensure individual accountability, such as quizzes, peer feedback, self-assessment, or rubrics.
Another popular and research-based model of cooperative learning is the Kagan structures, developed by Spencer Kagan and his colleagues. Kagan structures are simple and flexible instructional strategies that can be used with any content, grade level, or subject area. Kagan structures are designed to maximize student engagement, participation, and learning. Some examples of Kagan structures are Numbered Heads Together, Think-Pair-Share, Jigsaw, Round Robin, and Rally Coach. Kagan structures are based on four basic principles of cooperative learning: positive interdependence, individual accountability, equal participation, and simultaneous interaction.
Kagan structures also emphasize the importance of team building and class building. In my experience the classrooms that take time to build rapport among teams and across the class as a whole see significantly higher levels of engagement. In addition, Kagan does a great job of explaining how teachers can use the structures for team building and then simply drop content into the same structure. With their emphasis on interdependence and individual accountability, it is difficult for students to “opt out”.
Yes! So important to develop rapport first. Just like adult events include icebreakers and group norms, we need to extend that get acquainted time to our students.
A third research-based model of cooperative learning is complex instruction, developed by Elizabeth Cohen and Rachel Lotan. Complex instruction is an approach that aims to address the issues of status and equity in heterogeneous classrooms. Status is the perception of students' academic competence and social attractiveness by themselves and others. Equity is the fair and respectful treatment of all students regardless of their status. Complex instruction uses four key components to promote status and equity: challenging and open-ended tasks, multiple abilities treatment, roles and norms, and teacher intervention. Complex instruction can help you create a cooperative learning environment that values and supports the contributions of all students.
I wish this model was more widely known, especially in today's complex school environment. I think it has the potential to break down barriers to group work, but students need to experience it over a period of time to really internalize the process and use it effectively. I'm curious about other teachers' experiences who have used it. What are your thoughts?
When using cooperative learning, it is important to keep in mind several tips to make it more effective and enjoyable for everyone involved. These tips include aligning activities with learning objectives and standards, providing clear instructions and expectations, monitoring progress and interactions, providing feedback and recognition, and reflecting and evaluating activities regularly. Doing so will ensure that your cooperative learning activities are as successful as possible.
As I mentioned above, the importance of team building and class building can’t be overstated. Students who don’t feel comfortable working together won’t fully engage no matter what structure you put in place. In my opinion, using your chosen cooperative learning structure to engage students in non-content related, low stakes, cooperative work prior to engaging with content is essential.
Love the "low-stakes" type of group work. "People skills" are vitally important, but many kids do not feel comfortable in groups. Allowing them time to develop their people skills without fear of failure is essential.