Cooperative learning requires prior learning. Students have to learn their roles and responsibilities in order for the cooperative learning group to be productive. Teachers that feel the need to “stand and deliver” are not comfortable turning control over to students. I love to work in groups because other individuals have so much to share. They may see something I completely missed, or have knowledge related to the topic that I can learn.
I like working in a group if I am comfortable with the group- if not- I am out of my comfort zone! I definitely do not like presenting and speaking in front of a large group of people. It's interesting, I have no problems teaching a class, but when talking to adults sometimes I feel tongue tied and inadequate.
I really like your point about prior learning. You are absolutely right...if kids don't know their roles and responsibilities, the group is unproductive.
I think that Cooperative learning is not used more in the area of special education because sometimes our kids are at completely different learning levels. Sometimes, it is also hard to get the kids to work together-especially if you have some kids that don't have the skill set to work together in a cooperative learning situation. It is also very time consuming. I like to work in a group if I am comfortable with the people I am working with. If it is with a new group of people I sometimes feel uncomfortable sharing different ideas, and working with new people.
I think our sped kids particularly benefit from cooperative learning, as long as they are just not sitting there letting others do the work for them! If the groups are mixed academically and monitored then my sped students gain alot from this type of learning. However I do think some students simply do not work well in groups for various reasons and need to be given an option.
I completely agree with the fact that the kids just sometimes don't work well together! I have seen it first hand. I had three first graders in a reading group that were absolutely polar opposites. They bickered and argued constantly and it was a long 9 weeks!
I use cooperative learning daily in my classes. It is how my curriculum is structured. However I have small class sizes and I can manage it easily. In looking at core classes that have 20+ students I can see where cooperative learning can be a challenge to implement. If the teacher breaks the class into smaller groups that can be managed the teacher needs to be extrememly mobile to make sure the groups stay on task. The main issue I have with cooperative learning, when I am not leading it, the results can be very cookie cutter. For example I had my 6th graders work as a group on a question set, if they wanted to. 4 girls choose to work together, their answers were all the same, they missed the same questions, and all got the same grade. I am not sure much cooperative learning took place! The 2 students who choose to work by themselves received better grades! Sometimes I do not get the results of cooperative learning that I would like!
Today my 8th graders, who are reading "Number the Stars" discussed the parallels of Annemarie delievering a concealed package to Uncle Henrik to Little Red Riding Hood. I am not sure that all of my students would have understood that parallel if we had not been in a cooperative type setting.
I agree that when we have those students who just "copy" off of others and/or are very agreeable with the "smarter kid" in the group we really don't have any good way to measure what their knowledge of the topic is or if they truly understand the topic.
I agree, I think it is easier to manage with our small class sizes. I also think that it does work in the larger ones but we are not in as much control over that as we are with the smaller ones obviously.
Carol, you do a great job with your kids and try to tie what you are teaching to the core curriculum. You have taken time to teach your students their roles in the process and you have done it long enough that they and you have developed trust. Trust is essential to group work that is done well. I agree that smaller class sizes help teachers monitor group productivity.
Unfortunately, if funding continues to be an issue and finding replacement teachers is as difficult as I anticipate it to be in Southwest Kansas, we may be forced to move to larger class sizes and to hire teachers who lack the necessary training to implement strategies such as cooperative learning.
Cooperative is not used more for several reasons. 1) No one wants to be the “not smart/lazy/etc” kid that people don’t like to work with or that other students know won’t contribute to the group fairly. 2) Not everyone fully understands the topic sometimes and it can be embarrassing to reveal to peers that you don’t. 3) Pressure to speak out against other peoples thoughts. If a peer's answer seems ridiculous but everyone else in the group likes it there may be social consequences for disagreeing. 4) SPED students sometimes get placed together or with ESOL students so that the teacher can better help them, but really depending on the teacher that doesn’t work that well. The list goes on…..
Luckily in this day of technology students can collaborate with peers on projects and assignments even after the class time is over. When my students share a google doc with another student, later we can go back and look at the information and give my student a better answer or help them contribute more to the group without feeling pressure. Also in my class I use a Trello board and students can see each other's work and make comments on it if they feel like at their own pace.
I, myself have mixed feelings on group work. If it is a subject that I understand then I love to jump into a group with other people and easily discuss it. I enjoy listening to other people especially if I can take something back from the group and use it in my classroom.
Other times I hate groups. If I am not clear on what I need to do, then I don’t feel like I can contribute so I will look like I am not contributing because I feel that I could not make a positive contribution in the group. Or if the group is not focused that really does not help either.
Technology makes group work interesting. I have been toying with Google classrooms and like the idea that students can work on projects together (and it tracks who does what and when). I will have to look into a Trello board. I have never heard of that, but it sounds pretty interesting.
The 4th idea you brought up about why cooperative learning isn’t used more reminded me of a JH teacher I work with. This teacher always assigns the 2 special education students and the para in the classroom to be together for group activities. While I understand the concept you mentioned about this making it easier for the teacher to assist those kiddos, in this particular instance, I kind of get the feeling that it’s more so the teacher doesn’t have to bother with them. The 2 students aren’t anywhere near the same ability level. I feel like the one who is much lower could benefit from being in typical group type settings for social purposes, rather than automatically just getting put wherever the para is; while the student who isn’t as low could benefit from being in a group closer to his ability level for more academic purposes. At least some of the time, you know???
I agree the novelty of the technology does help get today's kids engaged, but I sure like to see them have opportunities to work through things face to face too.
Cooperative learning is a great tool with strategic grouping. Often times it is not used because either class sizes are too small, or there is not a large enough variety of learning levels, or they are not trained in how to do it. I love working in groups and group projects because it shares the responsibility of the learning and requires individual to be more responsible for their learning. If done well, it can be used in small classrooms. I have been trained in the style of Kagan Cooperative Learning Groups and students greatly enjoy the strategies that they offer.
While I think cooperative learning is wonderful it is so hard to get going. It takes a lot of work on the teacher's part to prepare the students and a lot of work from the students. It is very rewarding and well worth the work to many but unfortunately there are those who do not see it as rewarding. Another reason I don't see it used much is because often you see one or two people doing all of the work but the entire group getting the grade and it isn't fair to ask that of the students all the time. I like to have my students work in teams during reading to retell the story, ask questions about the story, and have someone to help with decoding. I also like to put my kids together in math but I like to mix up the groups. Sometimes I use a peer partner to help reteach a concept or I use kids with similar skills to push each other.
I think cooperative learning is used more today than it was in earlier years. Many of the newer teachers were taught this way and have an easier time letting go of the total control that they have on the classroom with traditional teaching. I think it is easier for teachers to teach to the way they were taught than to change. It took a while for me to let kids work in groups. I also think that it is difficult for some students who work hard and get good grades. They tend to do most of the work and let the to other students follow. On the other hand some students will sit back and let other students do the work. I think it is important for each student to have a role and contribute to the group. I also think that some students learn better from their peers that a teacher standing up in front of the class doing a lecture.
Personally I like to work in groups. I am a social person and really like to work with people to get a task completed. I am not sure that I have always been this way but on projects now I do enjoy it.
I think it is more common to see cooperative learning going on. We've also seen the research that says that students need to be talking more, not just sitting silently absorbing information. Teachers know it's OK to not have a silent classroom and can allow students to talk and interact more.
Cooperative learning isn’t utilized more is the work, planning, and team building that it takes to make it an effective learning strategy instead of just group work. Cooperative learning takes planning and structuring. Along with that, the classroom needs to be a safe environment for all students. If one student gets picked on by another student and is put in a cooperative group with him, he won’t work well with the group because he doesn't feel safe. That is one points that Kagan makes. Their materials suggest that teachers need to do the team building activities at the beginning and throughout the year to build relationships and help students feel more comfortable around other students. Not all students should be grouped together. Kagan materials suggest that students should be grouped as a Low, 2 middles, and a middle high or a high, 2 middles and a middle low for the cooperative group to really work well.
Honestly, as a learner, I don’t enjoy group work. I would rather work on my own and get done. Or, if I’m in a group, I like when each person has an assigned role and shares at the end. If forced to be in a group, I tend to get off task and am not a good group member.
Cooperative learning requires teacher planning, explanation and coordination. You make very good points about the need for students to respect and build one another up. Without this cooperative learning can be a big headache for the teacher and difficult for the students. Teachers must be careful in setting up the groups. Despite the danger, cooperative learning can be incredibly effective and motivating to student learning. I would like to incorporate more cooperative learning in my classes.
I agree that for cooperative learning to be effective it takes lots of work, planning, and team building. It's my opinion that teachers are feeling so overwhelmed with other requirements, that cooperative learning is an area they can let slide.
I feel like in special ed. it is not used more because we work in small groups already. The kids are at such different levels that it is hard to group them at times. Also, a lot of times our students don't have the skill sets acquired to to this yet. I do try to give time where the students can do this, but with me as the facilitator. In a way they can see it modeled so that they can eventually learn the skills set to be involved in cooperative learning groups.
I sometimes like group work, but I tend to feel like I do most of the work. I like to make sure it is done right so I end up working harder than the others. It can be frustrating and seem unfair.
This question seems really fitting to me because I JUST had a conversation about this with an interrelated teacher today. In the particular district I was in, it seems like cooperative learning is actually used quite often within some of the regular education classrooms; sometimes to the point that you can’t get a good grasp of what an individual’s knowledge is. However, in regard to special education specifically, sometimes I don’t think it’s used more because we’re either working with a very limited number of students, or the individuals that make up an actual group have abilities that vary so greatly, it’s difficult to facilitate an effective cooperative learning situation.
Although I think I prefer to work alone, I can also say I like working in group settings much more now as an adult than back when I was in school. I especially like the opportunity to learn from others who are far beyond my level of knowledge/experience, or those coming to the table with a different perspective. However, throughout my own educational career, I always preferred to work alone. The standards I set for myself weren’t really something everyone else generally wanted to follow along with, so I would typically end up getting frustrated with the situation, or just taking over and completing whatever it was on my own anyway.
I know that cooperative learning is effective, but I'm still learning how to plan effective cooperative learning. Students in my room work together constantly, but many times, they don't teach each other as much as they just tell each other what to do. This is okay for the student that understands the material because they get extra practice working problems again, but true cooperative learning would have students working together toward a common goal in which all members are working together. This would force students to articulate their thinking, generalize previously learned concepts, communicate effectively, and patiently strive toward a solution. I have seen only a few teachers do this well because it requires students have background knowledge, the skills to generalize concepts, and good working relationships with their peers. It also requires the teacher to understand student ability, thinking, and problem solving skills. This is a lot of planning for the teacher. Due to these reasons, cooperative learning is not used more often.
I like this statement you made, It also requires the teacher to understand student ability, thinking, and problem solving skills. I think often times they don't take that into account or it is the same students in the same group overtime. If some kids don't feel comfortable or maybe to comfortable it doesn't always work to use cooperative learning.
Cooperative learning has an effect size of .59, why do you feel it is not used more? How do you like to work in groups?
In the regular classroom, when teachers see students not doing their share, or taking over a group they often believe that cooperative learning as a whole doesn't work. It also requires more effort to find a fair way to grade the final product. In situations where I don't see true cooperative learning, I suspect there hasn't been a the investment of time to teach students the expectations and let them practice the skills. I still like the old Kagan cooperative learning structures and team builders as a way to build cohesiveness and to hold students accountable for their contributions to the group. In the special education classroom, groups are often small enough that cooperative groups are not needed to increase the opportunities for students to respond and receive feedback. The opportunity though, to see a topic from another perspective than the teacher's, can get lost if the teacher is always leading the group.
I remember in grade school, in the rare occasions we worked in groups, I typically was that student who did the work and the group seemed glad to let me. As an adult, I'd say every group is different. I enjoy a group with a collegial atmosphere and an open exchange of ideas. I accept others little idosyncrasies, and hope they'll accept mine:) I'm less enthusiastic about group work when we allow egos to get in the way.
Cooperative learning has an effect size of .59, why do you feel it is not used more? How do you like to work in groups?
Cooperative learning does not show the true picture of what a student can do. Within cooperative learning it takes team building skills in order to know what everyone's role and expectations are in the learning, It makes all group members accountable for the project and if the project is for a grade some students may have worked hard but other students may not have worked as hard. I feel that it might force some kids to be other kids that they might not interact with otherwise or it might shut some students down as they don't know the appropriate social interaction.
I think within special education we see students as working as individuals and at their own learning level. I also think that the students that we work with need one on one teaching at times and can not take a possible unstructured learning setting even though cooperative learning should have structure. Even within the Kindergarten classroom when it is a group activity it is hard for kids to focus on what they are suppose to be doing. I know for me I didn't like work in a group as I like to do it and know that it is complete and completed to the best of my abilities. I also learn better as I am the one doing the work therefore I have to do the research. I think it all depends on the way students learn and how they can contribute to cooperative learning.
I think cooperative learning is used quite a bit at Hugoton MS. Our science, math, history, and English teachers all use it. I think it's great for a lot of our kids when it is used. If the groups are being monitored by a para or myself and our students are collaborating with other higher functioning students the results can only be positive. That being said I can see where some teachers might not want to use it because of concerns over student participation or lack there of.
Early in my career, there was an emphasizes on cooperative learning. I remember attending workshops where you were taught how to group students, how to phrase questions for discussion, how to make sure all participate, etc. As we know, education methods are cyclic. We focus on a particular area or strategy for a few years and then move on to something else. I think the recent focus on testing and individual scores has caused educators to forget about cooperative learning and the benefits it provides students.
I enjoy working with a group when there is not a grade or specific outcome tied to the work. If that is the case, I want to work with a group I'm comfortable with and know everyone will contribute. Otherwise, I like to discuss topics in a diverse group that allows me to hear other people's ideas and thoughts.
Cooperative learning takes time to implement because before teachers can use this strategy in their classrooms, they must take time to explicitly teach the process and the roles. Teaching these expectations and students' having practice in its utilization would likely pay dividends in the long-run, but they are not reading, writing, or math, so many teachers may see it as a waste of valuable teaching time. I think teachers also worry about students who would take advantage of the system by not doing their share of the work or not contributing. They likely worry about groups who would get off task and engage in talking about other topics than the one expected.
I think that cooperative learning done well could be of great benefit, but I wonder if some teachers might not be willing to take the risk, given everything else that could go wrong.
In group work, I enjoy hearing what others think about a topic, but I also like to reflect on what I am learning and how it connects to what I know. My experience has been that group work with deadlines and a product that needed to be produced often did not allow for reflection. Was the product the best that it could be, were all individuals equally invested in the product, was the group environment equally welcoming to all of its participants, were all participants heard equally? Likely not.
I think that cooperative learning isn't used more in classrooms because it takes lots of time to make sure that it is done correctly. Teachers have to teach the students what each of the roles in the group are and they also have to teach cooperative group expectations. I think for special education students it can be especially challenging. Either they get left out of the group, or they are given a role that isn't important in the grand scheme of things. Group work in a classroom also requires the teacher to let go of their control and let the students take the lead. This is also difficult for teachers to do. I think that group work is super important and that our kiddos need to learn the rules of group work and be able to contribute equally.
I, myself, am not always a fan of group work. If I am working with a group of people that I know, I tend to do really well. If I am put in a group of people that I don't know, I'm not very comfortable and can be pretty quiet. I always do my part, but in an unfamiliar group, I may not contribute as much. I also like to make sure that things are done correctly, so group work can be a struggle for me to allow others to do what they need to do. I may be a little OCD about certain things, but hey...I own that flaw about myself and try to work around it. :)
Cooperative learning requires prior learning. Students have to learn their roles and responsibilities in order for the cooperative learning group to be productive. Teachers that feel the need to “stand and deliver” are not comfortable turning control over to students.
ReplyDeleteI love to work in groups because other individuals have so much to share. They may see something I completely missed, or have knowledge related to the topic that I can learn.
I like working in a group if I am comfortable with the group- if not- I am out of my comfort zone! I definitely do not like presenting and speaking in front of a large group of people. It's interesting, I have no problems teaching a class, but when talking to adults sometimes I feel tongue tied and inadequate.
DeleteI feel like kids grow when you give control to them. You also get to see sides of kids that you do not usually see.
DeleteI like your point about the importance of prior leaning of the roles students will play.
DeleteI really like your point about prior learning. You are absolutely right...if kids don't know their roles and responsibilities, the group is unproductive.
DeleteI think that Cooperative learning is not used more in the area of special education because sometimes our kids are at completely different learning levels. Sometimes, it is also hard to get the kids to work together-especially if you have some kids that don't have the skill set to work together in a cooperative learning situation. It is also very time consuming. I like to work in a group if I am comfortable with the people I am working with. If it is with a new group of people I sometimes feel uncomfortable sharing different ideas, and working with new people.
ReplyDeleteI think our sped kids particularly benefit from cooperative learning, as long as they are just not sitting there letting others do the work for them! If the groups are mixed academically and monitored then my sped students gain alot from this type of learning. However I do think some students simply do not work well in groups for various reasons and need to be given an option.
DeleteI completely agree with the fact that the kids just sometimes don't work well together! I have seen it first hand. I had three first graders in a reading group that were absolutely polar opposites. They bickered and argued constantly and it was a long 9 weeks!
DeleteI agree that working in groups can be very time consuming, which can be frustrating.
DeleteI use cooperative learning daily in my classes. It is how my curriculum is structured. However I have small class sizes and I can manage it easily. In looking at core classes that have 20+ students I can see where cooperative learning can be a challenge to implement. If the teacher breaks the class into smaller groups that can be managed the teacher needs to be extrememly mobile to make sure the groups stay on task. The main issue I have with cooperative learning, when I am not leading it, the results can be very cookie cutter. For example I had my 6th graders work as a group on a question set, if they wanted to. 4 girls choose to work together, their answers were all the same, they missed the same questions, and all got the same grade. I am not sure much cooperative learning took place! The 2 students who choose to work by themselves received better grades! Sometimes I do not get the results of cooperative learning that I would like!
ReplyDeleteToday my 8th graders, who are reading "Number the Stars" discussed the parallels of Annemarie delievering a concealed package to Uncle Henrik to Little Red Riding Hood. I am not sure that all of my students would have understood that parallel if we had not been in a cooperative type setting.
I agree that when we have those students who just "copy" off of others and/or are very agreeable with the "smarter kid" in the group we really don't have any good way to measure what their knowledge of the topic is or if they truly understand the topic.
DeleteI agree, I think it is easier to manage with our small class sizes. I also think that it does work in the larger ones but we are not in as much control over that as we are with the smaller ones obviously.
DeleteCarol, you do a great job with your kids and try to tie what you are teaching to the core curriculum. You have taken time to teach your students their roles in the process and you have done it long enough that they and you have developed trust. Trust is essential to group work that is done well. I agree that smaller class sizes help teachers monitor group productivity.
DeleteUnfortunately, if funding continues to be an issue and finding replacement teachers is as difficult as I anticipate it to be in Southwest Kansas, we may be forced to move to larger class sizes and to hire teachers who lack the necessary training to implement strategies such as cooperative learning.
ReplyDeleteCooperative is not used more for several reasons. 1) No one wants to be the “not smart/lazy/etc” kid that people don’t like to work with or that other students know won’t contribute to the group fairly. 2) Not everyone fully understands the topic sometimes and it can be embarrassing to reveal to peers that you don’t. 3) Pressure to speak out against other peoples thoughts. If a peer's answer seems ridiculous but everyone else in the group likes it there may be social consequences for disagreeing. 4) SPED students sometimes get placed together or with ESOL students so that the teacher can better help them, but really depending on the teacher that doesn’t work that well. The list goes on…..
Luckily in this day of technology students can collaborate with peers on projects and assignments even after the class time is over. When my students share a google doc with another student, later we can go back and look at the information and give my student a better answer or help them contribute more to the group without feeling pressure. Also in my class I use a Trello board and students can see each other's work and make comments on it if they feel like at their own pace.
I, myself have mixed feelings on group work. If it is a subject that I understand then I love to jump into a group with other people and easily discuss it. I enjoy listening to other people especially if I can take something back from the group and use it in my classroom.
Other times I hate groups. If I am not clear on what I need to do, then I don’t feel like I can contribute so I will look like I am not contributing because I feel that I could not make a positive contribution in the group. Or if the group is not focused that really does not help either.
Technology makes group work interesting. I have been toying with Google classrooms and like the idea that students can work on projects together (and it tracks who does what and when). I will have to look into a Trello board. I have never heard of that, but it sounds pretty interesting.
DeleteStacy-
DeleteThe 4th idea you brought up about why cooperative learning isn’t used more reminded me of a JH teacher I work with. This teacher always assigns the 2 special education students and the para in the classroom to be together for group activities. While I understand the concept you mentioned about this making it easier for the teacher to assist those kiddos, in this particular instance, I kind of get the feeling that it’s more so the teacher doesn’t have to bother with them. The 2 students aren’t anywhere near the same ability level. I feel like the one who is much lower could benefit from being in typical group type settings for social purposes, rather than automatically just getting put wherever the para is; while the student who isn’t as low could benefit from being in a group closer to his ability level for more academic purposes. At least some of the time, you know???
I agree the novelty of the technology does help get today's kids engaged, but I sure like to see them have opportunities to work through things face to face too.
DeleteCooperative learning is a great tool with strategic grouping. Often times it is not used because either class sizes are too small, or there is not a large enough variety of learning levels, or they are not trained in how to do it. I love working in groups and group projects because it shares the responsibility of the learning and requires individual to be more responsible for their learning. If done well, it can be used in small classrooms. I have been trained in the style of Kagan Cooperative Learning Groups and students greatly enjoy the strategies that they offer.
ReplyDeleteWhile I think cooperative learning is wonderful it is so hard to get going. It takes a lot of work on the teacher's part to prepare the students and a lot of work from the students. It is very rewarding and well worth the work to many but unfortunately there are those who do not see it as rewarding. Another reason I don't see it used much is because often you see one or two people doing all of the work but the entire group getting the grade and it isn't fair to ask that of the students all the time.
ReplyDeleteI like to have my students work in teams during reading to retell the story, ask questions about the story, and have someone to help with decoding. I also like to put my kids together in math but I like to mix up the groups. Sometimes I use a peer partner to help reteach a concept or I use kids with similar skills to push each other.
I think cooperative learning is used more today than it was in earlier years. Many of the newer teachers were taught this way and have an easier time letting go of the total control that they have on the classroom with traditional teaching. I think it is easier for teachers to teach to the way they were taught than to change. It took a while for me to let kids work in groups. I also think that it is difficult for some students who work hard and get good grades. They tend to do most of the work and let the to other students follow. On the other hand some students will sit back and let other students do the work. I think it is important for each student to have a role and contribute to the group. I also think that some students learn better from their peers that a teacher standing up in front of the class doing a lecture.
ReplyDeletePersonally I like to work in groups. I am a social person and really like to work with people to get a task completed. I am not sure that I have always been this way but on projects now I do enjoy it.
I think it is more common to see cooperative learning going on. We've also seen the research that says that students need to be talking more, not just sitting silently absorbing information. Teachers know it's OK to not have a silent classroom and can allow students to talk and interact more.
DeleteCooperative learning isn’t utilized more is the work, planning, and team building that it takes to make it an effective learning strategy instead of just group work. Cooperative learning takes planning and structuring. Along with that, the classroom needs to be a safe environment for all students. If one student gets picked on by another student and is put in a cooperative group with him, he won’t work well with the group because he doesn't feel safe. That is one points that Kagan makes. Their materials suggest that teachers need to do the team building activities at the beginning and throughout the year to build relationships and help students feel more comfortable around other students. Not all students should be grouped together. Kagan materials suggest that students should be grouped as a Low, 2 middles, and a middle high or a high, 2 middles and a middle low for the cooperative group to really work well.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, as a learner, I don’t enjoy group work. I would rather work on my own and get done. Or, if I’m in a group, I like when each person has an assigned role and shares at the end. If forced to be in a group, I tend to get off task and am not a good group member.
Cooperative learning requires teacher planning, explanation and coordination. You make very good points about the need for students to respect and build one another up. Without this cooperative learning can be a big headache for the teacher and difficult for the students. Teachers must be careful in setting up the groups. Despite the danger, cooperative learning can be incredibly effective and motivating to student learning. I would like to incorporate more cooperative learning in my classes.
DeleteI agree that for cooperative learning to be effective it takes lots of work, planning, and team building. It's my opinion that teachers are feeling so overwhelmed with other requirements, that cooperative learning is an area they can let slide.
DeleteI feel like in special ed. it is not used more because we work in small groups already. The kids are at such different levels that it is hard to group them at times. Also, a lot of times our students don't have the skill sets acquired to to this yet. I do try to give time where the students can do this, but with me as the facilitator. In a way they can see it modeled so that they can eventually learn the skills set to be involved in cooperative learning groups.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes like group work, but I tend to feel like I do most of the work. I like to make sure it is done right so I end up working harder than the others. It can be frustrating and seem unfair.
This question seems really fitting to me because I JUST had a conversation about this with an interrelated teacher today. In the particular district I was in, it seems like cooperative learning is actually used quite often within some of the regular education classrooms; sometimes to the point that you can’t get a good grasp of what an individual’s knowledge is. However, in regard to special education specifically, sometimes I don’t think it’s used more because we’re either working with a very limited number of students, or the individuals that make up an actual group have abilities that vary so greatly, it’s difficult to facilitate an effective cooperative learning situation.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I think I prefer to work alone, I can also say I like working in group settings much more now as an adult than back when I was in school. I especially like the opportunity to learn from others who are far beyond my level of knowledge/experience, or those coming to the table with a different perspective. However, throughout my own educational career, I always preferred to work alone. The standards I set for myself weren’t really something everyone else generally wanted to follow along with, so I would typically end up getting frustrated with the situation, or just taking over and completing whatever it was on my own anyway.
I know that cooperative learning is effective, but I'm still learning how to plan effective cooperative learning. Students in my room work together constantly, but many times, they don't teach each other as much as they just tell each other what to do. This is okay for the student that understands the material because they get extra practice working problems again, but true cooperative learning would have students working together toward a common goal in which all members are working together. This would force students to articulate their thinking, generalize previously learned concepts, communicate effectively, and patiently strive toward a solution. I have seen only a few teachers do this well because it requires students have background knowledge, the skills to generalize concepts, and good working relationships with their peers. It also requires the teacher to understand student ability, thinking, and problem solving skills. This is a lot of planning for the teacher. Due to these reasons, cooperative learning is not used more often.
ReplyDeleteI like this statement you made, It also requires the teacher to understand student ability, thinking, and problem solving skills. I think often times they don't take that into account or it is the same students in the same group overtime. If some kids don't feel comfortable or maybe to comfortable it doesn't always work to use cooperative learning.
DeleteCooperative learning has an effect size of .59, why do you feel it is not used more? How do you like to work in groups?
ReplyDeleteIn the regular classroom, when teachers see students not doing their share, or taking over a group they often believe that cooperative learning as a whole doesn't work. It also requires more effort to find a fair way to grade the final product. In situations where I don't see true cooperative learning, I suspect there hasn't been a the investment of time to teach students the expectations and let them practice the skills. I still like the old Kagan cooperative learning structures and team builders as a way to build cohesiveness and to hold students accountable for their contributions to the group. In the special education classroom, groups are often small enough that cooperative groups are not needed to increase the opportunities for students to respond and receive feedback. The opportunity though, to see a topic from another perspective than the teacher's, can get lost if the teacher is always leading the group.
I remember in grade school, in the rare occasions we worked in groups, I typically was that student who did the work and the group seemed glad to let me. As an adult, I'd say every group is different. I enjoy a group with a collegial atmosphere and an open exchange of ideas. I accept others little idosyncrasies, and hope they'll accept mine:) I'm less enthusiastic about group work when we allow egos to get in the way.
Cooperative learning has an effect size of .59, why do you feel it is not used more? How do you like to work in groups?
ReplyDeleteCooperative learning does not show the true picture of what a student can do. Within cooperative learning it takes team building skills in order to know what everyone's role and expectations are in the learning, It makes all group members accountable for the project and if the project is for a grade some students may have worked hard but other students may not have worked as hard. I feel that it might force some kids to be other kids that they might not interact with otherwise or it might shut some students down as they don't know the appropriate social interaction.
I think within special education we see students as working as individuals and at their own learning level. I also think that the students that we work with need one on one teaching at times and can not take a possible unstructured learning setting even though cooperative learning should have structure. Even within the Kindergarten classroom when it is a group activity it is hard for kids to focus on what they are suppose to be doing.
I know for me I didn't like work in a group as I like to do it and know that it is complete and completed to the best of my abilities. I also learn better as I am the one doing the work therefore I have to do the research. I think it all depends on the way students learn and how they can contribute to cooperative learning.
I think cooperative learning is used quite a bit at Hugoton MS. Our science, math, history, and English teachers all use it. I think it's great for a lot of our kids when it is used. If the groups are being monitored by a para or myself and our students are collaborating with other higher functioning students the results can only be positive. That being said I can see where some teachers might not want to use it because of concerns over student participation or lack there of.
ReplyDeleteEarly in my career, there was an emphasizes on cooperative learning. I remember attending workshops where you were taught how to group students, how to phrase questions for discussion, how to make sure all participate, etc. As we know, education methods are cyclic. We focus on a particular area or strategy for a few years and then move on to something else. I think the recent focus on testing and individual scores has caused educators to forget about cooperative learning and the benefits it provides students.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy working with a group when there is not a grade or specific outcome tied to the work. If that is the case, I want to work with a group I'm comfortable with and know everyone will contribute. Otherwise, I like to discuss topics in a diverse group that allows me to hear other people's ideas and thoughts.
Cooperative learning takes time to implement because before teachers can use this strategy in their classrooms, they must take time to explicitly teach the process and the roles. Teaching these expectations and students' having practice in its utilization would likely pay dividends in the long-run, but they are not reading, writing, or math, so many teachers may see it as a waste of valuable teaching time. I think teachers also worry about students who would take advantage of the system by not doing their share of the work or not contributing. They likely worry about groups who would get off task and engage in talking about other topics than the one expected.
ReplyDeleteI think that cooperative learning done well could be of great benefit, but I wonder if some teachers might not be willing to take the risk, given everything else that could go wrong.
In group work, I enjoy hearing what others think about a topic, but I also like to reflect on what I am learning and how it connects to what I know. My experience has been that group work with deadlines and a product that needed to be produced often did not allow for reflection. Was the product the best that it could be, were all individuals equally invested in the product, was the group environment equally welcoming to all of its participants, were all participants heard equally? Likely not.
I think that cooperative learning isn't used more in classrooms because it takes lots of time to make sure that it is done correctly. Teachers have to teach the students what each of the roles in the group are and they also have to teach cooperative group expectations. I think for special education students it can be especially challenging. Either they get left out of the group, or they are given a role that isn't important in the grand scheme of things. Group work in a classroom also requires the teacher to let go of their control and let the students take the lead. This is also difficult for teachers to do. I think that group work is super important and that our kiddos need to learn the rules of group work and be able to contribute equally.
ReplyDeleteI, myself, am not always a fan of group work. If I am working with a group of people that I know, I tend to do really well. If I am put in a group of people that I don't know, I'm not very comfortable and can be pretty quiet. I always do my part, but in an unfamiliar group, I may not contribute as much. I also like to make sure that things are done correctly, so group work can be a struggle for me to allow others to do what they need to do. I may be a little OCD about certain things, but hey...I own that flaw about myself and try to work around it. :)