Subject: Re: Coop learning questions
From: jim borgford-parnell (bparnell@u.washington.edu)
Date: Mon Jun 05 2000 - 16:37:43 EDT
In my experience the questions Martha has posed are some of the more
disconcerting to both teachers and learners when they are involved in group
learning activities. I would be cautious, however, in making the assumption
that cooperative learning only means "group work." The common notion of
group work connotes a particular type of learning activity, physical
setting, and participant involvement. The idea of cooperative learning may
(and should) be expanded to include almost any classroom learning activity
wherein students and teachers share their knowledge and understanding with
each other. The benefits of cooperative learning are diminished when they
are assumed to only exist in specific group work settings that are
segregated from the "normal" classroom activities.
Over the last decade there has been a great deal of research and theory
developed concerning socially shared cognition, the gist of which is that
knowledge is constructed differently in interactive social settings and in
those circumstances cognitive activity is not simply an individual effort.
The reason I mention this is that many teachers hold individual beliefs and
assumptions about cooperative learning that are often vague and unexamined.
There is an assumption that CL is important, but they aren't entirely sure
why. I think that any development efforts should be initially focussed on
why cooperative learning is needed, why it is important to individuals, how
it works in theory, and how the concept can be applied to what is already
done in the classroom. Teachers are generally pretty creative in developing
learning activities and assessments if they first understand the benefits to
their students.
Jim
Jim Borgford-Parnell
Instructional Consultant
Center for Instructional Development and Research
University of Washington
(206) 543-6588, Fax: (206) 685-1213
----------
>From: "Martha Haehl" <haehl@kcmetro.cc.mo.us>
>To: "ted panitz" <tpanitz@capecod.net>, <pod@catfish.valdosta.edu>,
<mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu>, <wac-l@postoffice.cso.uiuc.edu>,
<stlhe-l@unb.ca>
>Subject: Re: Coop learning questions
>Date: Sat, Jun 3, 2000, 2:54 PM
>
> Here are some:
>
> 1. How do you "cover" the material and have time for group work?
> 2. How do you grade group work?
> 3. How do you set up a grading system that assures the individual
> demonstrates approriate learning and also values group effort?
> 4. How do you set up groups and structure the group effort?
> 5. What is the nature of activities that lend themselves to group work?
>
> Martha
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: ted panitz <tpanitz@capecod.net>
> To: <pod@catfish.valdosta.edu>; <mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu>;
> <wac-l@postoffice.cso.uiuc.edu>; <stlhe-l@unb.ca>
> Sent: Saturday, June 03, 2000 4:07 PM
> Subject: Coop learning questions
>
>
>> Hi Listers,
>>
>> I may be writing a column for another web site so I thought I would
>> ask for some advice
>> from the experts.
>>
>> What 3-5 separate topics do you think k-12 teachers would like to have
>> addressed in a column
>> about cooperative learning?
>>
>> Please send your responses to me directly or to the list. Other
>> readers might find the
>> responses interesting.
>>
>> Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Ted
>> tpanitz@capecod.net
>>
>>
>>
>>
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