Subject: Re: When is CL not appropriate?
From: Jan Shetzler (jshetz@UDel.Edu)
Date: Wed Jun 14 2000 - 06:05:08 EDT
Ted,
I think maybe CL is not appropriate when the task or problem to solve is not
challenging enough. There are times when the assignment given to students
is something they can do alone and giving it as a group assignment will only
reinforce the idea that each person should do just part of the assignment
and then copy each other's answers or when one person does the work and
others freeload. I think it is important for the task to be difficult
enough that students need each other.
Jan
ted panitz wrote:
> Hi Listers,
>
> Thanks to everyone who responded to my request for coop learning
> (CL) topics for a column. When I get all the responses sorted I will
> share the list with you. There are definitely areas of concern and
> interest that appear to be pretty universal, such as grading, alternate
> assessment, forming groups, to name a few. That should wet your appetite
> for the rest of the list.
>
> One question came up several times and has me a little stumped, but
> just a little;
>
> “When is cooperative learning not appropriate?”
>
> My knee jerk reaction was to think, “It is always appropriate!”
> Then I started to think carefully and it occurred to me that most
> cooperative learning approaches call for a component to address
> individual student accountability. This might take the form of an exam
> at the end of a lesson, a report, an essay, a project presentation, etc.
> Under these circumstances I would say that CL techniques would not
> apply. They could be used to help students prepare for tests or peer
> edit papers but the final activity should be carried out by each student
> individually.
>
> Can anyone else think of other educational objectives where CL would
> not be appropriate?
>
> Please e-mail your responses to me directly and the list and I will
> compile the results. Thanks in advance for your participation in this
> discussion.
>
> Regards,
> Ted
> tpanitz@capecod.net
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