0.1 Instructional theories  (Page 3/5)

A teacher can decide who or what will be the guiding mythic figure or image in advance or during the course of study as it arisesnaturally in working with the students.

TALK AT THE TWB LEARNING CAFE:

What mythic figure or image (either real, imagined, or historic) might serve as a guide for your students in their learning? Read what others have said. Add your thoughts. Join your global colleagues in conversationat the TWB Learning Cafe.

Introduction to cooperative learning

What is it?

Cooperative Learning is an instructional technique that uses positive interdependence between learners in order for learningto occur.

Overview

Research shows that both competitive and cooperative interactions are a healthy part of a child's repertoire of behavior. Bysecond grade, however, urban children have effectively extinguished their cooperative behavior and persist in competition, even when it'scounterproductive. By deliberately developing cooperative techniques, educators aim to correct the unconscious societal and educational biasthat favors competition.

Patterns for student interaction are called "structures." Together, teachers and students develop a repertoire ofthese structures. When the teacher announces that the class will use a particular exercise to explore today's lesson topic, students know whattype of interaction to expect. For example, when the teacher says the class will use the "Think-Pair-Share" exercise to study African wildlife,students know they will work independently to write down their thoughts on elephants or lions, then find a partner, share their ideas with theirpartner, and probe each other for complete understanding.

It is up to the instructor to integrate the interactive exercises with the specific lesson content. The teacher must give carefulthought to who should collaborate with whom and why; how to manage the classroom while unleashing cooperative activity; and how to balance theattention to both content and cooperative skill-building.

Features of cooperative learning

Cooperative Learning is most successful when the following elements are in place:

• Distribution of leadership
• Creation of heterogeneous groups
• Promotion of positive interdependence and individual accountability
• Development of positive social skills
• Empowerment of the group to work together

Distribution of Leadership: All students can be leaders. They can also surprise you with their ability to rise to the occasion.

Creation of Heterogeneous Groups: You can either randomly place students in groups counting off by 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, or 5s and putting allof the "1s" together, the "2s" in another group, and so on. Another way to do it is to review the learning styles and create groups that reflect differentkinds of learning.

Positive Interdependence and Individual Accountability: Students need to depend upon each other and work cooperatively. They need to know their roles, what they are expected to achieve, how to value their pieceof the puzzle, and how to demonstrate that it benefits the group. In this way, materials are shared; group members create one group-product groupmembers are given common tasks; and roles are rotated amongst the members.