There are many cooperative learning
techniques developed by the scholars in the area, but only a few are presented
here as examples. Teachers can always modify these techniques to suit their
teaching needs.
1. Jigsaw - Groups with five students are set up. Each
group member is assigned some unique material to learn and then to teach to his
group members. To help in the learning students across the class working on the
same sub-section get together to decide what is important and how to teach it.
After practice in these "expert" groups the original groups reform
and students teach each other. (Wood, p. 17) Tests or assessment follows.
2. Think-Pair-Share - Involves a three step cooperative
structure. During the first step individuals think silently about a question posed
by the instructor. Individuals pair up during the second step and exchange
thoughts. In the third step, the pairs share their responses with other pairs,
other teams, or the entire group.
3. Three-Step Interview (Kagan) - Each member of a team
chooses another member to be a partner. During the first step individuals interview
their partners by asking clarifying questions. During the second step partners
reverse the roles. For the final step, members share their partner's response
with the team.
4. RoundRobin Brainstorming (Kagan)- Class is divided
into small groups (4 to 6) with one person appointed as the recorder. A question
is posed with many answers and students are given time to think about answers.
After the "think time," members of the team share responses with one
another round robin style. The recorder writes down the answers of the group
members. The person next to the recorder starts and each person in the group in
order gives an answer until time is called.
5. Three-minute review - Teachers stop any time during a
lecture or discussion and give teams three minutes to review what has been said,
ask clarifying questions or answer questions.
6. Numbered Heads Together (Kagan) - A team of four is established.
Each member is given numbers of 1, 2, 3, 4. Questions are asked of the group.
Groups work together to answer the question so that all can verbally answer the
question. Teacher calls out a number (two) and each two is asked to give the
answer.
7. Team Pair Solo (Kagan)- Students do problems first as
a team, then with a partner, and finally on their own. It is designed to motivate
students to tackle and succeed at problems which initially are beyond their
ability. It is based on a simple notion of mediated learning. Students can do
more things with help (mediation) than they can do alone. By allowing them to
work on problems they could not do alone, first as a team and then with a
partner, they progress to a point they can do alone that which at first they
could do only with help.
8. Circle the Sage (Kagan)- First the teacher polls the
class to see which students have a special knowledge to share. For example the
teacher may ask who in the class was able to solve a difficult math homework
question, who had visited Mexico, who knows the chemical reactions involved in
how salting the streets help dissipate snow. Those students (the sages) stand
and spread out in the room. The teacher then has the rest of the classmates
each surround a sage, with no two members of the same team going to the same
sage. The sage explains what they know while the classmates listen, ask
questions, and take notes. All students then return to their teams. Each in
turn, explains what they learned. Because each one has gone to a different
sage, they compare notes. If there is disagreement, they stand up as a team.
Finally, the disagreements are aired and resolved.
9. Partners (Kagan) - The class is divided into teams of
four. Partners move to one side of the room. Half of each team is given an assignment
to master to be able to teach the other half. Partners work to learn and can
consult with other partners working on the same material. Teams go back
together with each set of partners teaching the other set. Partners quiz and
tutor teammates. Team reviews how well they learned and taught and how they
might improve the process.
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