Collaborative Classrooms

Key Elements of Effective Collaborative & Cooperative Learning

Resources for Getting Involved
A group of students head to the vacant lot just beyond the play ground with nets, jars, and paper bags.  Their task -- collect beetles for further study.

Returning from the out doors, students distribute themselves at tables in the classroom.  Group members compare specimens and select the best specimen for their research project. 

One group member begins to use appropriate preservation techniques to ready the beetle for mounting on a display board. 

Another group member measures and writes a detailed description of the beetle.

One group member  sits down at a computer station to complete an Internet search of the beetle's name and critical attributes.

After collecting information, measurements, and preparing the beetle for display, the group members negotiate on how to best communicate their findings to the class. 

Students follow a Research Storyboard for shaping their project.  They will either formulate an hypothesis, develop a thematic statement, or pose a research question to delineate their next step.

As students begin to format their project, they deliberate on the best form of communication and presentation for the final artifact.

All information is discussed and a group member journals the activities, questions, research resources, facilitator directions,  and decision process as it evolves.

Students use....

Research Skills:
Develop a thesis, hypothesis, or research question or problem (Why or what are you researching?)
Deploy efficient & effective Research
i.e. Internet keyword searches (using Boolean logic -- "this" + "that", "this" not "that", "this" or "that") that appropriately narrows the topic to fit research objective
Evaluate sources of information for relevance, plausibility, and accuracy
Categorize information (pros, cons, point-of-view, etc.)
Prioritize information that will be included into report, project, or artifact
Synthesize information into meaningful and manageable "chunks"
Extend the "global" knowledge database by using current information
Negotiate & Reflect with team members  plan content, presentation format, method (process) and materials for your report, presentation, or solution.
Build the artifact, product, report, or solution
Present, publish, produce the artifact, product, report, or solution.  (Incorporate appropriate communication, multimedia,  video, etc. skills)
Defend the project, artifact, product or solution.  Be able to explain what was learned, what was chosen & what was left out, what sources were used and what sources were ignored and why.  Be able to explain what other questions arose while this project was being drafted.  Be able to explore other avenues that should now be addressed.

Collaborative Learning increases the effectiveness of classroom efforts in:

Developing Social Skills
Increasing the effectiveness of learning, recall, and application
Develops marketable skills

PIGS

Positive Interdependence: Students perceive that they can reach their goals only if the other students in their group reach their goals as well.

Individual accountability:  Students perceive that they will each b held accountable for some aspect of the learning.

Group Processing:  Members of the group are encouraged to reflect on how well their group is performing.

Social Skills:  Students must be taught the basic interpersonal skills necessary to work in groups.  These can not simply be assumed!

 

 

PARENT & ELEMENTARY SCHOOL INVOLVEMENT

 

 

Collaborative Learning: Issues for Research

 

Collaborative Learning Enhances Critical Thinking

 

Collaborating in MATH

 

Computer Assisted Collaborative Learning

 

Learning Through Discussion--Forum on C.L.

 

A Graphical Chat Environment to Promote Collaborative Learning and Problem Solving

 

Collaborative Learning Approaches to Image Processing Education at The University of Iowa

 

Collaborative Learning with new Paradigms and Conceptual Mapping Tools

 

Collaborative Learning basis for Constructivism

Essential Tools for Starting
One-stay, three-stray:  One student remains behind to discuss the groups efforts with other "strayers", while three students move on to learn new information from other groups.  This is also known as Jigsaw: Learners have a home-base group.  Individual members of the base group go off to
KeyPals:  Corresponding with other groups through email   (http://www.epals.com/)
Cross-Classroom Projects:  Corresponding with other classes on the same campus
On-line Experts: Discussing questions with Internet Scientists or Experts (http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/) (http://www.kidlink.org/KIDPROJ/)
Publishing work on the WWW and using "global" evaluators to discuss student work
 Top 10 Collaborative Internet Tools

 

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