Principal Characteristics of Cooperative Learning

b. Principal Characteristics of Cooperative Learning

Cooperative learning methods vary widely in their details. Group sizes may be from two to several. Group members may have individual roles or tasks, or they may all have the same task. Group may be evaluated or rewarded based on group performance or the average of individual performances, or they may simply be asked to work together. To work effectivel certain key elements need to be in place. Jolliffe 2007 describes the key elements of cooperative learning which are positive interdependence, individual accountability, group processing, small-group and interpersonal skills, face-to-face interaction. 1 Positive interdependence Pupils must feel that they need each other and, in order to complete the group’s task. They need to feel that they cannot succeed unless everyone does in the group. Some ways to create this feeling are through establishing mutual goal, joint reward, shared materials and information, and assigned roles. In line with Jolliffe, Kagan 2009 argues that positive interdependence can create cooperation and boost achievement. By putting positive interdependence in place, the teachers are able to create a caring, cooperative community and increase achievement in the process. 2 Individual accountability Cooperative learning groups are not successful until every member has learned the material or has helped with, and understood the assignment. It exists when the performance of each individual pupil is assessed and the results are given back to the group and the individual. Thus it is important frequently to stress and assess individual learning so that group members can appropriately support and help each other. Some ways of stucturing individual accountability are by giving each member an individual test with feedback or by randomly selecting one member to give an answer for the entire group. 3 Group processing Processing means giving pupils time and procedures to anlyse how well their groups are functioning and using the necessary skills. This reflection identifies group strength and goals. It helps all group members achieve while maintaining effective working relationships among members. Feedback from the teacher and or student observers on how well they observed the groups working may help processing effectiveness. 4 Small-group and interpersonal skills Pupils do not come to school with the social skills they need to collaborate effectively with others, so teachers need to teach the appropriate communication, leadership, trust-buiding, decision-making and conflict-management skills to students and provide the motivation to use these skills in order for groups to function effectively. 5 Face-to-face interaction There are two aspects to this. The first is the physical proximity needed for effective communication, or ‘eye-to-eye and knee-to-knee’. The second is that it supports thinking skills by more active involvement with the task and greater discussion such as oral summarising, giving and receiving explanations, and elaborating. Furthermore, Kagan 2009 also proposes two more basic principles. They are equal participation and simultaneous Interaction. 6 Equal participation Equal participation means participation is not voluntary and the students are actively participating. Everyone must participate about equally. Research on cooperative learning finds the strongest gains in cooperative learning are for the lowest achievement students. Equal participation operates in tandem with individual accountability to reduce achievement disparity. When equal participation is put in place, cooperative learning closes the achievement gap. 7 Simultaneous Interaction Simultaneous interaction is a major advantage for cooperative learning over traditional teaching. In cooperative learning, there is a sequence structure when the students participate in turn, one after the other in sequence. On the other hand, the traditional teaching a pupil at a time speaks as the teacher calls on him her. The application of simultaneous interaction principle is a key to maximizing positive outcomes in cooperative learning.

c. Cooperative Learning Method