Yong Huei Wang - Strategies of Cooperative Learning

STRATEGIESÂ OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING

INTRODUCTION 

Cooperative learning is a successful teaching strategy in which small teams, each with students of different levels of ability, use a variety of learning activities to improve their understanding of a subject.

GENERAL COOPERATIVE LEARNING PRINCIPLES     

Positive Interdependence Primitives Interaction Soft Skills Instruction Use the Jigsaw Method Assess Teamwork

FORMAL COOPERATIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES 

Formal cooperative learning involves grouping students for a timeframe that lasts between a single class and a few weeks. Your role as a teacher focuses on designing the goals of the ongoing exercise, such as completing an assignment. This involves structuring groups by selecting students who work well together, yet have the range of strengths needed to reach objectives.

INFORMAL COOPERATIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES 

This style of cooperative learning involves creating groups that, between a few minutes and an entire class, work to achieve a shared and straightforward learning goal. Due to inherent time constraints, your role is to give clear instruction and assign the completion of a product, such as a written or spoken answer.

COOPERATIVE BASE GROUP STRATEGIES 

These groups last longer than formal cooperative learning teams, as members support each other while striving to reach ambitious learning goals over the academic year. Your role consists of creating groups of three or four, scheduling consistent meeting times and detailing specific agendas for them. Filling knowledge gaps and helping students smoothly collaborate is also involved.

ASSESS TEAMWORK 

Because cooperative learning requires clear communication and active collaboration between group members, grading teamwork can motivate students to act properly.

USE THE JIGSAW METHOD 

The method consists of dividing a task into subtasks, assigning one to each group member. Students then work to become experts about the topics their subtasks cover. They can do so through guided research, or holding discussions with students from other groups handling the same subtask. They then return to their original groups to share new knowledge.

WHO I AM… 

Yong Huei Wang is the Sub – Dean of teacher education who provides the brief knowledge about the concept related to environmental education in London.