An observation schedule was used to determine whether cooperative learning was taking place in the intermediate stage classrooms. This dissertation summarizes the findings of a study conducted with teachers regarding cooperative learning. In addition, they indicated that collaborative learning helps middle school students achieve a range of academic and social outcomes.
Conclusions and recommendations arising from the study indicate the importance of using collaborative learning in secondary classrooms. Next, I needed to find out the teacher's perception and knowledge about cooperative learning in the intermediate stage and to what extent cooperative learning improves learning. Regardless of these limitations, this study is expected to be a precursor to further research on collaborative learning in schools.
This study therefore seeks to investigate intermediate phase educators' perceptions and knowledge of cooperative learning. The underlying assumptions and beliefs of cooperative learning may differ by group, based on race or ethnicity. Both of these brothers are co-directors of the Co-operative Learning Center at the University of Minnesota.
Team Games Tournament (TGT) was the first cooperative learning method of John Hopkins University.
Elements of Co-operative Learning 21
Positive Interdependance 22-23
Individual Accountability 23-24
Individual accountability occurs when each student's performance is evaluated and then feedback is given to the individual and to the group. Ø Randomly call on the students in the class and ask them to present the group work to the whole class. Ø To assign one member of each group to ask other group members to explain new material to the rest of the group.
Ø Require each student to teach what they have learned to a fellow group member or someone from another group. In addition, they must be able to communicate effectively with each other and resolve conflicts when they arise. According to Johnson & Johnson (1991), teachers should not assume that every student has the necessary social skills to work effectively with other group members.
Thus, educators must teach social skills and reward students for using these social skills.
Group Processing 24
According to Johnson and Johnson (1991), these five elements help promote a successful cooperative learning experience for students.
The Need for Co-operative Learning 25
Family Structure 25
Johnson (1994:37) states that educators seem attracted to competitive and individualistic learning, crashing their teaching on the rocks because of the seductive and tempting attractions of expounding knowledge to a adoring audience and teaching as they themselves were taught. Srikhao supports this statement by saying that teachers teach the way they have been taught – in a direct and linear teaching format. Families must cooperate to survive, just as our entire economic system is based on cooperation.
While cooperative learning is not a panacea for all socialization deficits that students may exhibit, it provides a forum for teaching children how to socialize appropriately.”
Technological Advancements 27
Changing Demographics 27
The importance of collaborative learning goes beyond maximizing outcomes such as achievement, positive attitudes towards subject areas and the ability to think critically, although these are valuable outcomes. Knowledge and skills are of no use if the student cannot apply them in a cooperative interaction with other people. Being able to perform technical skills such as reading, speaking, listening, writing, calculating, and problem solving are valuable, but of little use if the person cannot apply those skills in cooperative interaction with other people. others.
Thus, cooperative learning is in step with the real world in that the learner works together as a team and as such prepares the learner for the workforce. Collaborative learning is synonymous with collaboration, which is synonymous with T E A M - Together, everyone achieves more. Studies (Lan & Repman 1995; Mueller & Fleming 2001) have shown that collaborative learning increases students' enthusiasm for learning and.
Research shows that cooperative learning increases the academic achievement of students of all ability levels in reading, writing, numeracy and mathematics, comprehension, critical thinking, and physical education. Students who have participated in cooperative learning have been able to recognize increases in their own knowledge and self-confidence, peer trust, problem-solving and communication skills (Elliot, Busse & Shapiro. 1999), and technological skills (McGrath 1998). ).
Co-operative Learning Promotes Good Citizenship 29
Co-operative Compensates for a Socialization Void 30-31
Motivational Perspective 33-34
According to Killen, group members only achieve their personal goals if their group is successful. The use of group goals or group rewards improves the performance outcomes of collaborating students if and only if the group rewards are based on the individual learning of all group members (Slavin 1996:45). When using cooperative learning, there are three possible motives for student engagement and learning, namely outcome motives, means motives, and interpersonal motives.
Means motives stimulate group learning through intrinsic interest in the task, the novelty of the task and the task structure. Interpersonal motives encourage group learning through peer support, the desire to help others, and the need to belong to a group.
Cognitive Development Perspective 34
This whole concept of interdependence forms one of the significant elements of cooperative learning.
Introduction 107
Summary of Findings 107-108
School Conferences 109-110
According to Johnson and Johnson, the tradition of the old paradigm is carried forward by sheer momentum, while almost everyone continues under the hollow pretense that all is well. The old teaching paradigm must be replaced by a new paradigm based on theory and research that has clear applications for teaching. Thus, the goal of school conferences should be to reveal research and theory about cooperative learning and to give educators the opportunity to make a paradigm shift in pedagogy.
The primary means of achieving the new teaching paradigm is the use of cooperative learning. Carefully structured collaborative learning ensures that students are cognitively, physically, emotionally and psychologically actively involved in the creation of their own knowledge, and is an important step in changing the passive and impersonal character of many classrooms. Conferences should encourage and inspire teachers to make a shift from traditional pedagogy to collaborative learning.
Additionally, the conference dynamic should motivate educators to use cooperative learning in their classrooms. Educators need to feel empowered to make a difference in cooperative learning, to such an extent that there should be this extreme desire to want to get back into the classroom and "kick it." Several workshops should be held to train educators on different cooperative learning models.
The majority of the time during these workshops should be spent on hands-on work on the different models of cooperative learning. The teacher becomes the student and the facilitator takes on the role of teacher. These booklets should contain the theory of cooperative learning, ie different models of cooperative learning.
They should also consist of how to use these models and should have many practical examples. In general, it should contain materials on how to transform the traditional classroom into a cooperative learning classroom. Other supporting reference materials can be added to the booklet, eg articles, books, magazines, etc.
Action Research 112
Involvement of the Department of Education 113
Co-operative Learning in Teacher Training Institutions 114
In-Service Training in Teacher Training Institutions 114-115
