Five Basic Elements of Cooperative Learning

There are five fundamental elements involved in cooperative learning. In fact, these five elements distinguish cooperative learning from other forms of group learning. These elements can exist thought of every bit pieces in a puzzle. When all of these elements are present in a learning state of affairs, the issue is a cooperative learning grouping. The 5 basic elements of cooperative learning are:

  • Positive interdependence
  • Individual and group accountability
  • Interpersonal and small grouping skills
  • Face-to-face promotive interaction
  • Grouping processing

Positive Interdependence

Many hands touching.

This means the group has a clear job or goal so everyone knows they sink or swim together. The efforts of each person do good not but the private, simply also everyone else in the grouping. The key to positive interdependence is committing to personal success as well as the success of every member of the group.

Individual and Group Accountability

Self and Team Evaluation

The group is accountable for achieving its goals, and each fellow member must be accountable for contributing a fair share of the piece of work toward the group goal. No one tin can "hitchhike" on the work of others. The performance of each private must be assessed and the results given back to the grouping.

Interpersonal and Pocket-size Group Skills

Interpersonal and small group skills are required to function every bit part of a group. These are bones teamwork skills. Group members must know how to - and be motivated to - provide effective leadership, make decisions, build trust, communicate, and manage conflict.

  • Completing tasks
  • Communicating
  • Decision making
  • Managing conflict
  • Appreciating group members

Face-to-Face Promotive Interaction

Two faces looking at each other. This ways that students promote each other'due south success by sharing resources. They aid, support, encourage, and praise each other's efforts to learn. Both academic and personal support are function of this mutual goal.

Group Processing

Students working together.

Group members need to feel gratuitous to communicate openly with each other to express concerns as well as to celebrate accomplishments. They should discuss how well they are achieving their goals and maintaining effective working relationships.

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To assistance yous understand cooperative learning a little amend, here are some ideas and activities that could help team members develop better skills in each of the areas listed above.

Ways To Ensure Positive Interdependence:

  • The group has merely i pencil, paper, book, or other resources.
  • Ane paper is written past the group.
  • A task is divided into jobs and can't be finished unless all help.
  • Pass one paper around the group on which each member must write a department.
  • Each person learns a topic and then teaches it to the group (Jigsaw method).
  • Offer a advantage (e.g. bonus points) if everyone in the group succeeds.

Ways To Ensure Individual and Group Accountability:

  • Students do the work before bringing it to the group.
  • 1 educatee is chosen at random and questioned on the fabric the grouping has studied.
  • Anybody writes a paper; the grouping certifies the accuracy of all their papers; the instructor chooses only one paper to grade.
  • Students receive bonus points if all do well individually.
  • Instructor observes students taking turns orally rehearsing data.

Ways To Ensure Interpersonal and Small Grouping Skills:

  • Be on fourth dimension for group meetings and offset them on time.
  • Listen to others. Don't be so busy rehearsing what y'all are going to say that y'all miss other group members' points and ideas.
  • Don't close the road to mutual learning by interrupting or using language that tin be regarded as a personal attack.
  • Make certain everyone has the opportunity to speak.
  • Don't suppress disharmonize, but practice control and bailiwick it.

Means To Ensure Contiguous Promotive Interaction:

  • A pupil orally explains how to solve a problem.
  • One group member discusses a concept with others.
  • A group member teaches classmates about a topic.
  • Students help each other connect present and past learning.

Ways To Ensure Group Processing:

  • Group members describe each other's helpful and unhelpful behaviors and actions.
  • Every bit a group, make decisions about which behaviors to continue and which behaviors to change.

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Additional Elements of Effective Groups

Although squad dynamics (how the private team members work together) tin differ from squad to squad, effective teams share the following characteristics:

Full participation - All team members contribute their time and energy to the project. More chiefly, all squad members participate in the determination making process.

Trust - Members trust that each member will add value to the projection, and members work to ensure that everybody contributes and that appreciation is expressed for different contributions.

Open up communication - Communication is the gum that holds a team together. Communication is constructive when all members:

  • Contribute ideas.
  • Provide feedback constructively.
  • Ask for clarification on anything that might exist confusing.
  • Provide frequent updates.
  • Listen to each other carefully.

Social/concern residue - Although teams shouldn't socialize 100% of the time, it shouldn't be all business either. Casual conversation allows members to know each other better, leading to better working relations.

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