Cooperative Learning

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Cooperative Learning

• On-Line

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Cooperative Learning

• Students working in cooperative learning groups
  learn more, understand more and remember more
  material.  They feel better about themselves, the
  class and classmates. 
• David Johnson and others in
• Cooperative Learning Increasing College Faculty
  Instructional Productivity
• Getting students involved in their education
  experience requires 
• faculty-student interaction and
• student-student interaction. 
• Alexander Astin (What Matters in College, 1993)

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Require Student Involvement

• Discussions
• Appoint student facilitators of discussion
• Debates
• Teams Debate a controversial issue
• Projects
• Teams work cooperatively together on projects

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Make it Safe

• Establish Ground Rules
• Discussion Etiquette
• Provide Feedback individually and publicly
• Establish a place for anonymous feedback

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On-Line Discussions

• Questions and/or Statements - open ended
  requiring reflection, application, or
  interpretation (controversial topics)
• Require and publish minimum standards
• Encourage with follow-up questions or play the
  devils advocate
• Assign a student-facilitator

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Sample Responses
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Sample RequirementsClass Participation

• Facilitating Discussion
• Actively facilitates one thread
• Solicits comments, poses additional questions,
  plays the devils advocate
• Adds relevant information from research and/or
  text readings
• Summarizes one thread noting similarities and
  discrepancies in postings

• Participating
• Posts on average, more than two messages for each
  discussion.
• Messages demonstrate critical analysis of
  question or topic.
• Messages contain original idea or thought.
• Messages build on other messages, elaborating on
  discussion

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Debates

• Controversial Issue Pro-Con
• Provide context, reading materials and/or
  additional resources (web quests)
• Self-Selection Affirmative or Negative
• Take opposite of their personal beliefs
• Set up Private Forums for team deliberations
• Three Rounds Opening statement, Rebuttal and
  Conclusion (4-5 weeks)

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An Example

• Post Due Dates for Rounds
• Create Forum for the Debate
• Require participation in discussion

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Team Projects

• Cases, Experiments, Research Topics
• Options for Presentation of Findings
• Self-Selection
• Create Private Forums
• Allow Adequate Time for deliberations, drafts and
  finalization of Report/Presentation

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An Example

• Post Due Dates
• Create Forum for Final Presentation
• Require students to review and comment on
  presentation

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The Mechanics

• Team Selection
• Add New Topic
• Compose Message for each side of the debate or
  each project
• Require students to self-select a position by
  replying to posting
• Form Teams based on interest

• Private Forums for Team Deliberations
• Add New Topic
• Select Private
• Manage Members
• Post an introductory comment

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Posting Chat Logs

• Manage Files
• Chat Logs by room
• Download
• Save as html
• Upload

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Mixed Results

• Class was more work than expected
• Teamwork was challenging (schedules)
• Enhanced computer and writing skills
• Better than a TV Course
• Apply what I learned
• Greater participation than f2f time to reflect
  before posting

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Warm Fuzzy

• This has been one of the best classes I have ever
  taken. Joann's dedication, feedback and
  encouragement make all the difference. This was
  the first web class I've taken and it was great
  except that my computer exploded the first week
  of class and wasn't fixed forever! Despite some
  obstacles this semester with Joann's patience I
  was really able to learn a lot from all of you
  and this class.