Unit 3
Cooperative Learning for Success in College
Used effectively, collaborative
activities offer important benefits to both developmental students
and their instructors. Rather than passively depending on a teacher
to facilitate their learning, group members are challenged to
take an active role in their learning process.
Specifically, collaborative activities
encourage students to solve problems, articulate ideas, and practice
leadership roles they will need in professional and community
life. Another important benefit is the support and caring they
can provide for one another--an important lifeline for developmental
students who may feel lonely and alienated in college.
Cooperative learning can be equally
beneficial to teachers. It is often more efficient than traditional
lecturing, as well as less draining on the teacher's time, energy,
and resources. The paperwork load may be lighter, since groups
can manage much of the recordkeeping themselves, and it's easier
for teachers to get to know students.
Most important, collaborative
groups can transform the atmosphere of a developmental classroom.
Student leaders invariably emerge, motivation increases, discipline
problems decrease or disappear, and students become excited about
learning.
None of these benefits happen
automatically, however. Collaborative activities require careful
planning, implementation, assessment, and evaluation--subjects
covered in the next lesson.
Before detailed planning begins,
it's important to identify the types of learning tasks that are
especially appropriate for cooperative groups. Not all competencies
lend themselves to collaborative learning. It's clear that developmental
students need to acquire independent problem-solving and study
skills. Therefore it's important to assign individual homework
and other independent projects. Developmental students particularly
need to learn how to memorize information, take notes, and complete
reading assignments on their own.
On the other hand, many competencies
are particularly suited to cooperative groups. Consider using
a collaborative activity any time you want students to apply what
they're learning, rather than quietly absorbing information through
listening or reading.
Watching someone solve a problem
is not the same as tackling it yourself, especially for students
at basic levels who may not even know how to begin a new task.
Cooperative learning can be a superb way to help developmental
students make the transition from passive to active learners.
Here is a good motto for developmental classes: "The person
doing the talking is the person doing the learning." (This
motto assumes, of course, that the talking is related to course
content!)
Here is a list of active learning
tasks that are especially suited for structured collaborative
activities:
Applying a rule, concept, or principle
Practicing a skill
Mastering a technique
Sorting, classifying, or ranking items
Analysing, synthesizing, or organizing information
Forming and articulating ideas
Solving a problem
Checking a solution
Remember too that cooperative
learning can be an effective way to stimulate students to change
their behavior. Studies have repeatedly shown that group discussions
are more likely to bring about change than lectures from an authority
figure.
In one pioneering study, two
groups of new mothers were given information about the benefits
of orange juice for their babies. One group heard a lecture by
a nurse; the second group sat down together to discuss the pros
and cons of orange juice among themselves. A follow-up study showed
that the second group was far more likely to actually provide
orange juice for their babies.
Structured group discussions
may help students become more motivated, task-oriented, and accountable
for their progress. Unit 4 will suggest
ways to use collaborative learning to meet the special needs of
your students.