AN INTRODUCTION TO STRUCTURED COOPERATIVE LEARNING

Family Coffee Morning 11.12.15

WARNING! This is a highly interactive session and you may be pushed out of our comfort zone!

(But it should also be fun)

FORMING TEAMS

• Heterogeneous (mixed ability) • Homogeneous (similar ability) • Random teams • Student selected teams We are going to be forming random teams!

DAY OPENER

Three step interview 1. Teacher provides interview topic, states duration of the interview, and provides think

time 2. In pairs, Student A interviews Student B 3. Pairs switch roles: Student B interviews Student A 4. RoundRobin: Pairs pair up to form groups of 4. Each student, in turn, shares with the

team what he/she has learned in the interview.

Today, we know more about how people

learn than ever before. Talking Chips 1. Teacher provides topic and think time 2. Any student begins the discussion, placing one of their

chips in the centre of the table. 3. Any student with a chip can continue discussing. 4. When all chips are used, teammates each collect their chips

and continue the discussion using their talking chips.

• People learn in very different ways

• We have preferred ways of receiving, storing and

retrieving information - VAK

• Our emotions affect how well we learn

• We learn most effectively when the content/skill

has meaning for us

• Teaching others is one of the most powerful ways

of learning

ABOUT LEARNING

Good fit with iCAN ethos, beliefs and approaches to learning, academically, socially and emotionally.

In harmony with IPC and IMYC as both

emphasise a very humanistic and holistic approach to learning and recognise the importance of learning styles theories and practices.

iCAN CONTEXT

There are hundreds of studies

indicating that cooperation, compared to competitive and individualistic efforts, tends to result in greater effort to

achieve, more positive relationships, and greater psychological

health. (metadata analysed from over 750 studies by Johnson and Johnson)

• Structured to support teachers and learners

• Ensures consistency

• Offers opportunities for all learners of all

abilities

• Fosters communication and cooperation

KAGAN’S STRUCTURED COOPERATIVE LEARNING

Positive Interdependence

Individual Accountability

Equal Participation

Simultaneous Interaction

PIES

Structures support the learning of Knowledge, Skills and Understanding. Learning facilitators carefully select the right structure for the right type of learning. Let’s watch some… Let’s try a couple more…

Structures maximise learner interaction with each other and engagement with academic content.

• Organises classroom instruction

• Is content free and repeatable

• Implements PIES

A COOPERATIVE LEARNING STRUCTURE…

Let’s try a few… Pairs compare

REFLECTION

• At end of every day • Can be social, emotional, academic or

international • Can be personal/team/class • Gets them to think about their day of learning • Gives LFs an opportunity to assess their

understanding

Which image represents you this morning? Why?