“Sink or Swim” Together in a Geology Classroom

Abstract

Cooperative learning is an excellent means by which students become meaningfully involved in learning, focusing their attention on active learning. Each informal cooperative-learning group, formed at the beginning of the semester, chooses or is assigned a research project that is designed to expand on what the instructor presents in class and to allow the students to apply what they have learned during the semester. In this way, knowledge is jointly constructed by students and faculty. Jigsaw and group processing are cooperative-learning styles used during this project. An evaluation technique allows for effective and equitable evaluation of the cooperative learning involved in the projects and papers. Several benefits of cooperative learning associated with the projects are: student accountability, active learning, awareness of individual differences, positive interdependence (“sink or swim” together), development of collaborative skills, and prevention of one student “hitchhiking” on the work of others....