Form Of Cooperative Learning Research Articles

Are four heads better than one? A comparison of cooperative and traditional teaching formats in an introductory biology course

The objective of this experiment was to compare the impact of a cooperative learning format with a traditional lecture-oriented format in the teaching of introductory biology. Differences were found in favor of the cooperative learning format in measures of student satisfaction, the ability to find information on one's own, the acquisition of factual knowledge, and the ability to work with others. The results of this study affirm the viability of using a cooperative learning approach over a traditional lecture format.

Student Perspectives on a Cooperative-Learning Experience

Last autumn, we enrolled in a marine geology course with a cooperative-learning format. In this article, we share the student's perspective of this experience. We feel that cooperative learning provided us the opportunity to develop important scientific skills while we learned marine geology. We improved our oral communication skills through daily discussions and our written communication skills through numerous written summaries of scientific readings. We refined our computer skills through the completion of various projects. Finally, we acquired valuable research skills, such as computer research and reading for understanding. We were active participants in science, rather than passive observers. The cooperative-learning experience better approximates what we will face after graduation, whether in the workplace or in graduate school.

Changing a Course in Marine Geology from Lecture Format to a Cooperative-Learning Format

After teaching a senior course in marine geology by lecture and examination for almost thirty years, I changed it to a cooperative-learning format. Twenty-two students worked in five teams. They read and wrote summaries of papers that overlapped coverage of a topic, discussed the readings within the teams, taught members of other teams, and wrote summaries of all the readings. Grades, however, were based on five individual written projects, two of which used data from the Internet. I had to change my goal in teaching from increasing students' knowledge of content to improving their skills as scientists. But I could cover only half the topics covered in lectures, which made selection of these topics crucial. Other difficulties included: a sense that the course was going too slowly, surrendering the lecturer's control of the classroom, accepting a highly flexible schedule, and selecting appropriate readings. The pleasures, however, greatly outweighed the difficulties: getting to know the students, hearing t...

Cooperative learning revisited

The endeavor to teach academic skills known as cooperative learningis of interest to behavioral educators due to its record of effectiveness, its use of behavioral procedures, and its relatively widespread adoption by regular educators. All forms of cooperative learning emphasize operations that encourage students to work together to achieve commonly held goals rather than competing with or ignoring the efforts of others. Despite the apparent soundness of the approach, the present commentary raises several issues. First, it states that some cooperative learning proponents fail to describe the behavioral processes underlying the approach. Second, it is pointed out that it is unclear whether cooperative learning is an independent or dependent variable. Given that cooperative learning applies group contingencies to academic behavior, the question is raised as to whether group contingencies do, in fact, produce desirable social interactions, and whether group contingencies are appropriate for academic behaviors. A concern is also raised as to whether the spontaneous peer tutoring generated by cooperative learning compares favorably with planned peer tutoring. Finally, it is claimed that the minor variations from academic group contingencies that cooperative learning proponents have introduced do not require identifying a new process.

Examining the relationship between process-oriented staff development and classroom practices using integrated mathematics and science instructional modules

The purposes of this study were to assess the impact of intensive one-week AIMS science and mathematics institutes on participant satisfaction and on actual classroom practices during the year following the institute. Findings from the study indicate that the hands-on, cooperative learning format and the process oriented activities and content of the institute elicit a high degree of teacher satisfaction. Findings indicate that, provided certain critical factors are present during and following in-service, staff development does impact classroom curriculum content and instructional strategies. One hundred forty-two teachers (grades K-9) from Tennessee’s urban and rural school systems participated in this study.

Parallels and Shadows: Where Are We?

Abstract Designed for use with junior and senior high school students, this lesson provides teachers of physical geography, earth science, and social studies with a strategy that involves students in using higher order thinking skills in a cooperative learning format to solve a hypothetical problem that requires them to use their knowledge of earth-sun relationships, absolute location, and place. Students find the problem-solving approach interesting and challenging, and teachers readily identify with the themes of location and place. A knowledge of earth-sun relationships, latitude and longitude, and the characteristics of different places is critical for understanding events, both human and physical, that occur on earth. This lesson can be used at the end of a unit on earth-sun relationships in the physical geography component of a world geography course or near the end of a unit on the solar system in earth science. It could also be used at the end of a unit on maps and globes. Because this content kno...