An updated and excellent article posted in teachethought.com by Miriam Clifford.
This post has been updated from a 2011 posting by Miriam Clifford.
20 Collaborative Learning Tips And Strategies For Teachers
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20 Collaborative Learning Tips And Strategies For Teachers
by
Miriam Clifford
This post has been updated from a 2011 post.
There is an age old adage that says “two heads are better than one”.
Consider collaboration in recent history: Watson and Crick or Page and
Brin (Founders of Google). But did you know it was a collaborative
Computer Club about basic programming at a middle school that brought together two minds that would change the future of computing?
Yes, those two were of course Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the founders of Microsoft.
Collaborative learning teams are said to attain higher level thinking
and preserve information for longer times than students working
individually. Why is this so?
Groups tend to learn through “discussion, clarification of ideas, and
evaluation of other’s ideas.” Perhaps information that is discussed is
retained in long term memory. Research by Webb suggests that students
who worked collaboratively on math computational problems earned
significantly higher scores than those who worked alone. Plus, students
who demonstrated lower levels of achievement improved when working in
diverse groups.
Collaborative learning teams are said to attain higher
level thinking and preserve information for longer times than students
working individually.
Many consider Vygotsky the father of “social learning”. Vygotsky was
an education rebel in many ways. Vygotsky controversially argued for
educators to assess students’ ability to solve problems, rather than
knowledge acquisition. The idea of collaborative learning has a lot to
do with Vygotsky’s idea of the “zone of proximal development”. It
considers what a student can do if aided by peers and adults. By
considering this model for learning, we might consider collaboration to
increase students’ awareness of other concepts.
What are some ways to include best practices for collaborative learning in our classroom?
1. Establish group goals
Effective collaborative learning involves establishment of group
goals, as well as individual accountability. This keeps the group on
task and establishes an unambiguous purpose. Before beginning an
assignment, it is best to define goals and objectives to save time.
2. Keep groups midsized
Small groups of 3 or less lack enough diversity and may not allow
divergent thinking to occur. Groups that are too large create
“freeloading” where not all members participate. A moderate size group
of 4-5 is ideal.
3. Establish flexible group norms
Research suggests
that collaborative learning is influenced by the quality of
interactions. Interactivity and negotiation are important in group
learning. In the
1960’s studies by Jacobs and Campbell suggested that norms are pervasive, even deviant norms were handed down and not questioned.
If you notice a deviant norm, you can do two things: rotate group
members or assist in using outside information to develop a new norm.
You may want to establish rules for group interactions for younger
students. Older students might create their own norms. But remember,
given their durable nature, it is best to have flexible norms. Norms
should change with situations so that groups do not become rigid and
intolerant or develop sub-groups.
4. Build trust and promote open communication
Successful interpersonal communication must exist in teams. Building
trust is essential.Deal with emotional issues that arise immediately and
any interpersonal problems before moving on. Assignments should
encourage team members to explain concepts thoroughly to each
other.Studies found that students who provide and receive intricate
explanations gain most from collaborative learning. Open communication
is key.
5. For larger tasks, create group roles
Decomposing a difficult task into parts to saves time. You can then
assign different roles. A great example in my own classroom was in
science lab, fifth grade student assumed different roles of group
leader, recorder, reporter, and fact checker. The students might have
turns to choose their own role and alternate roles by sections of the
assignment or classes.
6. Create a pre-test and post-test
A good way to ensure the group learns together would be to engage in a
pre and post-test. In fact, many researchers use this method to see if
groups are learning. An assessment gives the team a goal to work towards
and ensures learning is a priority. It also allows instructors to gauge
the effectiveness of the group. Changes can be made if differences are
seen in the assessments over time. Plus, you can use Bloom’s taxonomy to
further hone in on specific skills.
Individuals should also complete surveys evaluating how well the
group functioned. “Debriefing” is an important component of the learning
process and allows individuals to reflect on the process of group
learning.
7. Consider the learning process itself as part of assessment
Many studies such as those by Robert Slavin at Johns Hopkins have
considered how cooperative learning helps children develop social and
interpersonal skills. Experts have argued that the social and
psychological effect on self-esteem and personal development are just as
important as the learning itself.
In terms of assessment, it may be beneficial to grade students on the
quality of discussion, engagement, and adherence to group norms. Praise
younger groups for following collaborative learning standards. This
type of learning is a process and needs explicit instruction in
beginning stages. Assessing the process itself provides motivation for
students to learn how to behave in groups. It shows students that you
value meaningful group interactions and adhering to norms.
8. Consider using different strategies, like the Jigsaw technique.
The jigsaw strategy is said to improve social interactions in
learning and support diversity. The workplace is often like a jigsaw. It
involves separating an assignment into subtasks, where individuals
research their assigned area. Students with the same topic from
different groups might meet together to discuss ideas between groups.
This type of collaboration allows students to become “experts” in
their assigned topic. Students then return to their primary group to
educate others.
Here are some easy steps to follow the Jigsaw approach.
There are other strategies discussed here by the University of Iowa, such as using clusters, buzz groups, round robin, leaning cells, or fish bowl discussions.
9. Allow groups to reduce anxiety
When tackling difficult concepts, group learning may provide a source
of support. Groups often use humor and create a more relaxed learning
atmosphere that allow for positive learning experiences. Allow groups
to use some stress-reducing strategies as long as they stay on task.
10. Establish group interactions
The quality of discussions is a predictor of the achievement of the
group. Instructors should provide a model of how a successful group
functions. Shared leadership is best. Students should work together on
the
task and maintenance functions of a group.
Roles are important in group development. Task functions include:
- Initiating Discussions
- Clarifying points
- Summarizing
- Challenging assumptions/devil’s advocate
- Providing or researching information
- Reaching a consensus
Maintenance involves the harmony and emotional well-being of a group.
Maintenance includes roles such as sensing group
feelings, harmonizing, compromising and
encouraging, time-keeping, relieving tension, bringing people into
discussion, and more.
11. Use a real world problems
Experts suggest that project-based learning using open-ended
questions can be very engaging. Rather than spending a lot of time
designing an artificial scenario, use inspiration from everyday
problems. Real world problems can be used to facilitate project-based
learning and often have the right scope for collaborative learning.
12. Focus on enhancing problem-solving and critical thinking skills
Design assignments that allow room for varied interpretations.
Different types of problems might focus on categorizing, planning,
taking multiple perspectives, or forming solutions. Try to use a step-by
step procedure for problem solving.
Mark Alexander explains one generally accepted problem-solving procedure:
- Identify the objective
- Set criteria or goals
- Gather data
- Generate options or courses of action
- Evaluate the options using data and objectives
- Reach a decision
- Implement the decision
13. Keep in mind the diversity of groups
Mixed groups that include a range of talents, backgrounds, learning
styles, ideas, and experiences are best. Studies have found that mixed
aptitude groups tend to learn more from each other and increase
achievement of low performers. Rotate groups so students have a chance
to learn from others.
14. Groups with an equal number of boys and girls are best
Equally balanced gender groups were found to be most effective. Some
research suggests that boys were more likely to receive and give
elaborate explanations and their stances were more easily accepted by
the group. In majority male groups girls were ignored. In majority
girl groups, girls tended to direct questions to the boy who often
ignored them. You may also want to specifically discuss or establish
gender equality as a norm. This may seem obvious, but it is often
missed. It may be an issue you may want to discuss with older students.
15. Use scaffolding or diminished responsibility as students begin to understand concepts.
At the beginning of a project, you may want to give more direction
than the end. Serve as a facilitator, such as by gauging group
interactions or at first, providing a list of questions to consider.
Allow groups to grow in responsibility as times goes on. In your
classroom, this may mean allowing teams to develop their own topics or
products as time goes on. After all, increased responsibility over
learning is a goal in collaborative learning.
16. Include different types of learning scenarios
Studies suggests
that collaborative learning that focuses on rich contexts and
challenging questions produces higher order reasoning. Assignments can
include laboratory work, study teams, debates, writing projects, problem
solving, and collaborative writing.
17. Technology makes collaborative learning easier
Collaboration had the same results via technology as in person, increased learning opportunities. Try
incorporating free savvy tools for online collaboration such
as Stixy, an online shared whiteboard space, Google groups, or Mikogo
for online meetings. Be aware that some research suggests that more
exchanges related to planning rather than challenging viewpoints
occurred more frequently through online interactions.
This may be because the research used students that did not know one
another. If this is your scenario, you may want to start by having
students get to know each other’s backgrounds and ideas beforehand on a
blog or chat-board.
18. Keep in mind the critics
As with any learning strategy, it’s important to have a balanced approach. Cynics usually have a valid point. A recent
New York time article,
cites some criticism of collaboration for not allowing enough time for
individual, creative thinking. You may allow some individual time to
write notes before the groups begin. This may be a great way to assess
an individual grade.
19. Be wary of “group think”
While collaborative learning is a great tool, it is always important
to consider a balanced approach. At times, group harmony can override
the necessity for more critical perspectives. Some new
research suggests that groups favored the more confident members. Changing up groups can help counter this problem.
20. Value diversity
Collaborative learning relies on some buy in. Students need to
respect and appreciate each other’s viewpoints for it to work. For
instance, class discussions can emphasize the need for different
perspectives. Create a classroom environment that encourages
independent thinking. Teach students the value of multiplicity in
thought. You may want to give historical or social examples where
people working together where able to reach complex solutions.
By definition learning is social in nature. Using different mediums,
whether it be books, discussions, technology or projects we study and
develop new ideas. We impart ideas and share perspectives with others.
Collaboration is a learned process. If managed correctly, it is powerful
tool that can allow educators to tap into new ideas and information.
This is a cross-post from opencolleges.edu.au; image attribution flickr user flickeringbrad
