Thinking About College Teaching
by Glenda Wilkes, Ph.D.
 

Volume 2: Cooperative Learning in the College Classroom

Although cooperative learning is often thought of as loosely structured "group work," in reality the social dynamics and learning outcomes of cooperative learning have been thoroughly researched. Johnson et al. (1991) and Cooper et al. (1990) both provide extensive reviews of the cooperative learning research base. Astin (1993), in a comprehensive longitudinal study of the impact of college on undergraduate students, suggests that cooperative learning motivates students to be more active participants in the learning process in two ways: first, students will expend more effort if they know their work is going to be scrutinized by peers; and second, students may learn course material in greater depth if they are involved in helping teach it to fellow students.

Effective cooperative learning is anything but haphazard. Millis (1996) proposes five key elements: a) positive interdependence is fostered by structured tasks that allow students to work together constructively; b) individual accountability in which students are responsible for their own learning and assessment is individual; c) appropriate grouping in heterogeneous groups of four (small enough to allow participation by all but large enough to function with an occasional absence), which can be permanent throughout the semester and typically become cohesive and supportive; d) coaching in necessary skills including active listening and constructive feedback; and e) group monitoring by the instructor to identify areas of confusion and facilitate participation.

• Think-Pair-Share: Instructor poses a question demanding analysis, evaluation, or synthesis. Approximately one minute is given to think through an appropriate response and write it down. Students share their response with a partner and then teams share responses with entire class in discussion.
• Concerns: Four large homogeneous groups are formed in which students place themselves by their stand on an issue, for the purpose of discussion.
• Three-Step Interview: Students interview one another in pairs, alternating roles, and then share in a four-member team, composed of two pairs, the information from the paired interviews. Good for generating hypotheses or discussing reactions from an article or film.
• Numbered Heads Together: Team members count off 1, 2, 3, and 4. Instructor proposes a question, students discuss the question, and the instructor calls a specific number to respond as spokesperson for the group. Because no one knows which number will be called, all team members must be prepared.
• Roundtable: A version of brainstorming in which a pad of paper is circulated on which each team member writes his or her ideas while saying them aloud. In 3 minutes or less, teams can generate a wide range of ideas.
• Jigsaw: The instructor divides an assignment into four parts and each team member chooses one part in which to become an expert. Experts in each part may work together across teams, then reassemble with their "home" team to teach what they have learned to the others.

In a review of the research literature on teaching and learning in the college classroom, McKeachie et al. (1986) concluded, "The best answer to the question, ‘What is the most effective method of teaching?’ is that it depends on the goal, the student, the content, and the teacher. But the next best answer is, ‘Students teaching other students.’ " Research findings indicate that as students work together they discover and provide both cognitive and motivational support. Cooperative learning, when used in conjunction with other teaching methods, offers the college teacher a systematic, highly-structured pedagogical approach which is solidly grounded in theory, research, and practice.

References

Astin, A.W. (1993). What matters in college? Four critical years revisited. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Cooper, J., Prescott, S., Cook, L., Smith, L., Mueck, R., & Cuseo, J. (1990). Cooperative learning and college instruction. Long Beach: California State University Foundation.

Johnson, D.W., Johnson, R.T., & Smith, K.A. (1991). Cooperative learning: Increasing college faculty instructional productivity (ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Rep. No. 4) Washington, DC: George Washington University, School of Education and Human Development.

McKeachie, W.J., Pintrich, P.R., Lin, Y., & Smith, D.A. (1986). Teaching and learningin the college classroom: A review of the research literature. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan.
Millis, B.J. (1991). Fulfilling the promise of the "Seven Principles" through cooperative small groups: An active agenda for the university classroom. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 139-144.