How to Use Cooperative Learning
No matter what the setting is, properly implementing cooperative learning involves five key steps.
Pre-Instructional Planning
Prior planning helps to establish effective groups and projects. Plan out how groups will be formed and structure how the members will interact with each other. Learn more here
Explain the Assignment to the Students
Students need to get their "marching orders." Explain the academic task to them and what the criteria are for success. Then structure the cooperative aspects of their work. Set up the positive interdependence and individual accountability and then specify what the expected behaviors look and sound like. Learn more here
Monitor and Intervene
This is where you let the groups run while you circulate through the room to collect observation data, see whether they understand the assignment, give immediate feedback and praise for working together. If a group is having problems, you can intervene to help them get on the right track. Learn more here
Assess
Some informal assessment is already done while you are monitoring the groups during the exercise. However, once the group finishes their project, work should be assessed by both instructor and group. Learn more here
Process
Group processing involves asking the groups to rate their own performance and set goals for themselves to improve their cooperative work. Learn more here
