Five basic elements must be structured into a cooperative learning activity: positive goal interdependence, face-to-face interaction, individual accountability, social skills, and group processing¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The handbook sets out five basic elements, attributed to cooperative learning research, that teachers must deliberately build into a cooperative activity for adult learners. Positive goal interdependence means "The success of each teammate depends on the success of each member", supported by devices such as poker-chip participation tokens and assigned lesson parts. Face-to-face interaction structures dialogue and critical thinking; individual accountability holds each person responsible for participation and performance, for example through the Jigsaw structure; social skills such as communication, adaptability, flexibility, and influencing skills must be identified, modeled, and practiced; and group processing has the team evaluate how it worked together.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Teachers need to understand the philosophy and theory of cooperative learning to use activities effectively
• Groups need to be balanced by race, gender, and academic achievement
• Each person must evaluate his or her own participation and performance through a journal, checklist, survey, and or rating scale

Constraints¶

• Face-to-face interaction can be difficult for ESL students with limited language skills and can make the classroom noisy
• Students accustomed to classroom authority may find it difficult to grant authority to a peer

Target Learners¶

• Adult basic education learners
• Adult ESL learners
• GED students

Target Learning Objectives¶

• Collaboration and group effectiveness skills
• Communication and social skills
• Content learning through structured group work

Claims¶

Related Theories¶

• Five basic elements make cooperative learning work: positive interdependence, face-to-face interaction, individual accountability, interpersonal and small group skills, and group processing

Examples¶

• Use named cooperative learning structures adapted to adult classrooms, including Student Team Learning, Think-Pair-Share, Jigsaw, Teaming Together, and Group Investigation
• Personal and group evaluation forms for cooperative learning participation
• Design CSCL assignments with individual accountability and positive interdependence

Key Sources¶

• You Can Be in a Group and Still Not Cooperate: Collaborative Approaches and Cooperative Learning Activities for Adult Learners. (1993). Parma City School District. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED361492