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Jay Echols
Dr. Milligan
EDUC 450
16 October 2014

Pre-Reading Thoughts

When I think of cooperating learning I think of the word team and I love teams. I am very
much an extrovert in the sense that I get my energy from being around others therefore
working in teams is good for me. Now sometimes in a classroom environment teams can
make me nervous especially if the teacher puts me into a group full of people that I dont
know. The main this makes me a little hesitant about groups is because theres always a
fear that the people youre put into a group with wont pull their weight. However,
despite that fear most of the time I have a great time in group settings. When Im put into
a group I make the best of it. Im usually the one who wants to come up with a team
name and cheer just so bring every one together. I am involved in groups all my life
outside of the classroom, as I would expect many people to be. My team setting comes
from my involvement in theater. Every aspect of theater is a team effort. You are always
working off of someone else no matter what part you are playing on or off the stage.
Because I love performing most of my group experiences are amazing. Even if I dont
love the show I am in I usually still have a good time because of the people involved. I
think it helps that everyone involved with a production has the same love and attitude
about the project. The worst group experiences that Ive had occur when there is one
person in the group who gets really bossy and thinks that their way is the only way. At
that point the team atmosphere is gone and it isnt a fun and collaborative process.


During and After Reading

Things that sound familiar
Student team learning
Learning together
Think-pair-share
Present content
Cooperative schools

Four Essential Features
1. Positive Interdependence
a. This is the feeling and attitude of the saying there is no I in team, or we
over me. It comes in different types: goal, reward, resource, and role each
that feature a different aspect of positive interdependence. Having a
common goal and all receiving a reward are a part of positive
interdependence.
2. Accountability at the group and the individual level
a. This feature reminds me of the game show that used to be on TV, The
Weakest Link. The team is only as strong as its weakest player plays a big
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part in this feature of cooperative learning. Much stress is put on the
accountability of each person in the group.
3. The acts of helping each other learn
a. This is the concept of not creating groups based on performance levels.
This means that you shouldnt put all the smart people in one group and
the struggling people in a separate group, but you should merge the two
groups so that there is teaching and learning with in the group.
4. Focus on interpersonal and small-group skills
a. When creating groups you need to consider the strengths of each of the
students. If you put a whole group of leaders together not much will get
done because they will all be fighting for the top position. The same for
putting a group of followers together. This is a place where a teacher can
consider multiple intelligences and putting students together who have a
variety of the intelligences.

Three Families of Models

1. Student Team Learning
a. Promoted by Slavin, this model uses rewards to promote student learning.
2. Learning Together
a. Johnson and Johnson were key in the development and support of this
model. This focus of this model lies in academic and social promoting a
community environment.
3. Structural Approach
a. Kagans model has more of a complexity to it than the other methods, but
has the same goal of social and academic progress.

Sample Strategy

One of the strategies that I was really drawn to while reading was the 3 by 3 by 3. I think
the main reason I liked this method is because it allows for a lot of room for discussion
and clarification, which in math I think is important. When using this approach you are
able to make sure that you arent loosing students along the way and that youre staying
together as a class through this path of learning. I think you could really use this in
everyday lecture of class. You can plan stopping points along the way in your instruction
in which you allow students to test out what theyve learned to far and ask questions to
their fellow students if they need to.

Nuts and Bolts

1. Academic and social promotion at the same time
2. Giving students more responsibility for their own learning
3. Creating a community feeling in the classroom
4. Using multiple intelligences to create groups
5. Make sure that the groups dont become s social hour for the students
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6. There needs to be a lot of structure so the students know what is expected of them
at all times because the students might feel as though you are loosening the reigns
a little.
7. A good group is like a diet: balanced.
8. Giving the students a common goal and maybe a reward at the end, something to
direct and motivate their learning is most helpful.
9. Settings for the groups are just as important as what the groups are doing.
10. People are constantly working in groups settings or having to work with other
people in some fashion and cooperative learning simply promotes and helps
students prepare for those settings.


Difference Between Cooperative and Group Work

When I think of group work I see a teacher who gives out workbook pages on material
he/she has already taught and telling the students to work together. Group work helps
mainly in reviewing or reiterating what has already been taught. Cooperative learning has
the potential to be used like that, but it also has the ability to be used as a way to let
students take more responsibility for their own learning.