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Cooperative Learning: Listening to How Children Work at School
The Journal of Educational Research
Abstract
Cooperative and collaborative learning are recognized as valuable components of classroom learning. However, many questions remain regarding how teachers might structure and guide children's group-learning experiences. An ethnographic case study of 29 Grade 6 and Grade 7 students who worked in groups over 5 weeks was examined to determine what was learned. Data included audiotape recordings of 6 groups of children working together across 11 work sessions, student interviews, children's self-evaluations and drawings, and research reports. Findings revealed that when working in groups, children require periods of unstructured time to organize themselves and to learn how to work together toward a mutual goal.
... In addition to learning social skills, cooperative learning has a positive impact on classroom climate, content communication, students' self-esteem, attendance, students' attitudes towards education, and students' psychological health. Cooperative learning shown to decrease special education placements, classroom/content anxiety, and disciplinary referrals (Johnson & Johnson, 1999;Kagan, 1994;Mueller & Fleming, 2001;Siegel, 2005;Slavin, 1999;Toumasis, 2004). ...
... Therefore, not only is it important for one to pick a single cooperative learning model to implement in the classroom problem solving, but the educator must also take ownership of the strategies described within the model to promote a cooperative learning environment. It is increasing teachers' ownership of cooperative learning models, which most efficiently done through professional development training than specific to the desired framework (Mueller & Fleming, 2001). This study also focused and utilized increased teachers' ownership of cooperative learning model. ...
... Regarding grouping in a cooperative learning setting, the majority of research suggests cooperative groups be heterogeneous, including high, middle, and low achievers, boys and girls, and an ethnic and linguistically diverse representation of the class. The distribution of ability levels in a group specified as including a high-ability, medium-high ability, medium-low ability, and low ability student (Johnson & Johnson, 1999;Kagan, 1994;Mueller & Fleming, 2001;Toumasis, 2004). In the current study, however heterogeneous grouping used. ...
... Such activities increased empathy and understanding among students, helping some to overcome relationships of conflict, which they previously had had negative experience of. Mueller and Fleming (2001) pointed out four key findings in shaping the students' involvement and their experiences of the CL process. First, relationships between boys and girls may have a pivotal role in terms of their language competency and social leadership. ...
... Otherwise, those students who might have less experience in CL group work often find it challenging to develop stable and working relationships with their peers (Genç, 2016;Tan et al., 2007). Mueller and Fleming (2001) state that students need time to develop an understanding of how to work together. Bearing this in mind, students have different experiences of interacting cooperatively to increase acceptance, and of becoming aware of the effect they have on others (Mary, 2014). ...
... Quantitative study. Increased acceptance towards peers, with students becoming aware of their own behavior and the effect it had on others Mueller and Fleming (2001) To determine students' experience and learning over five weeks of learning together ...
The article presents a review of 34 studies conducted from 1995 to 2017 focusing on face-to-face promotive interaction (FtFPI) factors that may lead to successful cooperative learning (CL) in small groups, as guided by the following research question: “Which FtFPI factors lead to successful CL in small groups?“ A manual and citation database search were used to find relevant studies. The findings indicate that students’ interpersonal behavior, their experiences and active participation in the CL process, communication and support to each other, and teachers’ influence on promoting students’ interaction leading to successful CL in small groups. Moreover, these factors may lead to students’ deep learning. However, the review suggests that systematic preparations must be made by both teachers and students if the CL is to be successful. Thus, more empirical research is needed to understand the complexity of students’ FtFPI and to investigate the development of FtFPI based on students’ and teachers’ experiences in small CL groups.
... Ma (1996) found that three-member groups are ideal for cooperative homework involving high-ability students, but for low-and middle-ability students, four-member heterogeneous teams were more effective. Other studies also found success using cooperative learning groups consisting of three to five students (Mueller, 2001;Yamaguchi, 2001). Ma (1996) also found that "heterogeneous teams are promising in arranging cooperative learning if the educational goal is to improve performance of a class as a group" (p. ...
... Also studying task assignment specifications, Mueller and Fleming (2001) studied sixth and seventh grade science students for five weeks as they worked together on a science project. ...
... The role the teacher has in a cooperative classroom has impact on the effectiveness of cooperative learning. Mueller and Fleming (2001) suggested that "the teacher plays a central role in setting up the conditions for collaborative learning" (p. 266). ...
In this action research study of my classroom of sixth grade mathematics, I investigated the impact of cooperative grouping on mathematics homework completion, achievement, and attitude toward mathematics. I discovered that many students do benefit from cooperative grouping in the mathematics classroom; however, low-ability students tended not to benefit as much as other students. Also, homework completion and student attitude toward mathematics did not change with cooperative grouping. As a result of this research, I plan to continue to use cooperative groupings but will change the way cooperative learning is used in my mathematics classroom to see if there is a way to make it more beneficial for all students.
... The adoption of this participative leadership style, whether by an individual leader or through shared group leadership, appeared to generate a more successful and enjoyable group learning experience than other leadership styles. This is consistent with previous research (Chen & Lawson, 1996;French, Waas, Stright, & Baker, 1986;Mueller & Fleming, 2001; M.R. Myers & Slavin, 1990). ...
... The adoption of a participative leadership style, whether by an individual leader or through shared group leadership, also generates a more successful and enjoyable group-learning experience (Browning, 2006;Chen & Lawson, 1996;French et al., 1986;Mueller & Fleming, 2001; M.R. Myers & Slavin, 1990). Participative leadership involves soliciting and synthesizing the ideas and cooperation of the group, organizing the decision-making process, and refraining from stressing individual beliefs. ...
... Participative leadership involves soliciting and synthesizing the ideas and cooperation of the group, organizing the decision-making process, and refraining from stressing individual beliefs. Group members engaging in participative leadership are more productive, more socially satisfied, and demonstrate greater originality and independence in their product (Chen & Lawson, 1996;French et al., 1986;Mueller & Fleming, 2001; M.R. Myers & Slavin, 1990). ...
... This makes the teacher's task of putting students in a group very mathematical, but it does not take into account personalities or abilities that as a teacher I know will come into play. Mueller and Fleming (2001) conducted a five-week ethnographic study of 29 sixth-and seventh-grade students. The case study was part of a yearlong research study in which the subjects were given opportunities to engage in scientific inquiry. ...
... This thought process will help students to better understand what math they are doing. Mueller and Fleming (2001) point out "students have learned that correct answers are desirable and that incomplete or tentative answers are not acceptable" (p. 263). ...
... At the elementary school level, some ELLs also struggle and experience problems when they are asked to complete tasks in small groups. Mueller and Fleming (2001) recorded 6 groups of grade 6 and 7 children, as they worked to complete a science project. Although they did not specifically intend to research the participation of ESL students, Mueller and Fleming (2001) observed that in one of the groups, one ELL did not participate actively throughout the work sessions and mostly remained silent. ...
... Mueller and Fleming (2001) recorded 6 groups of grade 6 and 7 children, as they worked to complete a science project. Although they did not specifically intend to research the participation of ESL students, Mueller and Fleming (2001) observed that in one of the groups, one ELL did not participate actively throughout the work sessions and mostly remained silent. Thus, this student did not gain the benefits of involvement in a group project, which were discussed earlier. ...
... In addition to learning social skills, cooperative learning has a positive impact on classroom climate, content communication, students' self-esteem, attendance, students' attitudes towards education, and students' psychological health. Cooperative learning has also been shown to decrease special education placements, classroom/content anxiety, and disciplinary referrals (Johnson & Johnson, 1999;Kagan, 1994;Mueller & Fleming, 2001;Siegel, 2005;Slavin, 1999;Toumasis, 2004). ...
... Creating a cooperative learning classroom begins with the formation of groups or teams of students. The majority of research suggests cooperative groups be heterogeneous, including high, middle, and low achievers, boys and girls, and an ethnic and linguistically diverse representation of the class (Johnson & Johnson, 1999;Kagan, 1994;Mueller & Fleming, 2001;Toumasis, 2004). The distribution of ability levels in a group is specified as including a highability, medium-high ability, medium-low ability, and low ability student (Kagan, 1994, p. 6:3) with the favored number of students in a group being four (Kagan, 1994;Ma, 1996). ...
In this action research study of my eighth grade mathematics classroom, I investigate the benefits of cooperative learning, the support structures needed to promote a cooperative learning environment, and students’ ability to transfer the cooperative learning skills into less structured problem solving situations. The data analysis reveals that cooperative learning increases students’ confidence level as well as their involvement in the learning process. In order to create successful teams, students require my providing support structures and modifying the support for each group of students. Finally, students are able to more effectively apply their cooperative skills in concrete situations as compared to problems that require more abstract thinking. The transfer of cooperative learning skills depends on the ability level of the students, teacher support, and exposure to problem solving situations.
... However, Nattiv (1994) found no such differences in her study, and she hypothesized that the teachers had done such a great job of training both groups of students that gender ceased to be a variable. Mueller and Fleming (2001) studied six groups of students working cooperatively. The groups were not assigned a leader, and they were interested to find that in all six groups, the leader who emerged was a girl. ...
... Teachers sometimes err when assigning cooperative learning activities by either allowing too much or too little time for students to work, and they also err when they do not plan enough time for the groups to come together as a class to summarize and discuss findings. Making sure that teachers receive enough training to become efficient in using cooperative learning strategies and making sure that they receive support along the way are two other concerns cited by Slavin and Cooper (1999), Mueller and Fleming (2001), and Peterson and Miller (2004). ...
In this action research study of my classroom of sixth grade mathematics, I investigated the impact of cooperative learning on the engagement, participation, and attitudes of my students. I also investigated the impact of cooperative learning upon my own teaching. I discovered that my students not only preferred to learn in cooperative groups, but that their levels of engagement and participation, their attitudes toward math, and their quality of work all improved greatly. My teaching also changed, and I found that I began to enjoy teaching more. As a result of this research, I plan to continue and expand the amount of cooperative group work that happens in my classroom.
... Incorporating elements of this approach could include providing contextually relevant, in-the-moment interventions, creating better conditions for cognitive adjustment. Similarly, the theory of the Zone of Proximal Development asserts that learning happens most powerfully in the space between what youths can do on their own and what they can achieve with adult guidance (Eun 2019;Mueller and Fleming 2001;Vygotsky 1978). Mirroring this scaffolding through a model that offers increasing levels of support aligned with a youth's needs and developmental readiness may support online behavior. ...
Stakeholders from parents to policy-makers are concerned about youth online safety. Present solutions are frequently punitive and often lack opportunities for youth to make mistakes and try again in a safe environment. This paper proposes a new framework, based on trauma-informed child psychology models and research by computer scientists and human-centered design scholars, entitled Pause, Reflect, and Redirect (PRR). The PRR framework offers three levels of intervention ranging from casual engagement to coached engagement with crisis response. To further develop and validate PRR as a framework, PRR was implemented within a web-filtering software that was installed in a public middle school comprising grades 6 to 8 (i.e., ages 11–14) in an urban charter district. Preliminary results from the deployment of the software suggest that it may help youth make better choices with respect to their online behaviors.
... This study found that the Cooperative learning approach improve the student's motivation, active participation, peer interaction, social skill development, and group accountability in learning mathematics. In addition, cooperative learning enhances students' self-confidence (Zakaria et al., 2013), positive attitudes towards mathematics (Karali & Aydemir, 2018), and increases learning motivation It cultivates a strong group work culture (Mueller & Fleming, 2001), where students are interdependent, accountable for their tasks, promote each other's success, effectively use social skills, and regularly assess their collective performance (Fernandez-Rio et al., 2017;Gillies, 2016;Johnson et al., 2007;Webb & Farivar, 1994). Finding of this research contradiction with the finding of the study of Dillenbourg et al. (2016) they argue that all students not participate equally in group work. ...
Cooperative Learning Approach (CLA), focusing on the collaborative, active engagement and group working to each other in mathematics learning, makes significant impact on the students' achievement in their academic career. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of CLA on academic achievement in mathematics at grade nine students of Rukum (West), District, Nepal. A quantitative method and a quasi-experimental research design were employed in this study to examine how CLA made an impact on students in two community-based schools. The two schools were purposely selected from two strata such as one experimental stratum (N=15) and another control stratum (N=15) assigned by result of pre-test result through random selection. Mathematical Achievement Test (MAT) and participants' observation dairy notes were used as tools for data collection. The research process based on Input, Process, and Output (IPO) model whereas experimental group was taught by using CLA and control group was taught by Conventional Teaching Approach (CTA) with twenty-six days on the topic of mensuration of compulsory mathematics. At the end of intervention, post-test was administered on both groups, while the daily reflective notes prepared during intervention period among two groups related with students' learning behavior and activities regularly. The result is analyzed by using t-test to compare mean score of posttest for both groups. The result indicated significant association between mean achievements of experimental group and control group, p<0.05 that implies cooperative learning group performed better in mathematics achievement. Findings is that CLA was significantly motivated, engaged, shared, cooperative, and accountable approach than conventional approach in terms of learning concepts and skills in mathematics. The cooperative learning approach is more beneficial in mathematics teaching to enhance students' academic achievement, and therefore mathematics teachers would incorporate this approach in their teaching learning process.
... Interactive quizzes with real-time feedback are another adaptive learning technique widely used in elearning platforms. Studies have shown that immediate feedback in quizzes improves knowledge retention and promotes active learning (Mueller & Fleming, 2001). Students benefit from repeated exposure to content and corrective feedback that guides their learning process. ...
This research investigates the impact of adaptive learning techniques on student academic performance in e-learning environments. Three different methods-personalized learning paths, interactive quizzes with real-time feedback, and AI-driven content recommendations-were implemented in three groups of undergraduate students. Each group participated in a four-week learning intervention. Post-test results indicated significant improvements across all groups, with personalized learning paths showing the highest gains in academic achievement, followed by interactive quizzes and AI-driven content recommendations. These findings suggest that adaptive learning methods, particularly personalized learning, can play a crucial role in optimizing online education outcomes. 1.1.
... Jensen and Schnack (1997) situate such collaborative skills in the centre of their 'action competence' approach to environmental education. More broadly, studies have shown that mutual learning promotes productivity and creativity among student groups (Coates and Pimlott-Wilson, 2019;Mueller and Fleming, 2001). ...
Unprecedented global temperatures have brought the question of how to teach sensitive issues of climate change to the fore. In this paper we suggest that a refocusing on adaptation productively shifts the debate to climate justice and practical solutions to building community resilience. The paper examines a practice-led project that sought to innovate and test the use of participatory storytelling with young people to explore climate adaptation. Our insights relate to two areas: first, the benefits of mutual learning through engaging in dialogue with frontline communities; second, how participatory storytelling supports emotionally intelligent sensemaking, agency and leadership by providing both ‘connections’ and ‘containers’ for engaging with climate.
... La formation des équipes exige de tenir compte des caractéristiques et des habiletés de chacun des élèves (rendement scolaire, façons d'apprendre de l'élève, personnalité et genre) (Ballantine et McCourt Larres, 2007;Slavin, 2011;Plante, 2012Mueller et Fleming, 2001Toumasis, 2004). Dans le cadre de notre recherche, les équipes ont été formées sur la base des différences entre les procédures ou les solutions des élèves afin de favoriser les discussions sur les raisons les amenant à faire un choix. ...
Un enseignement ayant pour but le développement de la compétence à résoudre des
problèmes mathématiques exige d’étudier la nature des interactions de la classe pour
faire face aux défis que présente cette approche. Nous nous intéressons au rôle des
Les habiletés sociales des élèves dans le développement de la compétence à résoudre des problèmes mathématiques. Nous avons proposé deux problèmes à résoudre à deux
sous-groupes de quatre élèves de 10 ans. L’analyse des interactions et des productions
tend à montrer que les habiletés organisationnelles, qui constituent l’une des
composantes des habiletés sociales, évoluent de façon étroite avec les productions
des membres des deux groupes.
Teaching aimed at the development of mathematical problem solving skills requires
an examination of classroom interactions to address the challenges of this approach.
We are interested in the role of students’ social skills in the development of math problem
solving competency. Two subgroups of four 10-year-old students were given two
problems to solve. The analysis of their interactions and productions demonstrates
that organizational skills, a component of social skills, develop in close connection
with the productions of members of both groups.
... Diversity among team members can assist in creating a rich learning environment by providing a range of social perspectives, as well as opportunities for cognitive restructuring and support in the form of feedback, emotional support and deliberate practice. However, research has also indicated that there are challenges in ensuring that the collaborative experience is successful for all participants, as individuals can also contribute in ways that dominate and marginalize others (Arvaja, Hakkinen, Rasku-Puttonen, & Etelapelto, 2002), encourage offtask behavior (Mueller & Fleming, 2001), and limit overall success through due to diminished personal performance (Chiu & Khoo, 2003). Team composition is also one of the key factors in collaborative problem solving (Dillenbourg, 1999;Rosen & Rimor, 2009;von Davier & Halpin, 2013;Webb, 1995;Wildman et al., 2012). ...
Collaboration might not always be the best approach for problem solving in classroom learning
setting. The purpose of this study is to determine what collaborative learning behaviors contribute
to learning outcomes in collaborative learning environment as one of the essential steps for future
adaptive collaborative learning systems. Students from five countries participated in Animalia
online mini-course designed to foster students’ collaborative problem solving skills in the context
of complex ecosystems. Students worked in teams with assigned scientific roles to explore causeeffect
relationships in Animalia. Each team member have had access to role-relevant information
about the overall situation so that determining the root cause of the problems in Animalia requires
each team member to share his/her information with the others. Digital tools such as shared
documents, virtual labs, videoconference and forums were used in support of collaborative problem
solving. The study found two distinctive collaborative patterns across the 45 groups that could
serve as indicators for learning gains. The paper provides rationale and methodological
considerations for collaborative learning, presents key findings and discusses implications for
research and design of online learning environment aimed to foster collaborative problem solving
skills.
... Diversity among team members can assist in creating a rich learning environment by providing a range of social perspectives, as well as opportunities for cognitive restructuring and support in the form of feedback, emotional support and deliberate practice. However, research has also indicated that there are challenges in ensuring that the collaborative experience is successful for all participants, as individuals can also contribute in ways that dominate and marginalize others (Arvaja, et al., 2002), encourage off-task behavior (Mueller, & Fleming, 2001), and limit overall success through due to diminished personal (Chiu, & Khoo, 2003). Team composition is also one of the key factors in collaborative problem solving (Dillenbourg, 1999;Rosen, & Rimor, 2009, von Davier, & Halpin, 2013Webb, 1995;Wildman et al., 2012). ...
Collaboration might not always be the best approach for problem solving in classroom learning setting. The purpose of this study is to determine what collaborative learning behaviors contribute to learning outcomes in collaborative learning environment as one of the essential steps for future adaptive collaborative learning systems. Students from five countries participated in Animalia online mini-course designed to foster students' collaborative problem solving skills in the context of complex ecosystems. Students worked in teams with assigned scientific roles to explore cause-effect relationships in Animalia. Each team member have had access to role-relevant information about the overall situation so that determining the root cause of the problems in Animalia requires each team member to share his/her information with the others. Digital tools such as shared documents, virtual labs, videoconference and forums were used in support of collaborative problem solving. The study found two distinctive collaborative patterns across the 45 groups that could serve as indicators for learning gains. The paper provides rationale and methodological considerations for collaborative learning, presents key findings and discusses implications for research and design of online learning environment aimed to foster collaborative problem solving skills.
... Learning depends both on the nature of the activities undertaken and the meaning attached to them (Mann et al, 2010); students learn by doing (van der Zwet et al, 2011). Teachers create the conditions in which learning is possible, so the involvement of staff in active learning opportunities is essential (Mueller & Fleming, 2001). In the case of this project both the involvement of staff and the specific tasks undertaken were specifically valued by students (Table 4). ...
Working effectively within multidisciplinary teams is an important employability skill common in postgraduate working life, but opportunities to develop this are limited in many undergraduate taught programmes. The projects reported here offered twelve level 5 undergraduate students from a range of science disciplines the opportunity to work with each other and staff on a specific research question. This paper explores the experience of cross-disciplinary research from both the student and staff research partners’ perspectives. In particular the employability skills gained from such partnership working, the potential for developing and demonstrating leadership skills, and the benefits and disadvantages are discussed.
... This may reflect the extent to which they invested in their own learning, but the academic supervision of all aspects of the Cook School may have fostered this: To ensure that peer learning is effective, it has been suggested that the responsibilities of the teacher are to establish positive norms for group work, structure the task in order to support learning and understanding, model desired behaviours and to monitor group work (Webb et al, 2002). The teacher's part in creating the conditions for successful collaborative learning is central (Mueller & Fleming, 2001). In the case of the Cook School, facilitators themselves identified both the structure of the training they received and the informality of the training sessions as positive. ...
Authentic learning opportunities replicating working environments will enhance learners’ employability and intrinsic motivation. Within most undergraduate curricula, opportunities for students to experience hands-on learning opportunities which mimic public health practice are limited. A pilot university cook and eat programme (the Cook School) was developed based upon community cook and eat programmes. The aim was to enable trained undergraduate Nutrition students to facilitate healthy eating activities to their peers, as a voluntary co-curricular activity. Two cook and eat programmes, each of five weeks duration, were offered to undergraduate students (12 participants per programme). Cooking was delivered by trained chefs and the healthy eating components were facilitated by trained undergraduate Nutrition students. Participants did not know beforehand that sessions would include nutrition information & activities in addition to cooking. Facilitators identified ‘employability’ as a key driver for their participation in this project. Their post-course evaluations suggested that key employability skills like team work, time management, communication and organisation were enhanced by involvement in the Cook School. Participants suggested that attending Cook School improved their knowledge of healthy eating. Whether this translates into improved diets long term is currently unknown. This pilot project offered undergraduate Nutrition students a unique opportunity to gain key employability skills within an authentic learning environment, working in partnership with their peers. Keywords: Authentic learning, Peer learning, Motivation, Partnership, Employability
... Based on the literature in cooperated working/learning, it is recommended that groups remain together for a longer time, e.g. for the whole duration of a project or for half of a semester, in order to know each other's strengths and weaknesses, and to experiment how to communicate and work together, and how to support each other (Millis, 2002). Also, the learning is more efficient if the cooperative groups are heterogeneous as regarding pupils' achievements and gender (Mueller & Fleming, 2001;Toumasis, 2004). ...
Developing problem solving is one of the main goals of school education. A self-regulated learner have more success in problem solving, as developing self-regulated learning skills should be an important goal of school education. A teacher, in order to be able to develop their pupils' self-regulated learning skills, should master these skills. Thus developing these skills should be an essential goal of teacher education. In this paper two important skills of a self-regulated learner are studied: control and help-seeking behavior during problem solving. The article presents a research on the influence of the cooperative problem solving strategies on students' self-control and self-monitoring during problem solving, and their help seeking strategies in case of unsuccessful problem solving. The results show that students' control decrease when using cooperative problem solving; cooperative problem solving helped students to realize the importance of asking for help when solving problems; and cooperative problem solving prevent increasing the giving up rate in case of non-routine problems. Keywords Cooperative problem solving, mathematical problem solving, help-seeking strategies, control during problem solving résumé L'un des principaux objectifs de l'éducation scolaire est le développement des 6 IulIana Zsoldos-MarchIs compétences de la résolution de problèmes. Un apprenant autorégulé a plus de succès dans la résolution de problèmes; en conséquence le développement des habiletés d'apprentissage auto-régulé des étudiants devrait être un objectif important de l'enseignement scolaire. Afin d'être en mesure de développer les compétences d'apprentissage auto-régulé à ses étudiants l'enseignant doivent les maîtriser lui-même et leur développement devrait être un objectif essentiel de la formation des enseignants. Dans cet article sont étudiés deux compétences importantes d'un apprenant autorégulé: le contrôle et le comportement de recherche d'aide aux cours de la résolution de problèmes. L'article présente une recherche sur l'influence des stratégies de la résolution coopérative de problèmes sur le comportement d'auto-contrôle des étudiants et sur les stratégies utilisées à la recherche d'aide en cas d'échec dans la résolution de problèmes. Les résultats mettent en évidence la diminution de contrôle des élèves lors de la résolution des problèmes par coopération. De plus, la résolution coopérative des problèmes aidé les élèves à comprendre l'importance de demander de l'aide pour résoudre des problèmes; la résolution coopérative des problèmes prévenue l'augmentation du nombre des situations d'abandon des tâches en cas de problèmes non routinières.
... • Significant reductions in off-task behavior during instructional periods (Cartney & Rouse, 2006) • Increased collaborative interactions among students in finding solutions • Enhanced social skills and self-esteem of students in the group context (Veenman & Kenter, 2000) • Opportunities for expression and appreciation of diverse perspectives (Mueller & Fleming, 2001) • Enhanced academic engagement and outcomes (Capros, Cetera, Ogden & Rossett, 2002) Autonomy-Supportive Practices Deci and Ryan (2000) the creators of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), assert that children and youth possess inner motivational resources that may be supported or impeded by conditions they experience in the classroom context. These resources include their inherent needs and growth propensities to proactively seek out and constructively engage learning opportunities and challenges in their current living and social contexts. ...
This paper examines the effects of mindfulness practice through pranayama, hatha yoga, and meditation on practicing teachers in an inner city school to determine if practices of this nature could contribute to sustainable sense of self, sustainable happiness, and well-being for practicing teachers and pre-service teachers. Furthermore, mindfulness practice is discussed in the context of new pedagogies that are contributing to the transformation of teachers, students, and education. This inquiry has demonstrated that this process not only offers the practitioner serenity, awareness, peace, and well-being: but the benefits of the practice move far beyond the personal environment of those practicing teachers and into the classroom and school community providing opportunities for transformation; growing sustainable happiness and well-being.
... Ward (1987) suggested a small group of four to six students be assigned for study. Research has found that using a group size of three to five students for cooperative learning is successful (Mueller & Fleming, 2001;Yamaguchi, 2001). However, Ma (1996) suggested that a group size of three is ideal for cooperative learning involving high-ability students, while a group size of four is ideal for low-and middle-ability students. ...
This study examined whether students studying literature in complementary learning clusters would show more improvement in medical humanities literacy, critical thinking skills, and English proficiency compared to those in conventional learning clusters. Ninety-three students participated in the study (M age = 18.2 years, SD = 0.4; 36 men, 57 women). A quasi-experimental design was used over 16 weeks, with the control group (n = 47) working in conventional learning clusters and the experimental group (n = 46) working in complementary learning clusters. Complementary learning clusters were those in which individuals had complementary strengths enabling them to learn from and offer assistance to other cluster members, hypothetically facilitating the learning process. Measures included the Medical Humanities Literacy Scale, Critical Thinking Disposition Assessment, English proficiency tests, and Analytic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric. The results showed that complementary learning clusters have the potential to improve students’ medical humanities literacy, critical thinking skills, and English proficiency.
... The teachers in Green's (2006) study unanimously expressed that students were more engaged and motivated in class work as they worked cooperatively towards musical goals. Mueller and Fleming (2001) cited research that reported children working democratically were happier, more productive, and more creative than children who were led autocratically. Autocratically led children were found to be more academically frustrated, aggressive, and less able to initiate work than their democratic counterparts. ...
... • opportunities for expression and appreciation of diverse perspectives (Mueller & Fleming, 2001); and ...
... Practically, this line of research can enhance a popular classroom teaching tool, collaborative learning. In this technique, students are often encouraged to learn not only from the teacher, but also from each other (Burke, 1994;Elbow & Belanoff, 1999;Mueller & Fleming, 2001). With the advent of computers and the Internet, students can interact with a much larger peer group than ever before (McFadzean & McKenzie, 2001). ...
The Consensual Assessment Technique (CAT) argues that the most valid judgments of the creativity are those of the combined opinions of experts in the field. Yet who exactly qualifies as an expert to evaluate a creative product such as a short story? This study examines both novice and expert judgments of student short fiction. Results indicate a need for caution in using non-expert raters. Although there was only a small (but statistically significant) difference between experts' and novices' mean ratings, the correlation between the two sets of ratings was just .71. Experts were also far more consistent in their ratings compared to novices, whose level of inter-rater reliability was potentially problematic.
Cooperative Learning (CL) includes all structures and processes related to teaching learning where students achieve learning goals by helping each other in a small social setting. This paper provides an exploration of the effectiveness of cooperative learning techniques JIGSAW, Student Team Achievement Division (STAD) and Group Investigation(GI)of school students of XII standard studying Mathematics. Three experimental groups consisting of 20 students in each, were made randomly out of 87 Normal and Bright Normal intelligent students. The experimental groups were instructed for 22 days with cooperative techniques JIGSAW, STAD and GI respectively and post-test on Academic Achievement was administered. The findings revealed that the three cooperative techniques i.e. JIGSAW, Group Investigation and Student Team Achievement Division are equally effective in enhancing academic achievement.
It is generally believed that attitudes influence achievement, which influences the choice of subjects to pursue. This research was therefore carried out to study the effects of number of mathematics period per week, attendance at extra-mural classes and membership of mathematics club on basic school students' attitude towards mathematics. Four hundred and eighty basics 8 and 9 students from two Local Education districts in Lagos State were used for the study, the mean attitudinal difference of those taught 5 periods per week is significantly higher than the one of those taught 4 periods per week Attendance at extramural classes and membership of mathematics club did not seem to favour higher mean attitudes towards mathematics among basic school students. Based on these findings, useful recommendations were made.
The concept of fractions is often thought of as one of the most difficult mathematical topics taught in elementary school, but why do students find fractions so confusing? It may be because fractions can represent so many different things-a part of a whole, a division, or a point on a number line. Or because students' knowledge of whole numbers makes it difficult to understand why one half is larger than one-third. It also maybe because their teachers do not have a deep enough understanding of the subject. It may be a combination of these things. Whatever the reasons, the result of all of this confusion is often that fractions are taught in a less than meaningful way. Students learn vocabulary and quick tricks rather than what a fraction means. Teachers themselves do not have a complete understanding-focus on one fraction model and use only one type of manipulative, if they use manipulatives at all, to instruct their students. These students may be able to successfully answer standardized test questions but do not understand fractions. Because they are an important concept in both school and everyday life, students need to develop a deeper understanding of fractions in an environment that supports investigation and inquiry. Review of the Literature Researchers have studied many aspects of mathematics education. This literature review explores how elementary students engage in learning about fraction concepts, elementary teachers' understanding of fraction concepts, and how the quality of questioning affects student understanding. The teaching and learning of mathematics, like any other subject, requires that both the teacher and learner communicate effectively. In Halliday's (1975) view, learning a language involves 'learning how to mean'. Thus, the language of mathematics involves learning how to make and share mathematical meanings using language appropriate to the context, which is more than recognizing and responding to words in isolation. Starting in first grade, teachers introduce the beginning concepts of fractions by showing picture representations for wholes, halves, and fourths. This transfers to labeling fraction models. By fifth grade, students are expected to multiply and divide fractions. They must be able to comprehend what fractions mean before they can manipulate fractions through various operations and within word problems. Taking the vocabulary back to a strategy that emphasizes oral language development can help improve students' comprehension of the meaning of fractions. This, in turn, demands the use of appropriate language (words and symbols) whose level of difficulty is at par with the cognitive abilities of the learners concerned. Communicating mathematical ideas so that the message is adequately understood is difficult enough when the teacher and learner have a common first language, but the problem is acute when their preferred languages differ. Several studies have indicated that a student's command of English plays a role in his/her performance in mathematics. Souviney (1983) evaluated students in grades 2, 4, and 6 with various languages and mathematics instruments on eight measures of cognitive development. His results showed that English reading and Piagetian measures of conservation were highly correlated with mathematical achievements. The primary function of language, in mathematics instruction, is to enable both the teacher and the learner to communicate mathematical knowledge with precision.
Turkey’s Ministry of National Education started to establish makerspaces called Design and Skills Labs (DSLs) in every public school across Turkey by 2023. However, public school teachers’ qualifications required for DSLs are not clear. This study aimed to find out the necessary competencies for educators in makerspaces, and public school teachers’ competency-based needs in DSLs. Mixed methods research design was utilized in this study. First, interviews were held with professionals working in private and nonprofit makerspaces to explore and identify the necessary competencies. Following, a survey was designed and conducted with the teachers working in public schools to understand their competency-based needs. The results showed that educators in makerspaces mainly share technical, pedagogical and social skills as necessary competencies, and public school teachers should possess these skills that would improve the teaching/learning in DSL environments. This study would help improve teachers’ professional development, as well as redesigning the educational policies in K-12 and tertiary education.
In order to understand potential applications of collaborative problem solving (CPS) assessment tasks, it is necessary to examine empirically the multi-faceted student performance that may be distributed across collaboration methods and purposes of the assessment. Ideally, each student should be matched with various types of group members and must apply the skills in varied contexts and tasks. One solution to these assessment demands is to use computer-based (virtual) agents to serve as the collaborators in the interactions with students. This paper proposes human-to-agent (H-A) approach for formative CPS assessment and describes an international pilot study aimed to provide preliminary empirical findings on the use of H-A CPS assessment to inform collaborative learning. Overall, the findings showed promise in terms of using H-A CPS assessment task as a formative tool for structuring effective groups in the context of CPS online learning.
У овој презентацији ријеч је о општем теоријском погледу наматематички доказ. Понуђена је једна анализа директног и индиректног доказа којанам омогућава да сагледамо студентско поимање ове врсте доказа. Анализа сеослања на теоријскe конструктe 'когнитивно јединство' и 'мета-когнитицнојединство' организацијских, когнитивних и метакогнитивних фактора у процесуконструисања прихватљивог доказа. Сем тога, у циљу дубљег разумијевањауспостављена је корелација са тeлеолошким, епистемиолошким и комуникативнимаспектима. У овом моделу, процес доказовања се може описати посредством'ограничења епистемиолошке важности', 'ефикасности у вези са постизањем циља'и 'комуникацијом у складу са заједнички прихваћеним правилима'.
Teaching beginner piano students is an endeavor that builds implicitly and explicitly on teachers’ beliefs, musical ideals, and personal values. This chapter begins by exploring how many twenty-first century teaching resources and practices have their origins in the piano’s history, influential educational movements, as well as scientific and industrial developments of the 1800s. As alternatives to this pedagogic history, teachers may incorporate principles of democracy and parenting as models for instruction—two approaches that highlight how teaching is concerned with the relationships between teachers and students. Democratic music teachers draw from the ideals of freedom, equality, and dignity to solicit their students’ thoughts and opinions. Democratic teaching emphasizes how the teacher’s role has inherently moral and ethical undertones. The parenting model highlights how teachers begin by leading because students may not know the way, they hand over the musical tools students need for successful mastery, and they expand students’ ongoing mastery of musicianship.
In order to understand potential applications of collaborative problem solving (CPS) assessment tasks, it is necessary to examine empirically the multi-faceted student performance that may be distributed across collaboration methods and purposes of the assessment. Ideally, each student should be matched with various types of group members and must apply the skills in varied contexts and tasks. One solution to these assessment demands is to use computer-based (virtual) agents to serve as the collaborators in the interactions with students. This paper proposes human-to-agent (H-A) approach for formative CPS assessment and describes an international pilot study aimed to provide preliminary empirical findings on the use of H-A CPS assessment to inform collaborative learning. Overall, the findings showed promise in terms of using H-A CPS assessment task as a formative tool for structuring effective groups in the context of CPS online learning.
In order to understand potential applications of collaborative problem-solving (CPS) assessment tasks, it is necessary to examine empirically the multifaceted student performance that may be distributed across collaboration methods and purposes of the assessment. Ideally, each student should be matched with various types of group members and must apply the skills in varied contexts and tasks. One solution to these assessment demands is to use computer-based (virtual) agents to serve as the collaborators in the interactions with students. This article proposes a human-to-agent (H-A) approach for formative CPS assessment and describes an international pilot study aimed to provide preliminary empirical findings on the use of H-A CPS assessment to inform collaborative learning. Overall, the findings showed promise in terms of using a H-A CPS assessment task as a formative tool for structuring effective groups in the context of CPS online learning.
The study described in this chapter is based on a joint World ORT, Israeli Ministry of Education and
Pearson initiative to provide an opportunity for international student collaboration on a series of
complex science problems. Students from four schools in Israel, three in the United States and one in
Mexico, participated in collaborative complex problem-solving on science topics selected by teachers at
the participating schools. The intent was to expose students to the realities of collaborating with people
under unfamiliar conditions (such as different cultures, languages, and time zones) in order to reach a
shared goal, and to foster the value of this practice. The chapter presents the rationale for the project,
describes the Animalia mini-course in detail, presents major findings and discusses implications for
future curriculum development and further research.
In this action research study of a sixth grade mathematics classroom, I investigated how using project based instruction combined with collaborative learning influenced students’ attitudes and beliefs in learning mathematics. I discovered that using a project based approach to instruction helped the students see connections to math and the real world. They felt that math became something exciting instead of just lessons from a book. I also found that most students preferred to work in small groups because they had come to count on their peers for support. They felt that they were more comfortable asking their peers questions in a small-group setting than asking questions in a traditional classroom setting. Through this project based instruction, it also was found that classroom engagement increased when student interest was combined with a variety of challenging and authentic problem-solving tasks. Finally, this action research supports collaborative learning in the mathematics classroom because when children work together it leads to higher self-confidence and positive attitudes.
Reciprocal teaching is one of the most successfully implemented cooperative learning practices, yet many aspects of the process it follows are still unclear. The authors' aim was two-fold: to analyze whether reciprocal teaching activates diversity in discourse moves, communicative functions, and interaction sequences; and to determine whether reciprocal teaching needs to be based on prior work on student collaboration and cooperation skills in order to be effective (context dependency vs. context independency). Two groups with a different instructional background were compared: one with a teacher-centered and one with a student-centered approach. Forty-three third-grade students were led through a reciprocal teaching reading activity. Video recordings of each group were transcribed and analyzed at the micro level. Frequencies for each category were described and interpreted. The two groups did not differ significantly in the processes followed, indicating that reciprocal teaching is context independent and able to create interaction-rich and diverse environment.
Group Project Work was introduced as a compulsory subject in Singapore to encourage team work, critical thinking and communication. Student Receptivity to Project Work was conceptualised as related to six key aspects (goal management, self-management, learning styles, collaboration, knowledge application, and communication) and a questionnaire composed of 54 stem-items was based on these. Items were conceptualised from easy to hard (nine stem-items for each of the six aspects) and answered in two perspectives (an attitude self-view and a behaviour self-view) making 108 items. Data from 738 students in a junior college were analysed with a Rasch Uni-dimensional Measurement Model computer program (RUMM2020). Results showed that there was limited support for the model of the variable as 43 items had to be deleted. There was a good fit to the measurement model for the remaining group of 65 items (item-trait chi-square = 594, df=585, p=0.39) and reliability was good (Person Separation Index = 0.95). Items from all six aspects fitted the measurement model. The ideal perspective (this is what I aim for) was easier than the actual behaviour perspective (this is what I actually do), as was conceptualised for the structure of the variable but, for some items, only the ideal perspective, or only the behaviour perspective, fitted the measurement model. Some re-wording of the items, with further Rasch analysis, is needed for further understanding of the variable.
An exploration of in-service public schools teachers’ implementation of cooperative learning forms the basis of this article. By means of a qualitative approach to research, two tutors in a teacher development program have studied how a group of English teachers set the conditions to create a cooperative learning environment in their classes. Additionally, they reveal the perceptions that these educators have of themselves as initiators who guide their students in this pedagogical experience. The analysis of information collected provides views about the role that teachers assumed and their concerns when organizing their classroom in order to experience cooperative work. Furthermore, teachers’ self-encouragement for professional development emerged as a fundamental issue when they implemented this approach in their institutions.
Based on a theoretical model developed by Schlechty, this case study focuses on a small high school, located on a college campus and designed to address the educational needs of gifted 9th- through 12th-grade students. Eight teachers who taught 9th- and 12th-grade classes and their 60 students were observed. Each teacher was observed during six unannounced observational visits focusing on the characteristics of the learning environments in these unique classroom settings. The authors share insights gained from this case study that can help teachers as they develop learning environments in more traditional classroom settings.
The authors compared the experiences of college students during cooperative learning and large-group instruction. Undergraduate educational psychology students were assigned to small groups to discuss how they could apply important psychological principles to teaching-learning projects. Students were interrupted during cooperative learning and large-group instruction so that the authors could measure perceptions of their experiences with the experience sampling method (M. Csikszentmihalyi, K. Rathunde, & S. Whalen, 1993). Overall quality of experience was greater during cooperative learning; benefits occurred specifically for thinking on task, student engagement, perceptions of task importance, and optimal levels of challenge and skill. Students were more self-conscious and reported more difficulty concentrating during cooperative learning. Quality of experience did not differ across instructional contexts for high- vs. low-achieving students; high-achieving students experienced greater overall quality of experience in both instructional contexts, particularly in the areas of engagement, perceived skill, and self-esteem.
In an experiment conducted in 7 eighth-grade (Ages 13-14) classes in Singapore, the authors evaluated the effects of the group investigation method of cooperative learning versus the effects of the traditional whole-class method of instruction on students' academic achievement and on their motivation to learn. The authors also investigated students' perceptions of group investigation. Students in group investigation and in whole-class instruction advanced to the same extent over the course of the experiment. Neither method was more effective academically than the other method. As expected, the high-achieving students had significantly higher academic achievement than did the low-achieving students. The group investigation method did not have differential effects on the 2 groups of high and low achievers. Group investigation affected high achievers' motivation to learn on the Criteria subscale only.
The authors review and comment on 24 qualitative research articles published in the JER from 1992 to 2001, which represent a wide range of qualitative approaches. The key finding was that patterns shifted from an average of 1 article per year for the 1st 7 years to an average of 1 article per issue for the final 3 years. The authors discussed the following criteria and then used it to evaluate these qualitative articles: investigative depth, interpretive adequacy, illuminative fertility, and participatory accountability. In addition, 4 unnecessary assumptions are illustrated by examples taken from the set of articles that concern false needs for consistency, rigor, coding completeness, and thematic reduction. Three practical suggestions for qualitative researchers in education are offered as a consequence of this review and commentary.
This study identified student behaviors that best predicted mathematics learning in peer-directed small groups among students who needed help. Two behaviors were hypothesized to predict achievement: receiving explanations instead of only the right answer and subsequently carrying out constructive activity (solving or explaining how to solve problems using concepts stated or implied in the explanations received). Six classes of 7th graders participated in 2 sequential instructional units. Students in 4 classes worked in heterogeneous small groups throughout a 3-wk unit on operations with decimal numbers (Unit 1); students in all 6 classes worked in groups throughout a 4-wk unit on operations with fractions (Unit 2). Analyses of the transcripts of tape recordings of students' verbal interaction confirmed the hypotheses. Level of constructive activity was the strongest predictor of achievement. The level of help that students received predicted level of constructive activity but did not predict achievement directly. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Structured collaborative learning activities undertaken in two graduate level classes are described. Student and instructor perspectives on these activities are explored based on data collected through interviews, open-ended evaluation instruments, and journals. Four perspectives on collaborative learning emerged from the data: (1) student expectations; (2) instructor tolerance for ambiguity and flexibility; (3) student reliance on authority; and, (4) evaluation of student learning. Suggestions for implementing collaborative groups in graduate courses are presented.
Examines resistance to cooperative learning, focusing briefly on possible poor presentations of its principles, and concentrating on ways that cooperative learning threatens the beliefs many teachers hold about individualism and the importance of competition. To make cooperative learning more readily received, some of its ideas are being diluted too greatly. (SLD)
Examines choices made by educators implementing cooperative learning today, expanding the pragmatic consideration of what works to an exploration of what we want for students from cooperative learning. Realizing the potential of cooperative learning requires examining the roles of teachers and the roles of schools in shaping society. (SLD)
Although many studies have shown the effectiveness of cooperative learning in a variety of settings in grades K–12, relatively few have focused on higher education. This study compared two physical science laboratory sections in a course for elementary/middle level preservice teachers. One section was taught in the traditional method, and the other was instructed using the Learning Together technique of cooperative learning. Comparisons between the two laboratory sections assessed any differences in student achievement and collaborative skills. In addition, the cooperative learning group completed a questionnaire that assessed their perception of the effectiveness of cooperative learning compared to more traditional methods of instruction, and their attitudes toward the laboratory section. Although no significant differences were observed in achievement, the cooperative learning group exhibited significant gains in collaborative skills. By the end of the course, cooperative learning students indicated a high comfort level for the laboratory.
This paper describes the range of language used by groups of students while working with materials in several elementary science
classrooms. Specifically, it examines how students use language in small groups to discuss, clarify and build knowledge about
the science task at hand. Opportunities for students to work in small groups during science activities and to develop a discourse
of scientific inquiry are important for student learning in science and for understanding science as a process. Listening
to such discourse would further educators’ understandings about how students build knowledge in a group and about how to improve
students’ understandings. What does a discourse of scientific inquiry sound like in the elementary classroom?
Various research and writings are used to frame a major issue in U.S. schooling: Our schools apparently do little to change
power relations between the students of our elite families and those of the minorities and of low socioeconomic status (SES).
The authors use situated cognition as an instructional strategy; curriculum designed for depth—not coverage; and student responsibility
and choice as a theoretic rationale for a collaborative curriculum design in which power is shared by teachers and students
to provide equal educational opportunity. After setting the organizational context at a School Without Walls (SWW), a public,
urban high school in Rochester, New York, the authors describe how such a collaborative curriculum works. Data both from SWW
student outcomes and from a national study on school restructuring are employed to support the efficacy of this collaborative
curriculum in providing a schoolwide, student-centered context and equal opportunity for students.
- Denzin N.
- Blumenfeld P.