1. Do Many Hands Really Make for Light Work?
Is Collaborative Learning the answer?
Topic #8: Brain Compatible Teaching (part 4)
The Power of Movement, Fun & Participation
we taught in isolation and behind closed doors?

2. Inquiry Questions:
 Why is cooperative learning such an effective teaching strategy in the interactive
middle school classroom?
 What does brain research say about the value of movement, fun, & participation in
learning?
 How can we implement cooperative learning using different “structures”?
Many children/adults do not find group work/
collaborative learning to be “fun”

3. Graphic Organizer: PMI Chart
The Power of Movement, Fun & Participation

6. KONY 2012:
http://vimeo.com/37119711

7. Our targets for the day?
1. I will define the instructional concept of “Cooperative Learning” and
explore the research that supports its many benefits.
2. I will determine the five essential elements of Cooperative Learning
3. I will explore and utilize different tools and structures for using
cooperative learning effectively
4. I will use various cooperative learning structures to learn about the
concept of Academic Controversy centered around current issues
with “Assessment for Learning”
Today’s Leaning Tool: PMI Chart

8.  Competitive Learning
 Individualistic Learning
 Cooperative Learning
What do the job ads tell us?
http://www.calgaryherald.com/jobs/job-listings/index.html

9. Cooperative Learning: What is it?
Academic Vocabulary: Four Fold Concept

10. What’s your proof that CL works?
 Research??
 Real world examples??
 Examples from your practicums??
Debating Dyads: Academic Controversy:
Cooperative Learning in the 21st Century is NO
DIFFERENT than Group Work was in the 20th Century
Conjunction Conversation
1. If you agree, use words like “and”, “also”, “when”, etc.
2. If you disagree, use words like “but”, “or”, ”when”, “if only”, “however”, etc.

11. Cooperative Learning: a definition
Cooperative Learning is an instructional strategy in which
students interact with members of a group/team in order to
reach a common goal. Although group members collaborate,
each student is accountable for the achievement of the goal. With
appropriate guidance and assessment, students use and refine
both cooperative and academic skills as they work together.

12. CL: The good, the bad & the ugly
 Doing: “Inside/Outside Circles”
 Doing: T Chart – Effective Teamwork Skills

13. Why “Cooperative Learning?”

14.  Higher achievement and increased retention
 Greater use of higher level thinking skills
 Greater ability to view situations from different
perspectives
 Greater intrinsic motivation
 More positive, accepting and supportive
relationships with peers
 More positive attitudes towards learning
 Greater social support – we are “social” creatures
 More on task and engaged behavior
 Greater cooperative skills and attitudes
necessary for working effectively with others.
*from the research of D.W. Johnson and
R. Johnson
Cooperative Learning: the benefits*
Doing: Turn and Talk for 2 (Regurgitation)

15. Retrieved from “What did you
do in school today?”, Canadian
Education Association, 2009

17. Constructivism in Instructional Strategies
Where do students “construct” their own meanings?
Where do students “direct” their own learning?
MARZANO
TATE
BENNETT
SILVER
The Big Seven
Compare/Contrast
Cooperative Learning
Games/Movement
Organizers
Summarizing and Note-making
Drawing
Problems/Debates

18. Digital and
Technological
Fluency
Communication
Social, Cultural,
Global and
Environmental
Responsibility
Creativity and
Innovation
Critical Thinking,
Problem Solving
and Decision
Making
Collaboration
and Leadership
Lifelong Learning,
Personal
Management and
Well-Being
Where does “collaborative learning” fit with
21st Century Learning?

20. Cooperative Learning: Why Not?
Why Does it Not Work?
Pre-requisites:
1) a sense of team spirit (create an “esprit de corps”)
2) trust
3) teach/assess pro-social skills (e.g. conflict resolution)
4) some learners need QUIET to learn

21.  Positive Interdependence
 Face to Face Interaction
 Individual Accountability
 Interpersonal and small
group skills
 Group processing
Cooperative Learning: key ingredients*
*from the research of D.W.
Johnson and R. Johnson
*Spencer Kagan prefers PIES:
Positive Interdependence
Individual Accountability
Equal Participation
Simultaneous Interaction

23.  Think Pair Share Compare
 Find Someone Who…
 Round Table
 Inside/Outside Circles
 4 Corners
 Value Line
 Rally Robin
 The Jigsaw
 3 Person Interview
Cooperative Learning: the structures*
*from the work of Spencer
Kagan,
www.kaganonline.com

24.  Teambuilder Spinner, Ways to Pair
 Social Skill T-Chart
 Voice Control Traffic Signs
 Timer Tools
 Team Tools
 Selector Tools
 Decision Making Tools
 CL Lesson Plan
 Team Encouragers
 Seating Arrangements
 CL Roles
 Assessment: CL Rubric, Team-o-graph
 Dice, cards, chips, popsicle sticks, chart
paper, etc.
Cooperative Learning: the tools*
*from the work of Spencer
Kagan,
www.kaganonline.com

25. Digital and
Technological
Fluency
Communication
Social, Cultural,
Global and
Environmental
Responsibility
Creativity and
Innovation
Critical Thinking,
Problem Solving
and Decision
Making
Collaboration
and Leadership
Lifelong Learning,
Personal
Management and
Well-Being
In order to change
how/what we
assess…
Ontario’s Provincial
Report Card
Local Examples:
LUES
CLIVE
…Think Differently

26. Pre-test: Where do you stand on the
“Assessment/Homework Issues”?
 Value Line: Two hot topics:
1) Value Line #1: Should we give grades
(letters/numbers) to middle school students?
2) Value Line #2: Should we give homework
to middle school students?
 Jigsaw: Assessment and Homework
Practices in Today’s Classrooms (Article
review - Homework)
Next Week: Academic Controversy

27. Wise Words of the Week
“Information becomes knowledge when
accomplished in a “social‟ environment”
**Michael Fullan
Topic #8: Brain Compatible Teaching (part 4)
The Power of Movement, Fun & Participation