Posts
Learning takes place in different ways and cooperative learning is such an example. Students get to work in groups with a well thought out plan in place set forth by their instructor. Students must be given rules that must be upheld during work. For example, a rubric stating the guidelines for the assignment will benefit the students greatly as they create their artifact.
Technology can also be utilized as students are engaged in cooperative learning. With a rubric in place, students can use a myriad of technology based resources to accomplish their task. For example, to show that they have mastered the concept of plot, students can work cooperatively to write a short story while masterfully incorporating the elements of plot. They can then use the rubric to monitor their own progress.
Social learning is based on individuals learning from each other through their interactions. Cooperative learning with technology integration is a great way for students to learn.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
You bring up an especially important point in paragraph one when talking about a well thought out plan and rules. I still think some teachers equate group work with cooperative work. This simply is not true. In cooperative work, the roles are very structured and you point that out in your posting!
ReplyDeleteI couldn’t agree more with you. Technology has made a huge difference in the way I use cooperative learning. There are so many different activities to choose from that it is almost too hard to pick one. I have come to a point where I allow my students to pick the technology method they are most familiar with. To do this I use a rubric, so that my students know what I expect from the artifact. I also find using rubrics helpful because they allow the parents to see what exactly was missing from the artifact and explains how their child received their grade. Before rubrics, I had many questions about how I graded my students, but now the rubric does it for me.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you totally on the statement that cooperative learning is great social learning but it needs definite structure. A rubric with guidelines is a great idea. I always put the steps I wanted my students to take up on my whiteboard. Third graders need defined procedures to stay on task. I also give each group a check list so they can check off the box when they have completed each task required to produce the artifact. Technology has changed the way cooperative learning can exist in our classrooms but it has opened up a new realm of opportunities for our students to be actively engaged in creating an artifact while collaboratively interacting, learning and teaching each other.
ReplyDeleteI am all about the rubric. I find students that know what is expected are willing to work towards achieving it. The technology available for that to happen is ever-expanding and I can hardly wait to see what is next.
ReplyDeleteGreat discussion thread you guys!
ReplyDeleteThe important thing with utilizing a rubric (which I believe is a great tool) is teaching the students the purpose of the rubric and how they benefit from it. I spent a week in a class where they were to begin a group project and create a presentation with a visual. The teacher included a rubric, which I took the time to go over and discuss, but as students began to work, they did not refer back to the rubric and I had to constantly remind them to check the rubric. At mid week I even had them pull out their rubrics and look them over to make sure they were on track. Most of them were confused by what they were to do with it and they said that they usually only get the rubric once they were being graded on the project. While I don't know for sure if this is true, I know that this isn't exactly how rubrics were meant to be used.
ReplyDelete