Cooperative Learning

Like many strategies in education, cooperative learning is not a new idea. It is an idea that is gaining favor once again as PBL is becoming mainstream and the job skills focus less on content knowledge and more on skill development. According to a Gallop poll report (Read at this link),   in collaboration with Microsoft Partners in Learning and Pearson Foundation, "real world problem solving" is the skill most necessary for success in today's job market. The report specifically references that technology use in the classroom is not preparing students for the collaborative technology skills necessary in the real world. We can change that! The tools presently available to use allow the delivery of instruction to shift, making the real world connections with content and providing collaborative opportunities for growth. Most technology tools also allow teachers to track individual student participation and contribution, one of the difficulties associated with group work in the classroom.

Featured iPad Apps

As the Gallop poll results show, students need to be engaged in group work that requires collaboration long-term. To be successful, students need to have a way to organize their information, ideas, and products. While there are many options of Apps and web-based options, the Lino app allows all of the above in a visually pleasing and easy to manipulate format. Free from the iTunes stores, the developers describe the app as an "online stickies service that offers stickies and canvases. You can post, see and peel off stickies on canvases freely. Stickies posted from iPhone/iPad App can be accessed with PC browsers". 

By creating a group, students can use the tool collaborative. View the explanation on the Lino website:  or watch the teacher demonstration video of how he uses Lino in his classroom.

Maximizing Google  

Many Google Drive Apps are made for collaboration. Within Google Drive; documents, spreadsheets and presentations can not only be shared but become collaborative projects. Collaboration can be in real time, allowing discussions using the "chat" feature:

        

While teachers understand the power of group work done well, there are difficulties with the process that seem consistent. Two of the most difficult to overcome, without the right technology, are accountability of contribution and the need to occassionally work outside of the classroom. Google Drive apps solve both of these problems, allowing students to access and edit the shared material from anywhere they can access the web, and allowing the teacher to track individual contributions through the "revision history" feature. The video below provides an overview of both of these features.

Getting the Most Out of Your Learning Platform   

The popularity of Wikipedia introduced the world to the concept of a "wiki". It is synonymous with online collaboration and students quickly realize the real world application.  Applications in the classroom are almost limitless. For instance, science classes could create a Wikipedia like encyclopedia of concepts throughout the course. Social Studies could assign note-takers, with shared note files in the wiki. English classes can create poetry wikis to share. And math could create a wiki repository of "help" videos, either created by students or located online. For better understanding of the concept of a "wiki", visit the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through Page.

 For ideas of how to implement wikis, as well as step-by-step instructions and tips for creating a wiki in Moodle, view the video below. The video is quite lengthy at almost 10 minutes, but the content example, as well as detailed instructions, are well worth the time.

Twitter Friday Follow 

While Kagan has a product to sell, their tweets often feature articles, links and blogs related to cooperative learning as well as pictures and examples of cooperative learning in the classroom.