Want to plan opportunities for students to work together, but are unsure of how to get started?  Students must be taught "how" to work in a group and "why" this method of collaboration is important and relevant for the instructional goal.  Collaboration among students should have clear expectations, roles and assessment. 

1.  All together now

2. Four on the Floor

3. Just the Two of Us

4. Eight is Enough

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Benefits of Collaborative Grouping for Special Education Students

The process of collaborative learning is advantageous for special education students in quite a few ways. When working in small groups to grasp concepts and complete assignments, children with special needs can:

increase self-esteem through contributing valuable input to the group.

strengthen communication skills through conversing and socially interacting with classmates.

strengthen critical thinking skills through problem solving, group discussion, and taking responsibility for portions of a task.

decrease feelings of anxiety that stem from having to work independently in the classroom.

model the problem solving and behavioral techniques exhibited by typical children in the group.

contribute to an understanding of diversity within the group. When collaborating with one another on schoolwork, all group members can learn to respect and appreciate the individual strengths, differences, and insights of others.

gain a positive attitude in regard to learning new classroom material. The sense of being included in problem solving and working with "teammates" to complete an assignment can bring great satisfaction to children who have struggled academically or socially in the past.

  HAPPY NEW YEAR!  Our instructional focus for January leads us into looking at collaborative grouping strategies.  Providing students with authentic opportunities to collaborate with peers is a critical component of the Learning and Innovation Skills portion of the p21 skills of the BCPS Teaching and Learning Framework.  Click here for more information: http://www.p21.org/about-us/p21-framework/60

What are some ways to include best practices for collaborative learning in our classroom?

1. Establish group goals

Effective collaborative learning involves establishment of group goals, as well as individual accountability. This keeps the group on task and establishes an unambiguous purpose. Before beginning an assignment, it is best to define goals and objectives to save time.

2. Keep groups midsized

Small groups of 3 or less lack enough diversity and may not allow divergent thinking to occur. Groups that are too large create “freeloading” where not all members participate. A moderate size group of 4-5 is ideal.

3. Establish flexible group norms

Research suggests that collaborative learning is influenced by the quality of interactions.  Interactivity and negotiation are important in group learning. In the 1960’s studies by Jacobs and Campbell suggested that norms are pervasive, even deviant norms were handed down and not questioned.

If you notice a deviant norm, you can do two things:  rotate group members or assist in using outside information to develop a new norm.  You may want to establish rules for group interactions for younger students. Older students might create their own norms. But remember, given their durable nature, it is best to have flexible norms.  Norms should change with situations so that groups do not become rigid and intolerant or develop sub-groups.

4. Build trust and promote open communication

Successful interpersonal communication must exist in teams. Building trust is essential.Deal with emotional issues that arise immediately and any interpersonal problems before moving on. Assignments should encourage team members to explain concepts thoroughly to each other.Studies found that students who provide and receive intricate explanations gain most from collaborative learning. Open communication is key.

5. For larger tasks, create group roles

Decomposing a difficult task into parts to saves time. You can then assign different roles. A great example in my own classroom was in science lab, fifth grade student assumed different roles of group leader, recorder, reporter, and fact checker.  The students might have turns to choose their own role and alternate roles by sections of the assignment or classes.

6. Create a pre-test and post-test

A good way to ensure the group learns together would be to engage in a pre and post-test. In fact, many researchers use this method to see if groups are learning. An assessment gives the team a goal to work towards and ensures learning is a priority. It also allows instructors to gauge the effectiveness of the group. Changes can be made if differences are seen in the assessments over time. Plus, you can use Bloom’s taxonomy to further hone in on specific skills.

Individuals should also complete surveys evaluating how well the group functioned. “Debriefing” is an important component of the learning process and allows individuals to reflect on the process of group learning.

7. Consider the learning process itself as part of assessment

Many studies such as those by Robert Slavin at Johns Hopkins have considered how cooperative learning helps children develop social and interpersonal skills. Experts have argued that the social and psychological effect on self-esteem and personal development are just as important as the learning itself.

In terms of assessment, it may be beneficial to grade students on the quality of discussion, engagement, and adherence to group norms. Praise younger groups for following collaborative learning standards. This type of learning is a process and needs explicit instruction in beginning stages. Assessing the process itself provides motivation for students to learn how to behave in groups. It shows students that you value meaningful group interactions and adhering to norms.

8. Consider using different strategies, like the Jigsaw technique.

The jigsaw strategy is said to improve social interactions in learning and support diversity. The workplace is often like a jigsaw. It involves separating an assignment into subtasks, where individuals research their assigned area.  Students with the same topic from different groups might meet together to discuss ideas between groups.

This type of collaboration allows students to become “experts” in their assigned topic. Students then return to their primary group to educate others. Here are some easy steps to follow the Jigsaw approach.  There are other strategies discussed here by the University of Iowa, such as using clusters, buzz groups, round robin, leaning cells, or fish bowl discussions.

9. Allow groups to reduce anxiety

When tackling difficult concepts, group learning may provide a source of support.  Groups often use humor and create a more relaxed learning atmosphere that allow for positive learning experiences.  Allow groups to use some stress-reducing strategies as long as they stay on task.

10. Establish group interactions

The quality of discussions is a predictor of the achievement of the group.  Instructors should provide a model of how a successful group functions.  Shared leadership is best.  Students should work together on the task and maintenance functions of a group. Roles are important in group development. Task functions include:

Initiating Discussions

Clarifying points

Summarizing

Challenging assumptions/devil’s advocate

Providing or researching information