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Cooperative Learning Principles
I feel that one of the most important principles of cooperative learning is selecting group members. Groups should be small and heterogeneous in order to promote active learning. Teachers can form groups by heterogeneity, random assignments, or allow students to choose their own groups. There are advantages and disadvantages for each selection process. With heterogeneously selected groups the teacher places students in groups based on ability, ethnicity, or other personal characteristics. This type of group allows students to learn more about each other and help each other based on their skill levels. A problem that may arise with this group is that students may feel out of place or unable to work well with the other group members. Randomly assigned groups allow students to meet new people and hear new ideas. This selection method works well at the beginning of the year when the teacher does not know a lot about the students. The problem with this method is that it is possible to form groups of students with the same ability level or people may not be able to work together. The last method, students selecting their own groups, is well liked by students because they can be in groups with their friends. Usually these groups do not have problems working together, but can socialize more then focusing on the task at hand. Many times some students are left out entirely and are forced into a group that does not know them. Teachers need to determine which method is best for each classroom setting.
During my semesters of being a teaching assistant with the emerging scholars calculus program, at Virginia Tech, I have seen different methods of selecting groups. All work in these classes is to be done in groups and usually the students chose their own groups. With the majority of groups the students can work well together and stay on task for most of the class period. There are some groups with the more talkative students that do not seem to be able to stay focused on the worksheet and end up not completing their work. One teacher I worked with took a different approach and assigned the students to groups. The group assignments were totally random at the beginning of the semester and proved to work very well. Especially during the beginning of the semester the students mainly stayed on task because they did not really know the other group members. Over the semester I noticed the formation of new friendships and a lot more work then talking being accomplished. I would definitely try both methods in my classroom before determining which method works, but I prefer assigning the students to groups.
Another cooperative learning principle I feel is extremely important is the idea of individual accountability. Group work depends of the belief that students can count on each other and are individually responsible for the work. There are several methods to ensure that each student participates. First, have the students complete the work before meeting with the group. The point of this is that students are required to do the work and gives each student a basis for contributing to the group work. Another method is to divide the task among the group's members. Then each student is responsible for a section of the work and the group holds each member accountable for the work. A final method described is to randomly select a student to be the group's spokesperson. If any student in the group could be called upon to respond, each student will want to understand what their group is doing and the group will wish to ensure that everyone knows what is happening. This method provides for active participation. A group's success is dependent upon mutual support, encouragement, and individual accountability amongst the group members.
I recall many group projects that I have completely over the years and in the majority of them only a few students actually participated and the others received credit for work they did not participate in. For example, during a course in college geometry group work was highly emphasized and we spent the entire semester doing group work. For one homework assignment there were four people in my group, but only three of us showed up to work on the problems. During our last meeting the fourth member showed up and wanted us to explain everything we had completed. By that time the rest of us had completed almost everything. The last member contributed nothing to the group, but still received credit for the work because he was in our group. Since the majority of my cooperative learning experiences have gone in this fashion, I do not look highly upon using this teaching method. I do not dislike the teaching method when it works the way it is supposed to, but I rarely see it work properly. I feel that teachers need to give students both a group grade and an individual grade based on reviews given by all group members. This way each student is accountable.