3: Cooperative Learning

What is Cooperative Learning?

Cooperative Learning is found in the Red Zone of the Framework for Instructional Planning. The Red Zone is also known as Creating the Environment for Learning.

View the video for an introduction to this category of instructional strategies.

To continue to the Instructional Resources for Cooperative Learning, click on the arrow in the lower right corner or navigate using the Table of Contents on the left hand side of your screen.

Instructional Resources

Click on the image below to go to the Tech Best Practice website. (Note: The presentation will open in a new window or new tab depending on your browser settings. The course will remain open in the other window or tab.)

Suggested Text Reading: Chapter 3, pages 73-87 in “Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, 2nd ed.”

There are many ways you can use technology to support Cooperative Learning. Take some time to review the many examples in the Cooperative Learning Presentation and consider which one will work best for your lesson.

You might have students participate in discussion boards on Edmodo or in Blackboard or Moodle. Edublogs is another platform you might use to have students collaborate. Students could use Today’s Meet to participate in a “backchannel chat”. Collaborative tools that are easy for kids to use include Google Docs (use the comment features and consider assigning students different colors to represent their ideas) and Prezi.

Fill in the Cooperative Learning section of the Lesson Plan. Be prepared to post your ideas in the Red Zone Discussion Forum by contributing a link to show what you have created for student use and explaining how you will use it in your classroom.

2. The Tech Best Practice website contains resources that support Cooperative Learning. Refer back to the presentation and review the slides for examples of ways to use technology for Cooperative Learning. Use the links on the Tech Best Practice website to help you select the technology tools you are going to incorporate into your lesson.

Click on the image below to go to the Tech Best Practice website.

3. Visit the 21 Things 4 Teachers website and use the tutorials to learn how to use the technology resources that support this category of instructional strategies.

Refer back to the presentation and review the slides for examples of ways to use technology with Cooperative Learning. Use the tutorials on the 21 Things 4 Teachers website to learn to use the technology tools you are going to incorporate into your lesson.

Click on the links below to access the tutorials.

• Thing 1 - Cloud Initiation (Diigo, Doodle)
• Thing 2 - Face of the Classroom (Edublogs, BlackBoard, Moodle, Weebly)
• Thing 3 – Collaboration Tools (Google Docs)
• Thing 4 - Communication Tools (Skype, Google Hangouts, Today's Meet)
• Thing 12 – Evaluation & Assessment (Rubistar)
• Thing 18 - Virtual Classroom (Edmodo)

Check for Understanding

Your next task will be to complete a short, five question quiz to check your understanding of this category of strategies. You will only have one attempt to complete the quiz, but you may use notes and resources to help you respond. Your  coaches and administrators may choose to review the quiz data for tech readiness and professional development planning.

Click here to take the Quiz: Cooperative Learning.
Note: You can also access the quiz directly from the front page of this module.

You are now ready to move on to the next activity: Red Zone Discussion Forum