Book Chapter

Why Faculty Should Adopt Cooperative Learning Approaches

Millis, Barbara J.

2010

Overview

Cooperative learning is founded on a deep historical research base, with new research on how people learn and on deep learning providing added insights into its efficacy. Faculty members, however, not only must recognize the value of cooperative approaches but also must have access to the tools, pedagogical support, and inspiration-particularly in their own disciplines-that will enable them to implement cooperative approaches. A huge number of technology-based approaches in large classes lend themselves to cooperative learning approaches: threaded discussions, clickers, technology-enabled academic games, wikis, blogs, Twitter, distance learning, etc. In a nutshell, cooperative learning is a highly structured form of group work that focuses on the problem solving that-when directed by an effective teacher-can lead to deep learning, critical thinking, and genuine paradigm shifts in students' thinking. Cooperative learning provides teachers with very specific tools-the structures and the classroom management approaches-that allow them to sequence activities to maximize learning.

• Publisher: Routledge,Taylor & Francis Group
• Subject: Higher & further education, tertiary education
• ISBN: 9781579223298, 157922329X, 1579223281, 9781579223281