some resources for co-operative learning

http://www.georgejacobs.net/cooperative.htm

Follow the link to find resources available for teaching with co-operative learning

OR follow this link to find many websites that contain resources for teaching with co-operative learning.

http://www.iasce.net/resources.shtml#

OR follow this link to free co-operative learning printables

http://www.lauracandler.com/strategies/co-op.php

some thoughts

I have almost completed my research on G&T and on co-operative learning. My g&T research as I have already written about focused on how can teachers effectively teach students who are advanced in one or more areas of the curriculum we teach while at the same time teaching those who are adequately served by the content and teach those who are having difficulty grasping concepts. It seems that within an inclusive classroom the best and most logical option is to have a curriculum model that is easily differentiated; this is what has attracted me to the Integrated curriculum model.

In researching co-operative learning I have found that within this model differentiation is possible and that in fact using the co-operative learning model may in fact also be a useful teaching method for G&T students.

It is important to note that flexibility really is the key to teaching in inclusive classrooms and that obstructions, which at this stage I can only guess at, could be school and government policies and guidelines. But most likely school management and ethos. So flexibility not just within curriculum delivery will most likely be needed but also flexibility in colleague and management relations will be needed too.

act det policies on co-operative learning

I have found no direct policies regarding the use of co-operative learning in the classroom, however co-operative learning as a strategy is embedded into many of their documents; suggesting that Cl is a supported teaching strategy.

Stanford summary of co-operative learning

'Many faculty members who recognize the benefits of

collaborative work still hesitate to use it, fearing that

coverage of material will be sacrificed. Restructuring a

course to include group work may indeed mean spending

more time on fewer topics, but “research shows that

students who work in groups develop an increased ability

to solve problems and evidence greater understanding of

the material” (Davis, 1993). Perhaps beginning with

modest collaborative assignments and supplementing

classwork with additional readings will resolve some of

the conflicts between coverage and depth. Students, with

the proper help, can be guided toward greater autonomy

and take on a greater responsibility for their own educa-

tion if instructors provide them with useful, engaging,

and relevant tasks to accomplish with their peers.'

Retrieved from: Cooperative learning:students working in small groups. (1999) .STANFORD UNIVERSITY NEWSLETTER ON TEACHING

SPEAKING OF TEACHING WINTER 1999 Vol.10, No.2

http://ctl.stanford.edu/Newsletter/cooperative.pdf , (p.4)

We teach teachers co-operative learning

The website below can organise professional development in how and why to use co-operative learning in the classroom. Courses are given all over Australia including here-our nations capital.

They promise academic achievement, good race relations, improved student self esteem a good class climate and higher level thinking.

http://www.kaganaustralia.com.au/Home.htm

Policies needed for CL implementation

In Oregon, USA this year 18 policies were outlined (shown at the website below) in order that co-operative learning can be effectively implemented into classrooms.

They are asking from support from administration down to fellow colleagues. They are asking for funding and textbook manufacturers to be involved. And they are looking for proffessional development. An interesting read.

http://tep.uoregon.edu/resources/librarylinks/articles/policies.html

The tool or the teacher?

Galitis I. (2007). The right tool for the job? Use of the Multiple Intelligences and Bloom's Taxonomy grid. Australasian Journal of Gifted Education; v.16 n.1 p.12-19; June 2007. Retrieved from ISSN: 1323-9686. (cited 06 Mar 10).

This article asks if the implementation of Gardners multiple intelligences into classroom practice is addressing the needs of gifted and talented students. 16 teachers from a metropolitan Victorian primary school were found to have rigid beliefs on gifted and talented education. It is suggested that these held beliefs could have resulted in the non-impact of Gardners multiple intelligences model on improving outcomes for gifted and talented students.

ICM in Australian class

Henderson, L. (2004). Unleashing talent: an examination of VanTassel-Baska's integrated curriculum model, Post-Script; v.5 n.1 p.54-73; September 2004. Retrieved from www.edfac.unimelb.edu.au/insight/pscript.shtml ISSN 1444-383X. (cited 06 Mar 10).

This study looked at the results of one inclusive year 3 class for one term within a small independent Melbourne school, whose teacher and researcher for the purpose of the study used concept based teaching rather than topic based. Ten of the seventeen students had been identified as gifted, and three with learning disorders. The studies goal was to discover if this model was effective for all class members. Findings were that the program did encourage higher order thinking skills that led to improvement in writing and literary interpretation skills in all class members. Questions raised asked if these findings would be consistent across a wider field. This article is important since it presents a model that can be introduced into all classrooms without the need for establishing specialised programs.

Gross on ability grouping

Gross, M.U.M., (2000). To group or not to group: is that the question?

Vision; v.16 n.1 p.18-26; April 2000.

As director of GERRIC at the university of NSW, Miraca Gross, strongly argues for ability-grouped education for academically gifted students. Gross lists advantages and disadvantages of ability grouping, addresses myths surrounding ability grouping and cites studies that show improved self-esteem in students when enrolled in selective schools or classes. Gross argues that age grouping is a relatively new phenomenon that is based on flawed assumptions that age is related to development, citing five research examples that reinforce her position.

teaching strategies for G&T

A Guide in Developing Strategies

Characteristics	Learning Needs / Skills to be Provided	Strategies
Self motivation or intense application to high interest task. Capacity for independent work.	Research and study skills. Independent learning skills. Use of self-pacing materials.	Encouragement of self-direction - management of time, resources, self-organisation. Time and opportunity to pursue interests independently. Teaching of tools of inquiry to facilitate independent investigations. Use of contract systems, guidelines, learning centres. Provision of a knowledge of resources and their availability; show multiple ways of recording and presenting information. Flexibility of working space and timetabling.
High standards and goals.	Setting of realistic goals. Acceptance of mistakes. Group Skills. Exposure to people who may act as models.	Encouragement of intellectual risk-taking. Provision of co-operative learning strategies in small groups. Teaching of social skills. Explanation of multiple ways of recording and presenting information to encourage expression through a variety of modalities. Use of higher level thinking processes, e.g. Bloom's Taxonomy. Grouping with "like" peers, cluster groups, mentors. Access to products of high quality.
An evaluative approach and a concern with moral issues/judgments.	Exposure to the views, abilities and needs of others. Problem-solving skills in the affective domain; inquiry skills.	Provision of discussion opportunities with adults and "like" peers, as well as with children of varying abilities. Discussion of values, moral philosophical issues; role play and use of problem-solving process, e.g., Creative Problem Solving Steps (Parnes), Taba's Induction Thinking Model (form concepts, interpret data, infer, predict, hypothesise, explain/support, hypothesise, verify). Investigations, research.
Quick mastery and retention of information.	Use of self-pacing, self-selection. Allow rapid movement through the basic information stage. Early mastery of basic skills.	Provision for non-graded, flexibly organised instruction. Use of appropriate transition policies between levels of schooling. Opportunity for discovery learning. Use of higher level thinking skills and accelerated or advanced content.
High level of verbal ability and advanced vocabulary. Keen sense of humour. Reads extensively at higher level of difficulty and conceptualisation.	Exploration of language structures. Higher level comprehension skills. Verbal sharing of ideas. Opportunity to "play with language". Exposure to wide variety of reading materials - fiction and non fiction.	Opportunity for small group discussions, perhaps using novels as a basis. Exposure to other languages. Study of humour in language. Use of reading materials to develop creative and critical thinking skills. Production of a range of literary materials by the children at appropriate level of ability. Using books which deal with advanced or abstract concepts, e.g. heroism, time, change friendship. Developing understanding of plot, characterisation, theme, author strategies and style.
Wide general knowledge. Advanced interest in one or more fields.	Integrated approach to curriculum. Exposure to wide variety of subjects, materials and resources. Research and study skills. Opportunity to follow through interest.	Contact with experts, opportunity to work in specialised setting related to field of interest. Development of mentor relationship. Development of real investigations/products in field of interest. Participation in electives, cluster groups. Use of Renzulli's Enrichment Triad Model for conceptual framework. Variety of approaches to thinking, investigating, problem-solving.
Thinks rapidly with advanced understanding. Ability to abstract and reason critically from holistic perspective.	Advanced and more complex thinking skills, e.g. analysis, synthesis, evaluation, hypothesis testing. Integrated approach to curriculum. Inquiry Skills.	A variety of approaches to teaching thinking skills, investigating, and problem-solving, e.g. Society in View, Taba teaching strategies, Bloom's Taxonomy, creative problem-solving. First hand investigations of real issues/problems, development of real outcomes/products. Use of Enrichment Triad Model as conceptual framework. Encouragement of self selection of issues.
Is curious; seeks solutions in creative and inventive ways. Interested in "adult" issues.	Open-endedness. Creative and critical thinking skills. Multiple approaches to problem-solving. Encouragement to express ideas and attitudes.	Encouragement of creative processes - flexibility, originality, fluency, elaboration, curiosity, complexity, risk-talking, imagination. Teaching of creative techniques, e.g. brainstorming, creative problem-solving. Provision of open-ended situations and tasks. Provision of meaningful involvement in "real world" issues and problems.
Capacity for leadership. Is sensitive and intuitive towards others; has sense of justice and values.	Group membership skills, leadership skills.	Provision of affective and values learning using current social and other problems. Opportunities to develop qualities of leadership and to demonstrate them. Use of co-operative learning strategies to develop group membership social skills.

From: Children with Special Abilities Ministry of Education and Training, Victoria. QAGTC inc. 1993