Teaching in a distance education environment inherently requires skills that are not necessary in a traditional classroom. According to Moore and Kearsley, "The key to being effective is that the teacher takes full advantage of the interactive nature of the media and resist the temptation to lecture, which is better done through a recorded medium. (1996, pg.71)" They go on to identify a real need for research in the area of online teaching strategies. Research is currently being conducted on the effect of increased student interaction and is showing significant increases is student achievement. (Schutte, 1996)
To increase the interactions of students with each other, the media, the content and the instructor, the role of the teacher must include structuring activities, motivating students, and managing the course. These skills are not so different from a Cooperative Learning teacher in a traditional classroom. Cooperative Learning is a proven teaching strategy that can be implemented in any content area. This strategy has shown to increase student achievement, foster positive social relationships and improve student self-esteem. This strategy is beginning to be applied in online instructional environments.
In order to implement Cooperative Learning, an instructor needs to develop there teaching skills within their new role. To develop the necessary skills, one must understand the foundation and theory; implement the specific processes; and lead the activities of the strategy.
Theory
It is important to understand the Cooperative Learning (CL) is much different that traditional group work. Although students are placed in small groups of 3 to 6 people, the activities are highly structured and student skills are developed to accomplish four major goals. First, students must work together to accomplish a task. The activities must require the participation of all group members to be accomplished successfully. Second, each student is assessed and held accountable for their individual contribution. Generally CL activities do not include group grades. In many cases, however, bonus points or rewards other than grades are given to students whose teams work closely together. Third, each student has an equal opportunity to participate. And finally, the more students that can participate at once, the more interaction that will take place. Spencer Kagan calls this "simultaneity." (1992)
Process
There are several models of CL, but they all have some basic components. Small teacher created groups, content and motivation activity, and processing. In a CL environment students are grouped based on specific criteria, such as content expertise. Allowing students to self-select teams usually creates havoc. Activities are conducted in order to process content as well as build team and class inclusion and motivation. Additionally, students and teacher are given ample opportunity to evaluate the activities and content processes.
Activities
When students are asked to participate in activities, they are given thorough instructions as to how to proceed as well as the necessary content materials. One popular activity is called Think-Pair-Share. (Kagan, 1992) During this activity students are asked to first think about a given questions - no talking....just thinking. This gives each student time to form an individual answer. When a signal is given the students then exchange ideas with their designated partner and develop a consensus opinion when possible. Finally the students report their information to either their team or the class.
Resources
Cooperative Learning is beginning to be applied in online learning environments. Following is a review to several sites with information pertaining to traditional and online implementation of this strategy.
What We Know About Cooperative Learning at the College Level http://eminfo.emc.maricopa.edu/innovation/ccl/models/whatweknow.html
This article was written by David Johnson & Roger Johnson, University
of Minnesota. The Johnsons are well-known, well-respected experts in the
field of Cooperative Learning. This article provides a brief history of
the research on Cooperative Learning effectiveness at the college level
and specifically address several academic issues such as why college instructors
should "take this research on CL seriously."
Sabotaging Cooperative Learning: or, Snatching Defeat from the Jaws
of Victory http://eminfo.emc.maricopa.edu/innovation/ccl/models/sabo.html
This article by Jim Cooper, California State University, Dominguez
Hills, covers some of the most common problems that teachers face in CL
classrooms. These problems and their likely causes are addressed clearly
and concisely. Issues such as group grading and self-selected teams are
examined in relation to successful achievement of give tasks.
Making Distance Learning Collaborative
http://www-cscl95.indiana.edu/cscl95/christia.html
The authors, Ellen Christiansen and Lone Dirckinck-Holmfeld, review
a course they taught at Aalborg University in Demark. The class implemented
CL strategies in a distance learning course using FirstClass. The thoroughly
address the issues of purpose, scope, foundation and evaluation of the
project. Additionally, they discuss the differences in CL in an online
environment.
Collaboration and Negotiation through the Learning Web http://ksi.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/articles/LearnWeb/EM97451/
This is a an article pertaining to the implementation of CL in an online
Computer Science course. Mildred L. G. Shaw and Brian R. Gaines, University
of Calgary, review the successes and failures in design and instruction
of this course.
Computer-Mediated Cooperative Learning: Synchronous And Asynchronous
Communication Between Students Learning Nursing Diagnosis
http://www.cybercorp.net/rhiggins/thesis/higtp.html
This is the doctoral thesis of Robert N. Higgins at the University
of Toronto. The findings of his research positively support the implementation
of CL in synchronous learning environments. This is a thorough research
project with good supporting materials.
Kagan, Spencer. (1992) Cooperative Learning. California, United States: Resources for Teachers, Inc. (pgs. 3:1, 3:3)
Moore, M. G. and Kearsley, G. (1996) Distance Education: A Systems View, California, United States: Wadsworth (pgs. 59 - 77)
Online
Schutte, Jerald G. (1996)~ Virtual Teaching in Higher Education:~ The
New Intellectual Superhighway or Just Another Traffic Jam?~ URL:
http://www.csun.edu/sociology/virexp.htm