Let's explore the social interaction model part one

 

Let's explore the social interaction model part one 

week three 

• Read chapters 6 (sections 3,4,.5) and 7 (sections 1,2,3) of our eText and write out the goals, characteristics, and methods of Social Interactive Model /cooperative learning.

Goals and Characteristics 

The textbook explains five main factors a cooperative lesson, also known as a democratic classroom, need for the lesson to go well the text states that these factors are:

1. They feel safe and secure in the class.
2. They experience academic and social success.
3. They identify areas of personal talent and interest.
4. They feel accepted by other children and adults.
5. They contribute to the success of the class and view themselves as an important part of the class.

There are also many characteristics students and teachers need to have to make sure a democratic classroom can function well. As stated in the text, the characteristics students need to have are: 

1. Students have input into the rules and procedures of the classroom.
2. Students take care of the classroom environment including bulletin boards, pets, and other developmentally appropriate tasks.
3. Student work and ideas are displayed in the classroom or in other areas of the school. Something from each student is on display at all times.
4. Students are encouraged to work together with others.
5. Class meetings are used for planning and problem solving.
6. Rituals and traditions are used to build and nurture a classroom culture.

The textbook states that the characteristics teachers need to have to make sure a democratic classroom can function properly. These characteristics, as stated in the text, are: 

1. Structure and maintain a physically and emotionally safe classroom setting
2. Demonstrate stable, predictable behavior
3. Make daily, positive contact with every student
4. Reduce competition among students
5. Share classroom responsibilities appropriately with students
6. Help each student identify areas of personal strength
7. Treat students equitably
8. Use group building activities to help students get to know one another and to form friendships

Methods 

There are many methods a teacher can use when completing the social interaction model during cooperative learning. One method includes a small group discussion. The textbook states, “The teacher sets up the parameters of the discussion, but students share their knowledge, opinions, and attitudes within the small groups. Thus they are practicing to become informed, knowledgeable, and conversant adult citizens.” small group discussion is a student-led discussion in which students can have a calm and positive debate about the topic they are learning. The social interaction model is a model used to let the teacher take a step back and have the students take responsibility for their learning by interacting with their classmates. Another activity a teacher can use when wanting to use the social interaction model during a cooperative learning lesson is instead of the teacher giving the students the answers to their homework. The teacher could have students compare and contrast their solutions with a partner. The textbook states, “Students can work together on group tasks and projects related to the concepts and skills being studied.” The text also explains that in groups, students participate in the max mix. This is a strategy in which students are randomly assigned to work with classmates of different skill levels. Students can be paired with students more advanced or less advanced than themselves. Students can participate in positive interdependence, group interaction, group reward, individual accountability, and more. The textbook then defines the following terms. The text states: 

“Individual accountability is a crucial component of cooperative learning. Students must feel accountable for their work in the group. The teacher needs to know how each student is doing to plan the next instructional steps.”

“Group reward comes from the successful work that the group accomplishes. The most effective group reward occurs when the students’ basic needs for acceptance, power, freedom, and fun are met by working together. For example, if the task is enjoyable and the students have fun working together, no additional reward may be needed.” 

“Group interaction occurs as the cooperative group members work together on their assigned task. The teacher cannot assume that students have the skills to work together productively. For positive group interaction to occur, necessary communication skills and social skills need to be taught to students.” 

The textbook also explains that students can use dramatic play to learn, and it also states the sequence a teacher can use to make the lesson go well. The text says that the sequences are:

1. Preparation for reading
1. Dramatic warm-up
2. Discussion of gender-linked careers
3. Introduction of characters in the story and vocabulary
2. Silent reading followed by a discussion of episodes 1, 2, and 3
3. Silent reading followed by dramatic interpretation of episode 4
4. Silent reading followed by a discussion of episodes 5 and 6
5. Dramatic interpretation of episode 

• View the parts of a Cooperative Learning Lesson (jot down what you find new to you)

There are many things I found new after watching the video. I was surprised how much teachers prompt students. I thought that when in cooperative learning, students would control how much they learned. I was also surprised by how important it was for students to be put into various groups that vary in intellectual abilities and more. Something new I learned where the steps of cooperative learning. The video states these steps are: 

• Clarifying aims 
• Providing learning materials 
• Organizing study teams 
• Assisting teams 
• Sharing, Evaluating, and recognizing work. 

I was also surprised when the video stated 'the most difficult part of cooperative is getting students into workgroups." and when the video states, "too much help can be perceived as interference as can be annoying to students but too little help can leave students without direction." This makes me nervous about teaching a cooperative learning lesson. I don't want to help too much, but I also don't want to help too little.

• Study the theory: Read and research articles about Cooperative Learning and share the summary of what you will have learned in your blogs:   

    After reading the articles, I have learned many things. I have learned cooperative learning uses empirical and theoretical support and that there are different syntax to cooperative learning. I have also learned the different ways to conduct cooperative learning. I have learned different ways to plan a cooperative learning lesson as well as assessments I can use and their benefits. 

    The first article “Overview of Social Interactive Model/Cooperative learning.” Defines cooperative learning as a way for “students to work together on academic tasks in small groups. The goal and reward structures require interdependent learning and recognize groups, as well as an individual effort.” during cooperative learning students, take on more responsibility. They are responsible for both their own work as well as their group’s work. They need to understand when assignments are due and then have them completed to the best of their abilities by the due date. The article also explains how theoretical and empirical support can be used in cooperative learning. The article explains the different theoretical perspectives. The article states, “individuals learn from experience(Johnsosn and Johnson (1994). Experiential learning is based upon three assumptions: that you learn best when you are personally involved in the learning experience, that knowledge has to be discovered by yourself if it is to mean anything to you or make a difference in your behavior, and that a commitment to learning is highest when you are free to set your own learning goals and actively pursue them within a given framework (p.7).” The article explains why empirical support is important. It is extremely useful in cooperative learning. The article states, “A strong empirical base supports the use of cooperative learning for the following educational objectives: cooperative behavior, academic learning, improved race relationships, and improved attitudes toward disabled children (R. Slavin’s and D.& R. Johnson’s studies).” There are also many syntaxes a teacher can use to make sure the cooperative lesson goals well. The first step, also known as the first syntax which is the goals the teacher wants the students to achieve by the end of the lesson. The second syntax is how the teacher chooses to present his or her lesson. Will it be verbal, or will she use a PowerPoint? The second syntax explains how she would teach. The third syntax explains how the teacher will split up the students into groups in order for the most effective lesson to occur. The fourth syntax explains how the teacher will help the students through the lesson as they complete their group work. The fifth syntax explains how the “Teacher tests students’ knowledge of learning materials or groups present results of their work.” and the final syntax explains “Teacher finds ways to recognize both individual and group efforts and achievements.” the article also explains why a cooperative lesson is important and what goes into planning it. The article explains a cooperative lesson is less about the teacher teaching and more about the students learning as a group. The article also explains much more such as the benefits of the social interaction model, assessments the teacher can use to test students on their knowledge, and how to manage a classroom. 

   

    The second article “Why Cooperative Learning?” It also helped me learn why cooperative learning was important. The article states, “Research has shown that students who work in cooperative groups do better on tests, especially with regard to reasoning and critical thinking skills, than those that do not (Johnson and Johnson, 1989 ).” I believe this is due to more teachers stressing that you are as responsible for the group’s work as you are your own. The article explains that students in cooperative learning settings do better on exams because of the way they work with their classmates during group work sessions. Cooperative learning also teaches life skills. Life skills, as stated in the article, are: 

• Most projects need different kinds of experts, or at least a division of labor.
• All jobs require the ability to communicate, cooperate, assess, and delegate.
• Even outside of work, it is generally necessary to get along with and communicate with other people.
• Johnson et al., 1998 stress that the most successful individuals in business, research, and school are the least competitive.

The  article also explains that teamwork is a good life skill to have.

 The third article “R. Johnson and D. Johnson Two Heads are Better than One.” explains the different ways students interact, and it also explains how that interaction can help them learn in a classroom setting. The article states, “They can compete to see who is “best”; they can work individualistically on their own toward a goal without paying attention to other students, or they can work cooperatively with a vested interest in each other’s learning as well as their own.” The article also explains that competition is normally what happens the most. I remember a lot of my teachers encouraging competition. But that is not what cooperative learning is about. Cooperative learning explains students should work together, not against each other. The article also explains that recently more students are encouraging each other to succeed instead of competing with each other. The article also defines a competitive situation, an individualistic learning situation, and a cooperative learning situation. the article defines these three situations as follows: 

“a competitive situation is characterized by negative goal interdependence, where, when one person wins, the others lose. “An example includes if students were competing against each other in order to get the right answer to a math problem in a certain time frame.

“In an individualistic learning situation, students are independent of one another and are working toward a set criteria where their success depends on their own performance in relation to an established criteria. The success or failure of other students does not affect their score.” An example includes a student who worked alone on a math problem.

“In a cooperative learning situation, interaction is characterized by positive goal interdependence with individual accountability. Positive goal interdependence requires acceptance by a group that they “sink or swim together.” An example includes if students worked together on a math problem. The article explains examples of what might seem like cooperative learning but, in reality, is not. This can include students sitting together and talking but working on an assignment themselves. The article also lists the benefits of cooperative learning. These benefits, as stated in the article, are:                                                                        

1) Students achieve more in cooperative interaction than in competitive or individualistic interaction.       

2) Students are more positive about school, subject areas, and teachers or professors when they are structured to work cooperatively.

3) Students are more positive about each other when they learn cooperatively than when they learn alone, competitively, or individualistically – regardless of differences in ability, ethnic background, handicapped or not.

4) Students are more effective interpersonally as a result of working cooperatively than when they work alone, competitively or individualistically. The article also gives teachers strategies to use in order to make sure a cooperative lesson will go well. How well the lesson goes revolves around every single decision the teacher has to make for his or her lessons. The first step is choosing the correct lesson. The teacher has to determine how this lesson can be used in a cooperative setting. Next comes selecting the groups that she or he will want to put the students into.

     The article states, “For a variety of reasons, heterogeneous groups tend to be more powerful than extreme homogeneity. A lot of the power for learning in cooperative groups come from the need for discussion, explanation, justification, and shared resolution on the material being learned.” The third step involves how the teacher will set up the classroom. The article states, “Group members need to be close together and facing each other, and the teacher as well as members of other groups need to have clear access to all groups. Within the groups, members need to be able to see the relevant materials, converse with each other easily, and exchange materials and ideas.” and finally, the teacher has to select materials that the groups can work on together but at the same time work on it alone. The teacher also has to explain the lesson and the task each student has, as well as keep a watchful eye on them, so they don’t get off track. 

    The article “Five Characteristics of CL in general: Five Elements of CL.” explains the five main ideas of what goes into cooperative learning and how to use them in your classroom. The first main idea is known as Positive Interdependence. Positive Interdependence is a way to tell students they are responsible for both the group and their own work. The group won’t succeed in their assignment unless everyone does their part. One person can’t do more than everyone else, and it is impossible for someone else to do no work at all. The second key idea is individual accountability. Individual accountability is a way to determine who completed what section of the assignment. It is a way to determine how much work each person in the group put into the assignment as well as a way to make sure one student isn’t taking credit for a classmate’s work. Next comes Face-to-Face interaction. Face-to-Face interaction is how the students work together using resources and other materials in order to increase the rate at which the group and themselves learn. Next comes Interpersonal and Small Group Social Skills. The  Interpersonal and Small Group Social Skills explains how each group uses teamwork in order to solve the task given to them. And the last step is group processing. This step occurs after the assignment has been completed. The article states, “After completing their task, students must be given time and procedures for analyzing how well their learning groups are functioning and how well social skills are being employed. Group processing involves both taskwork and teamwork, with an eye to improving it on the next project.”

    The final piece of reading, also known as “Best Sites for Cooperative Learning Ideas.” explains different resources a teacher could use in order to make sure she or he has a cooperative learning lesson.