CLOverview

=**Cooperative Learning**=

"Cooperative Learning is a relationship in a group of students that requires positive interdependence (a sense of sink or swim together), individual accountability (each of us has to contribute and learn), interpersonal skills (communication, trust, leadership, decision making, and conflict resolution), face-to-face promotive interaction, and processing (reflecting on how well the team is functioning and how to function even better)." [Johnson and Johnson] To me, the biggest difference between cooperative learning and old-fashioned "group work" is the structures. In cooperative learning, the teacher/leader provides structures to insure cooperation for that event and to teach behaviors that will lead to cooperation in other situations.
 * What is Cooperative Learning?**

The two leading expert organizations in the field of Cooperative Learning are [|The Cooperative Learning Center] (led by brothers Roger T. Johnson and David W. Johnson at The University of Minnesota) and [|Kagan Publishing] and Professional Development (led by Spencer Kagan). I am personally more familiar with Kagan because that is what I learned through professional development workshops at The Lamplighter School where I taught for 21 years. For acquiring information on the topic on your own, The Cooperative Learning Center is a non-profit organization and much of their information is available on-line. Kagan Publishing and Professional Development probably has more materials available in a wider and deeper variety of fields and applications. But at Kagain Publishing, you have to buy the books.
 * Where can I learn more about Cooperative Learning?**

PIES and PIGS: A real nice overview of Cooperative Learning that compares Kagan and the Johnsons is on the "Active Learning Center" web page. I know nothing of this group and most of their links don't work, but the overview of cooperative learning is great!

10 Frequently Asked Questions About Cooperative Learning

Listing of Some Cooperative Structures

Ideas for Assigning Random Teams