Effectiveness of Working Individually Versus Cooperative Groups: a Classroom-Based Research Project

The teacher prepares the students to operate in a small group together. This practice can enhance the student’s cooperative learning skills.

Grouping should be reviewed and altered based on student improvements and needs. Students can learn a lot from their peers who may not be at their same ability level. Students can also be grouped by their differences in order to help students grow at all different levels. Students’ gender, social class, and race should not be the main variable associated with sorting students into

Middle school is the time for exploration and identity development. This age is defined by two periods of cognitive development that Jean Piaget called the concrete operational age and the formal operations stage. For this very reason, lessons and activities in the middle school need to be varied and unique. Students develop at different rates, and for this reason some of my students maybe concrete thinkers while others could be abstract thinkers. It all boils down to that individual student. Therefore, it is important to understand that not every student learns at the same pace from the same activity. What may work for one will not work for all. This is why in my math classes I will incorporate problem-solving tasks and questions. I believe in groupwork when it comes to these types of problems because it gives students a chance to listen to multiple ways of thinking to come to a solution. I cannot think of a job today where someone will always work alone. Our society is built on cooperation between different types of peoples to achieve one goal, to improve our world. Teaching students these lessons early on, increases their abilities to work together to come to a solution for a problem, and to embrace the diversity of learning in those

The total enrollment is six hundred twenty-four students (624), the racial demographics of the school is African American or Black is twenty-three percent (23%) or one hundred forty-six (146) students, Hispanic or Latino is sixty-one percent (61%) or three hundred eighty-three (383) students and Caucasian is fifteen percent (15%) or ninety-five (95) students. The subgroups such as students with disabilities comprised twenty percent (20%) or one hundred twenty-four (124) students, English learners are fifty percent (50%) or three hundred thirteen (313) students, Limited English speaking learners are thirty-seven percent (37%) or one hundred fifteen (115) students, the economically disadvantage students are seventy-three percent (73%) or four hundred fifty-eight (458) students, K-8 average daily attendance rate is ninety-five percent (95%), Hispanic/Latino students attendance rate is eighty-nine percent (89%), Caucasian students attendance rate is ninety-four percent (94%), the African American or Black students attendance rate is ninety-two (93%), K-8 promotion rate is ninety-four percent (94%), total student suspension rate is two in half percent (2.5%) and male suspension rate is three and half percent (3.5%). Also, the

In many professions, it is better to solve problems by working as a group of people versus an independent approach. As a group, each individual works to achieve what he/she is specifically trained in and come together as one to share thoughts and opinions. The healthcare industry is one that does not function with the skills and thoughts of just one individual. Many people are responsible for one patient and the outcome; this is called inter-professional collaboration. Henneman et al. (1995) stated that “collaboration involves a partnership characterized by mutual goals and commitments in which participants willingly become involved in planning and decision making” (Alberto, 2009, para. 6). In order to have effective teamwork, many key components are necessary within the collaboration. A few examples include: respect for others, confidence in own knowledge, willingness to learn & negotiate, belief in a common purpose, tolerance of differing opinions, and not being threatened by conflict (Black, 2014, p. 190).

The Elementary 4th class is comprised of twenty students, seven males and thirteen females. The class was diverse, consisting of six Caucasian students; five females and one male, six African American students; two females and four males, one Asian student that is female, four Bi-racial students; three females and one male, and two Hispanic students two female and one male. Three females in class were in the bottom five, one being Caucasian, one Hispanic, and one Bi-racial. Within the top five students four were female; two Caucasian, and one Bi-racial. Out of the male students in the class, two were in the bottom five; one African American and one Hispanic, and one Bi-racial male student was in the top five. There was a plethora of cultural diversity within both the top five and bottom five

As the number of members of the group increases, they are less likely to communicate with each other. Instead, decreasing the number of group members to two or three helps students focus on their tasks. Individual accountability occurs when the outcome of the group is determined by the performance of each member (Johnson 33-34). On the other hand, group accountability occurs when the outcome is determined by the performance of the overall group (Johnson 33-34). Individual accountability is proved to be effective and increases the students’ feel of responsibility. Also, it ensures the participation of each individual within the group (Johnson 33-34). Physics worksheets lacking assigned roles for each member could lead the group members to solve the questions without specifying tasks for each member. Instead, assigning roles, such as a writer, thinker and checker for each member in the group with interchanging roles from one session to another helps in making the worksheet more

Domains such as, cognitive development and development of aspects of information processing. Cognitive development is displayed when students use their problem solving and decision making skills. Development of aspects of information processing is displayed when students process the information that is given. Collaborative/cooperative learning promotes development of intelligence, personal and emotional development, development of motivation and self-regulation, and moral development. Development of intelligence is displayed when students work together and trust one another to solve a problem. Personal and emotional development is shown when students have positive and effect interactions with one another. Development of motivation and self-regulation is demonstrated when students have the ability to complete assignments without being distraction to others. Moral development is shown when students in the group work collaboratively and treat one another with

Based on classroom data collaboration is a key in the implementation of making changes in strategies and for higher performing achievement in student’s learning levels. Administrators must allow effectively collaboration within the community during school time; which allows teachers and colleagues a deeper understanding and stronger connection with students (Shea, Sandholtz, & Shanahan, 2017). In addition, there are different approaches in effective collaboration in the classroom and in the school curriculum. Making provisions for teachers to work together before or after school hours may require reallocation of resources or securing additional funding (Leonard & Leonard, 2003). Administrators think it is imperative that teachers sharpen their skills with the collaborative community so all students can have an opportunity to learn. Thus, it is essential to the future well being of all students to have a quality education in order to face the challenges in the global world market of

Educators and researchers have never stopped the examination of the importance and relevance of collaborative learning that are encouraged by middle schools. When compared with studying alone, I personally believe that it is far more beneficial to students when working in groups for the following reasons.

The median family income is around twenty-seven thousand dollars yearly. However, the school is system is located in a county that is ranked the third most populated; with a per capita income that is ranked number two in its area. Furthermore, the actual school has a general population of six-hundred and fifty students. The breakdown of the races includes the following: fifty-three percent whites, thirty-nine percent blacks, five percent American Indians, and one percent of other races. This school is considered a title one school. Therefore, thirty-three percent (213) of the students are eligible for free lunch. The student in this case study is a recipient of free lunch in this school system. Seven percent (46) of the students are eligible for reduced lunch in this school system. The school consists of forty-two full time teachers. Consequently, there is a fifteen to one student to teacher ration within the

Working as a personal para at Cuivre Park Elementary has helped me establish a personal teaching philosophy that will be implemented into my future classrooms.  I want to teach students at various levels and watch them develop together for the edification of each individual.   Group work is vital to having a successful class and is something I advocate. The impact group work is astonishing to me. When students help fellow students, it changes each child and transforms the atmosphere of the class as a whole. Albert Bandura's social learning theory stressed the importance of observational learning, imitation, and modeling. "Learning would be exceedingly laborious, not to mention hazardous, if people had to rely solely on the effects of their

The students enjoy having the opportunity to work in small groups, both independently and with the teacher’s support. When they are working in independent groups, they collaborate and help each other. They work as a team. When they are working with the teacher, they feel they can perform the assigned task

What worked or was effective? Allowing the students to work together on Math assignments permitted the students to give each other feedback, develop stronger communication skills, and encourage creativity while fostering advanced problem solving skills.

I am Zeeshan Ali; I am working as a Computer teacher for Classes VI-X-M in Canal Side Boys Campus. I have done Masters in Computer Science (MCS) from Punjab University College of Information and Technology (PUCIT) Lahore. The students are the main focus of every teacher and our entire teaching efforts circle round our students to achieve the set targets. Effective Teaching includes many useful teaching strategies that a teacher chooses according to the requirement of his/her respective subject and topic as well. In result of my years of experience and as a Computer teacher I find Group Work as the most effective and fruitful technique at every level.