Wes Neal Entry #2: Cooperative Learning

In my clinical, the teacher utilizes cooperative learning extensively. Since it is an upper level biology class, and is project-based, there are many opportunities for cooperative learning to be used effectively. First, the obvious opportunity is laboratory exercises. While this is used partially due to the fact that there are not enough lab matterials or space, it also provides effective learning experiences. As I walked around the lab area during a recent experiement, I heard students asking each other questions and providing guidance and feedback to each other. Not only does this help students who are unsure of what to do, but it also helps the confidence of students who hear, "good job" or "that looks perfect". This is a situation where everyone's work contributes to the group's grade, so no one discourages or puts another person down. This provides not only group accountability but individual accountability since each member wants to do a good job for the good of the whole. Students who would not otherwise work with others are placed in an environment where they could gain social skills and learn to work with others. The teacher lets this teamwork overflow into other activities as well. At the end of each section, students are provided with a set of reveiw questions that are not only for a grade, but act as a study guide for the upcoming test. Students are encouraged to work together on these to insure that they not only get their participation points, but that they get the correct answers in order to effectively prepare for the test. Finally, there are online computer-based activities that go along with each chapter that the teacher assigns and allows students to help each other on. Once again, since these are for a grade, students do not hesitate to ask for or provide help to others.