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About this site...
The Cooperative Learning (CL) Network is an association of colleagues at Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning who model, share, support, and advocate for the use of cooperative learning. The goals of the CL Network are to:
- advocate for the educational benefits of CL
- encourage the initiative of a coordinated plan to implement CL through college programs
- maintain the current CL Network activities through shared leadership
- mentor each other and seek outside expertise
- learn and model a variety of CL structures
The Curriculum Conversion Project identified Cooperative Learning as one of the alternative teaching strategies.
About Cooperative Learning... (and more!)
All or part of the following sites focus on cooperative learning and other "best practices" that nicely merge with this approach to teaching/learning. (These include student-centred instruction, critical thinking, activity-based learning, problem solving, use of portfolios, multiple intelligences, authentic assessment - to mention only a few...)
- Did you know there was an International Association for the Study of Cooperation in Education (IASCE)? Click on 'Resources' to link to interesting online papers - one on CL in post-secondary education, another that links CL to computer mediated instruction. Keep checking this site for additions.
- Richard Felder's home page is a treasure! Check out his papers on Active and Cooperative learning, in particular Cooperative Learning in Technical Courses: Procedures, Pitfalls, and Payoffs. For anyone who thinks that CL is only suited to certain curriculum areas, note that Felder teaches chemical engineering and is a strong supporter of CL. Explore his site and check out his self-scoring learning style assessment instrument.
- Instructional Innovation Network's Collaborative/Cooperative Learning web site is a good starting place for anyone interested in CL theory and practical tips. The link to "Models, Theories, and Research" mentions most of the 'hot' writers in this area, and includes articles which stress how CL differs from traditional groupwork. "Resources and Links" connects you to journals & newsletters and acts as a gateway to other CL sites on the Net.
- New Horizons for Learning - another "well" worth dipping into! They feature resources on many strategies including Cooperative Learning.
- Center for Advancement of Learning at Muskingum College offers an incredibly rich resource with their Learning Strategies Database. Look at the general purpose strategies to find the link to their resources on Group & Cooperative Learning. Here you'll find a wealth of practical info on CL.
- Spencer Kagan, an acknowledged CL guru, now has a site. Though you are regularly reminded that this is a commercial site where you are invited to "spend, spend, spend", you may pick up some ideas from the Discussion, the Q & A board, and the Newsletter.
- The Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) at St. Edward's University offers info specifically on CL (e.g. the five basic elements and learning outcomes promoted by CL). They have also imbedded CL into their Instructional Design Workshop which offers ideas on student self/peer evaluation, structuring effective group projects and a sample CL learning assignment. "Developing Learning Outcomes", under Part 1 of this workshop, illustrates how you can incorporate Bloom's Taxonomy into your instructional design and learning outcomes. Throughout this site, you'll recognize terminology currently 'hot' in education, such as authentic assessment, rubric etc. Don't end this cybertrip without a visit to the CTE home page - look at "Useful Links" for a host of ideas on instructional technology (particularly the use of computers and the Internet), critical thinking and excellent journals.
The TiCkLe Guide
Technology & Cooperative Learning
"Technology should support diverse modes of communication and collaboration - not just enriched information delivery."
From eduScapes, and part of a larger site on technology-rich learning, comes this valuable resource on Technology and Multiple Intelligences
CL Professional Development Opportunities
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- G.L.A.C.I.E. (Great Lakes Association for Cooperation in Education) TBA
http://www.glacie.ca/conf.html
- IASCE conference ~ TBA
http://www.iasce.net/
at Open Space. At Sheridan, we have used Open Space successfully for several events - try it!!) Open Space Technology has been described as: "The most powerful leadership approach for the 21st century. Developed by Harrison Owen, it taps into the spirit of an organization like no other large or small group intervention can. It is now used around the world to enable organizations to learn and achieve beyond their expectations with a simple and even playful approach. Based on clear principles and values, Open Space creates an environment for innovation, problem solving, creativity, teamwork and rapid change. You can learn to "open the space" to engage the full energy of your workforce, to inspire growth and exceptional performance, and to flow with the chaos that will inevitably strike when rapid change is required again."
Back to Top | About CL | CL PD | CL Online | Links | College Contacts
Cooperative Learning Online Discussions
- The Cooperative Learning List. This is an international listserv devoted to cooperative learning. Once you subscribe, you will begin to receive messages in your email. You can respond to these messages, (either to all list subscribers, or directly to the person who posted the message) or simply "lurk, listen and learn". If you are interested in subscribing, please send an email to: majordomo@jaring.my
Leave the Subject Line blank and the body of the message should include only: Subscribe CL - your name
All postings to the list should be sent to: CL@jaring.my
Cyberspace offers additional opportunities to discuss cooperative learning with educators from around the world. You can add to these discussions, or look at recent postings which may have already addressed some of your questions about cooperative learning.
- Collaborative Learning ...an active discussion is a current (and archived) discussion of CL issues. These are organized into threads that focus on issues related to teachers, students, assessment etc.
- DeLiberations on Collaborative Learning is another site offering discussions of CL issues relevant to post-secondary settings.
Related Links
The links below may not specifically mention cooperative learning, but will lead you to sites that focus on "best practices" that nicely merge with cooperative learning.
- What better place to learn about Multiple Intelligences than the source itself. This link comes care of the Tool Room, mentioned above, and includes excellent links to online articles. Find out about Project Zero, and note Gardner's article "Intelligence in Seven Steps" in which he traces what he describes as the seven historical stages in the development of thinking about intelligence.
- Newsflash!!! Gardner has added "Naturalist Intelligence" to the original seven. Read all about it!
What better way to fight the blahs than with Humour. Check out this site - Humor and the Multiple Intelligences. Dee Dickinson uses the framework of Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences to categorize different kinds of humour that can enliven any learning environment.
- The Theory Into Practice database (TIP) is a very impressive tool intended to make learning and instructional theory more accessible to educators. The database, complied by Greg Kearsley, contains brief summaries of 50 major theories of learning and instruction. These theories can also be accessed by learning domains and concepts. Don't forget to look at the links offered here!
- Visit Funderstanding's site map and click on "Theory" links. This leads to helpful info on multiple intelligences, learning styles, outcome-based education, mastery learning, cooperative learning, authentic assessment, portfolio assessment and much more!
- Portfolios as a form of student assessment are hot, hot, hot! (But we haven't, so far, found too many web sites on this.) Here's one from the Funderstanding with a brief explanation. The Teaching Resource Centre addresses the use of portfolios by faculty, both for professional development and in securing tenure. Many of the ideas here are applicable to college students who may be designing their portfolios for use in job-hunting.
Susan Pratten, ext. 2369 Karen Stewart, ext. 5354
Barbara Ledger, ext. 2329 Diane Galambos, ext. 2386
Last updated June 28, 2005 by Diane Galambos
