CHAPTER 11:

Sustaining Interaction Through

GROUP WORK
CHRISTIAN EA,MSEE
 Learning Outcomes
 To explain group work
 To examine some collaborative learning
approaches
 To consider some aspects of educational debate
 To be aware of changing aspects of teaching and
learning
 To apply group work in class and be able to know
the advantages of it
GROUP WORK
It is a generic term covering a
multiplicity of techniques in
which two or more students are
assigned a task that involves
collaboration and self
initiated language.
 Curriculum issues

Prescriptive Curriculum Experiential Curriculum

Teacher-centered Student-centred
Linear & rational Coherent & relevant
Part to whole organisation Whole to part organisation
Teaching as transmitting Teaching as facilitating
Learning as receiving Learning as constructing
Structured environment Flexible environment
Learning in context
 Teaching vs learning

John Amos Comensius, a 16th

Century scholar; summarised the
approach that teaching should
follow, “The main object is to find
a method by which teachers teach
less but learners learn more”,
proving that current problems
have noble pedigrees.
 Collaborative learning
“Collaborative learning is an umbrella term for a variety of
educational approaches involving joint intellectual effort by
students, or students and teachers together. Usually
students are working in groups of two or more, mutually
searching for understanding, solutions or meanings, or
creating a product.
Collaborative learning activities vary widely, but most center
on students’ exploration or application of the course material,
not simply the teacher’s presentation or explication of it”.

Smith and McGregor (1992)

Educational goals

Involvement
Co-operation and
teamwork
Community
responsibility
 Assumptions about learning

Learning is an active constructive

process
Learning depends on rich contexts
Learners are diverse
Learning is inherently social
Approaches

Collaborative learning

Co-operative learning

Writing groups
Peer teaching

Learning communities Problem-based learning

Discussion groups
 RQ

Widespread use

Based on theory and validated by

research
Amount, generalisability, breadth and
applicability
Variety of co-operative learning
methods available
 Why use cooperative learning?
 promote student learning and
academic achievement
 enhance student satisfaction with
their learning experience
 help students develop skills in oral
communication
 develop students' social skills
 promote student self-esteem
 increase student retention
 develop a community of learners
 5 Elements of cooperative learning

1. Positive interdependence
2. Face-to-face interaction
3. Individual and group accountability
4. Interpersonal and small group skills
5. Group processing
Postive interdependence
 Each group member's efforts
are required and indispensable
for group success

 Each group member has a

unique contribution to make
to the joint effort because of
Sink or swim together!
his or her resources and/or
role and task responsibilities
Face-to-face interaction
 Orally explaining how to
solve problems
 Teaching one's knowledge to
others
 Checking for understanding
 Discussing concepts being
learned
 Connecting present with past
learning

Promote each other's success

 Individual and group accountability
 Keeping the size of the group
small.
 Giving an individual test to each
student.
 Randomly examining students
orally.
 Observing each group and
recording the frequency with
which each member-contributes to
the group's work. No hitchhiking! No social loafing
 Assigning one student in each No freeloading
group the role of checker.
 Having students teach what they
learned to someone else.
Interpersonal and small group skills
 Social skills must be
taught:
Leadership
Decision-making
Trust-building
Communication
Conflict-management
skills
Mutual understanding
 Group processing
 Group members discuss how
well they are achieving their
goals and maintaining
effective working
relationships
 Describe what member
actions are helpful and not
helpful
 Make decisions about what
behaviours to continue or
change
 RQ

Jigsaw Approach
Jigsaw Approach
Jigsaw approach
Approaches

Collaborative learning

Co-operative learning

Writing groups
Peer teaching
Problem-based learning
Learning communities
Discussion groups
 Problem based learning (PBL)

PBL is a learning-centred pedagogy

based on current theories of
learning including constructivism,
social constructivism and situated
learning.
Problem-based learning clearing house https://chico.nss.udel.edu/Pbl/
PBL - an iterative process
Read the
problem
Brainstorm- Next page
hypothesize

EVALUATE
Identify learning Return-Reread-
issues Report-Review
Research-Learn
Approaches

Collaborative learning

Co-operative learning

Writing groups
Peer teaching

Learning communities Problem-based learning

Discussion groups
 Learning communities
 Sociocultural and constructivist views of
learning (Lave & Wenger)
 Two important questions:-
1. What social engagements and processes provide the
‘proper’ context for learning?
2. What forms of co-participation might be required
when engaging learners in these forms of learning.
 Community types
 Learning community: focus on learning together,
sharing, developing relationships
 Communities of practice: focus on developing
professional practice
 Community of enquiry: focus on enquiring about
and issue/area
 Knowledge community: focus on developing
knowledge
 Cyber communities
Teaching/learning

Face-to-face Blended Online

“…the cornerstone of an online community lies in the presence of

socially close, strong, intimate ties, the development of trust, shared
values and social organisation.
The quality of peoples’ relations is an important characteristic in an
online community

(This will be the modified role of the teacher as an e-moderator!)

E-Learning (teacher to moderator)

Salmon (2005)
References
 Johnson, D.W. and Johnson, R. T. (1990) Cooperation and Competition:Theory and
Research, Edina, MN; Interaction Book Company
 Lave, J. and Wenger, E. (1991) Situated learning; legitimate peripheral participation,
Cambridge University Press
 McConnell, D. (2006) E-learning groups and communities, SRHE/OU Press
 Salmon, G. (2005) E-moderating, Open University Press
 Smith, B. L. & McGregor, J. (1992) What is collaborative learning? – National Center
on Postsecondary education