- MUSICAL CHAIRS
Overall it was quite clear, their main ideas were: first the explanation of cooperative learning, then the characteristics (teacher should know the students, teacher is a guide, work in teams and students should know each other) because the teacher has to know a little their students and know their preferences, motivations, but students also have to know each other to know how to do better the job and is very important trust in each other. Also an idea that caught my attention was that they mentioned Susan and her book Inclusive Classrooms in relation to what they were talking. This is related with the idea of cooperative work, participation and involvement of all children. Finally they talked about cooperative learning techniques and made the game boxes.
In this presentation I have learned in one hand ideas for a poster because my group did a Prezi, and secondly, with the game I learned another way to teach children something that at first may seem boring. But if they are the ones that are involved in the work, then they will remember best. My group explained Egypt and this was our pictures and box:
The objective of this game was to construct us the knowledge based on what they given. Often both we and the children, when we seek information, create knowledge and internalize them we remember things better.
As for what they would improve, although I found it a good job, I would put an index before start the presentation.
The idea with which I remain of this work is the poster; I think it is a good way to make a presentation not as common as PowerPoint or Prezi.
- AMIGOS DEL FOOTBALL
They made a normal presentation and the main ideas were: as the first group they talked about the definition of cooperative work and the different techniques. But they add more information about the organization teams (teacher choose the heterogeneous groups), the internal organization (roles, team plans, reviwes), the possitive things and the difficulties about it because is also important to know this since there may be children on the team who don't want to work in the same way but the others have to make this change and involve their partners in the task. Finally they comment the celebrations in the group, this means that children receive a reward if the job is well done and take new decisions if something doesn't work. This is very important because that encourage the child to continue doing things right or change them if something goes wrong.
The game they have done has been the dartboard. Each base equipment asked questions to our partners and then we pointed the answers here, then one of us explained to the whole class.
The aim of this has been know us better and find the things we have in common. This comes in handy when a new student comes to class and especially at the beginning of the course.
The idea with which I remain of this work is the final conclusion that they did because I think it is a good way to finish the job recalling the principal ideas about what they have spoken.
What I have learned from this work is to better distinguish the peer tutoring as they have explained some nuances that I did not quite understand.
The only thing that I would improve them would be the text, that is, the specific text of the techniques in which there was a lot of information but fewer pictures.
- TEAM PERK
This group also made a presentation; they began introducing the topics that they explained with an index. Something new who they introduced was the tips for a good class of cooperative learning. They also talked about how to create groups and said some key such divide the class depending on the level of children. I also liked the photos they put about the distribution in class because they were real examples of a school that is using this type of learning.
Something that other groups not added was the rules both for base group and for the class in general. It is important class rules but we must not forget that there are also rules in the group. Class standards must be met within the group and you can even put new ones.
They mentioned the idea of roles within the group as it is important in the cooperative work roles are rotative and all components play their part.
They also spoke of the group diary and evaluation (peer-assessment, self-assessment and teacher assessment). Is important both teacher assessment and other partner and ours assessment. So we receive feedbacks from different points of view and see what we can improve, change or continue doing. Finally they spoke of two techniques (Team Assisted Individualization and Team Games Tournaments). Here I understand better the last technique since it became clear that in this type of game everyone wins though with different points but there aren't losers.
The activity that they performed was like the ball game but with the rules. We had a minute to pass the ball between our base team and said some rule that we remembered. After a minute, the last person that had the ball came to the board to write it. The objectives of this were: lear how to work in teams, develop our creativity or imagination, respect the others and be attentive to the other responses, work some values and remember the rules that our partners said.
With this work it has become clear to me what the Games Tournaments Team was because it was a little bit complex explained.
I thought it was a good job and I really don’t improve much, but, as teacher said maybe the tables must be more bigger because was difficult to read it.
- CRÓNICAS VIAJERAS
This group also started with a presentation. I liked a lot the introduction because they said a question ‘Why is cooperative learning important?’ They continue talking about two of the groups (basic and sporadic teams) and they put their examples in relation with a trip that it was a good idea. Like the previous group, they mentioned the rules but also in relation with a trip (must have for the trip: respect, empathy, kindness, positivism… and to leave at home: fear, irony, aggressiveness…) All must follow some guidelines to work well in groups, and as this group commented, it is important to have a good attitude to work in team. Both us or our future students must respect the others, trust them, be positive and put aside fears, laziness, egocentricity, etc. They finally comment Jigsaw and Peer Tutoring, two other techniques different from the previous. Jigsaw is a technique that the key here is to divide the material between the group members. For example if we studying a topic about Spain, one student look for information about the cities, another about vegetation, other about animals and the last about traditions. Once divided the tasks children organized in new groups (experts group) with the other partners who have the same theme. Finally each student come back with their base equipment and shares the information to the others.
The peer tutoring consists in divide the class in two groups to develop an activity, some are tutors and others tutored, this will change in another activity.
The activity that they plan was the Bag Pack. We have to bring some things about a travel that brings us good memories and with these we explain to our partners of the base equipment why we choose this object. Then one partner explains the other’s objects. These are two of the object of our team:
The objectives of the activity were: meet more our partners and his/her likes and so could help them in a better way.
This presentation I like a lot and I don’t improve anything of it; I like a lot the idea of linking the project with the topic of travel and I keep in mind this idea for my future works.
- DUMBLEDORE TEACHER'S ARMY
What I like about this presentation was that it was associated with the theme of their blog (Harry Potter). They also started with an index and the definition of cooperative learning. They talked about the group formation and the types of groups, but the new that added were the ideas of Promoting positive interdependation and Individual accountability, i.e., children must have an individual responsibility and therefore need to know about all parts of the work. They also changed a little the way to explain the techniques. They talked about other similar techniques:
-Problem sets: is a technique in which all children participate in homework, the idea is that no rejection.
-Peer-Led Team Learning: students who have done well in a course are recruited to become peer-leaders. The peer-leaders meet with small groups of six to ten students each week, for one to two hours, to discuss, debate, and engage in problem solving related to the course material.
-Laboratories and projects: Laboratories and projects may be carried out by teams, except that again the team grades should be adjusted for individual performance. The problem with team labs and projects is that there is no individual accountability at all. The result is a situation in which some team members do the bulk of the work, others contribute little and understand little or nothing about the project, everyone gets the same grade, and resentment abounds.
-Peer editing: pairs of groups give feedback throughout the process for each other. The groups then revise their reports and presentations taking into account the critiquing teams’ suggestions and then submit or present to the instructor.
The activity was ''The interview''. We were put in pairs chosen for them and we had to ask questions to the other partner. Then we had to remember what our companion had told us. The purpose of this activity was to know a little more each other and pay attention to what they said. This is the questionnaire that was given to each couple:
Overall I liked the presentation and especially the idea that they speak about new techniques, the only trouble that maybe there is that by focusing on new information we didn't understand well what they explain. However, it seems like a good idea to implement in other works but knowing choose the right information and how to explain it.
- MODERN STUDENTS
-The idea of face to face interaction: is very important talk and interact with the other partners of the group in order to discuss some points, take decisions, give feedback and help each other. This in a group is essential because talking people agreed and understand the others.
-The idea of use and develop different skills as trust-building, leadership, decision-making, communication, conflict management. It is important to believe in the others when we are in a group and trust they will do the job. We must give the opportunity to everyone to be the leader even those who are not used to be. Also it is important in a group to communicate, children must solve in the best way possible and the teacher is only the guide that helps students with this problems. The decisions have to be of the whole group and must take into account the views of each member, all opinions are equally important. Teacher has to give the instructions and have to follow a few steps to see that all opinions are equal.
-Tips for a teacher: recommendations for following when teacher are working in this way as form groups of 3-4 students and heterogeneous, promote positive interdependence ( different roles in the group that are rotative), providing individual accountability: make someone responsible for ensuring that everyone understand everything, help student to develop teamwork skills with some rules to accomplish, talking about group problems but children are the ones who must solve the problem but with the supervision of the teacher, give feedback about who to improve, etc.
Finally, the game was that they put some stickers to us and we had to find people who had the same sticker but without speaking. For this we needed the help of other colleagues. The aim was to communicate without speaking and being able to form teams.
I really like this work and I keep in mind the idea of tips for teachers because it was something new and I found it very interesting.
- WANDERLUST
This group although not mentioned almost nothing new, for me it was the best because I found it very innovative. They explained the cooperative learning through videos in which they were the characters. This made the job more enjoyable and entertaining. What they added was the philosophy of a professor, i.e., they put three appointments that a teacher has to keep in mind and instill their students. Two examples were:
-"Let you classmate be your teacher, be the teacher of your classmate" This is also related to the technical peer tutoring. In class we must promote the cooperative help, help each other no matter who knows more. Sometimes the most knowledgeable help the least and sometimes happens the contrary, but we shouldn't leave anyone aside and must be given the opportunity to learn and help everyone.
-"There is always too intelligent that learn to another" You can always learn from others both positive and negative things.
The game that they made was a summary of what we learn with this job. They put us in groups, first individually we had to remember ideas about cooperative learning and then put in common with our partners. With this we realized that we all have ideas, but we will always have better ideas if we put them in common with others. Learning is social and we must know that diversity is the wealth of our knowledge.
As a conclusion:
"Team learning is the process of planning and developing the team's ability to create the desired results for their members. It builds on the discipline of developing a shared vision. It is also built with personal mastery" Peter Senge
