COOPERATIVE LEARNING: INTERVENTION AND MOTIVATION STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE

ACHIEVEMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE IN A MULTICULTURAL CLASSROOM

An Action Research Study

By:

Jessica Lambert

ABSTRACT:This two-cycle action research project investigated the use of cooperative learning strategies within a 5th grade classroom as a motivation and intervention tool. Both qualitative and quantitative data were gathered and analyzed according to a mixed-methods research design. This study looked at the implications on classroom behaviors when cooperative learning group strategies were used to increase motivation as well as student achievement. It also analyzed the impact that cooperative learning strategies have on each individual subgroup within the classroom to determine if using this strategy also improved social justice and equality within a multicultural classroom. Findings indicated that cooperative learning strategies did increase motivation and achievement. In addition to motivation and achievement research indicated that cultural subgroups benefitted equally from the incorporation of cooperative learning strategies.

THE PROBLEMS: Intervention needed to motivate

students.

Low performing students demonstrate lack of motivation not ability.

Students are not engaged.

FIRST CYCLERESEARCH QUESTIONS: In what specific and measurable ways does the

implementation of cooperative learning groups affect student performance when used as an intervention for lower achieving students to increase motivation and overall academic performance? Does being accountable to a group for completing

homework assignments decrease the frequency of missing or late assignments?

Has there been a marked change in observable behaviors among the focus students as a result of the implementation of cooperative learning groups?

How does the assignment of group roles and responsibilities add to the effectiveness of collaboration for focus students?

SECOND CYCLERESEARCH QUESTIONS: In what specific and measurable ways

does the implementation of cooperative learning groups increase social justice in a multicultural classroom?Do all three subgroups within the classroom

respond in similar ways to the use of cooperative learning strategies?

THEORETICAL ROOTS OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING In the early 1900’s, well known theorists

begin inquiries into human behavior and educational psychology.

Some big names driving this research were: John Dewey, Kurt Koffka, Jean Piaget, and Lev Vygotzky.

The research that follows is the result of three main theoretical perspectives:Behavioral TheoryCognitive-Developmental TheorySocial Interdependence Theory

JOHN DEWEY

In his book, Democracy and Education (1916), he proposes that the processes of learning should be social and interactive. If students are to learn to live in a

democracy then they should experience this process in classroom life.

Students should have opportunities to engage in learning while making meaningful choices and building productive relationships based on genuine interpersonal respect and empathy (Baloche, 1998).

B.F. SKINNERBEHAVIORAL THEORY Cooperative efforts within groups are

rewarded with extrinsic factors known as reinforcers.

All human behavior is the result of antecendences and consequences or reinforcers. The consequence or reinforcer determines

future behavior which either strengthens or extinguishes motivation.

PIAGET, VYGOTZKY, KOHLBERGCOGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT THEORY When students work together they

provide each other with new information and varying ways to think about information.

Students receive immediate “rewards” as their contributions to the group are accepted and used.

Students engage in Vygotzky’s “mediation” within heterogeneous groups when they coach and teach each other according to their different cognitive learning levels.

SOCIAL INTERDEPENDENCE THEORY Alligns with MSJE approach. Cooperative efforts are intrinsically

motivated by common aspirations of achieving the same goal.

Cooperative learning structures promote social interaction as group members encourage and ease each other’s efforts to learn.

RESEARCH ON COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM Achievement gap? Race relations crisis?

Social skills crisis? Experts label the lowered US educational performance of students with various names. Cooperative learning can address many of these issues.Preliminary research indicates that

cooperative learning helps bridge these gaps. Students work together and increase social

skills. Students work together and increase race

relations. Students work together and acquire 21st century

skills that will help them as they navigate from classroom to career.

MULTICULTURAL SOCIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION APPROACH Cooperative learning can build social

skills while diminishing racial tension and still mastering grade level standards.

Cooperative learning should be used in the classroom to develop skills and attitudes of cooperation.Group Process Skills

Conflict management Listening skills

CREATING COOPERATIVE ENVIRONMENTS Heterogeneous groups are a key to

successful cooperative learning; but often when grouped this way students do not know or like each other so activities that build teamwork and trust are imperative. Some examples of teambuilding activities:“About Me” posters and collagesTeam identity postersThis is my friend (partners introduce each

other)Team InterviewsTeam Windows

MODELING COOPERATION

The younger the student, the greater the need for social skill building when working together becomes.

Dr. Spencer Kagan (2009) says, “Good teammates are made, not born.”Students do not always get along it is

important to see these situations as learning opportunities.

Teachers should be prepared for these situations, understand that they are a natural occurrence, rather than a reason to abandon cooperative learning, and model effective problem solving skills when groups experience difficulties.

COOPERATIVE LEARNING ROLES What makes cooperative learning

different from ordinary group work is that each member has a specific role.

Some ideas for job titles or roles are: Facilitator Checker Timekeeper Speaker or Presenter Encourager or Cheerleader Sherriff Focus Keeper Recorder Quiet Captain Materials Monitor

COOPERATIVE LEARNING STRUCTURES The research proved that there is a wide

variety of group structures. The four that were implemented in my project and will be explained in the following slides were: JigsawGroup InvestigationLiterature CirclesNumbered Heads Together

JIGSAWThere are many ways that this structure can be adapted. In this study heterogeneous groups of four were numbered one through four. Each number then meets with a different group to become experts on a topic. They then return to their group to share what they learned and contribute to the group, while learning from the contributions of other group members who became experts on a different subtopic.

GROUP INVESTIGATIONStudents are required to gather data, interpret the data through discussion, and synthesize individual contributions into a group project. This can be used for all ages, but the younger the student the more support and guidance will be required by the teacher as well as scaffolding of investigative materials that are age appropriate.

LITERATURE CIRCLESStudents are assigned to small, cooperative reading groups and each takes on a different role that develops a comprehension strategy.Example roles:

Plot Pilot – traces plot.Word Wizard – uses context clues

to find meanings of difficult words.

Story Shrinker – Summarizes selection.

Character Captain – Analyzes what a character does and says to draw conclusions about them.

NUMBERED HEADS TOGETHER

I used this as a way to incorporate cooperative learning into Math. Students work together to find a solution to a word problem. Then a random number is called and that student must explain how the group solved the problem. This forces all students to work together because it could be their number that is called to represent their group.

ACTION RESEARCHSubjects – 5th grade students at West Fresno Elementary

School. Focus students for each cycle were 4 low performing students that exhibited similar motivational and behavioral characteristics.

Instrumentation – Student surveys, formative assessments (quizzes, worksheets, homework, and other student generated artifacts), summative assessments (unit and district benchmarks), observation checklists, and transcribed notes from structured interviews.

Reliability and Validity – Established by the triangulation of the multiple forms of data gathered.

Data Analysis and Results – Results were presented using descriptive statistics as they relate to the cooperative learning intervention for the 4 focus students as well as the remaining student population within the classroom. The data was organized into subcategories for analysis.

DATA ANALYSIS OF MISSING ASSIGNMENTS

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Average

Fo-cus Stu-dent #1

4 2 3 3

Fo-cus Stu-dent #2

3 2 3 2.66

Fo-cus Stu-dent #3

3 4 2 3

Fo-cus Stu-dent #4

2 3 2 2.33

0.25

1.25

2.25

3.25

4.25

Missing Assignments

Fre

quency

Basel

ine

Avera

ge

Inte

rven

tion

Wee

k 1

Inte

rven

tion

Wee

k 2

Inte

rven

tion

Wee

k 3

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

Focus Student #1

Focus Student #2

Focus Student #3

Focus Student #4

DATA ANALYSIS OF OBSERVABLE BEHAVIORS

The observation checklists indicated that student on task behavior improved as a result of cooperative learning lesson activities.

Student surveys indicated that students also felt their on task behavior improved while undesired behaviors decreased.

Student interviews also indicated that group work helped them stay on task while accountability to others decreased undesired behaviors.

DATA ANALYSIS OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT – CYCLE 1

Baseline ELA Assessment ELA Intervention Week 1

ELA Intervention Week 2

ELA Intervention Week 3

The data indicated a substantial increase in achievement as a result of cooperative learning groups and Literature Circle roles implemented during English Language Arts.

DATA ANALYSIS OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT – CYCLE 2

Baseline ELA Assessment

ELA Intervention Week 3ELA Intervention Week 2

ELA Intervention Week 1

Although the students in Cycle 2 are considerably lower than in Cycle 1, there were definite increases in academic achievement as a result of cooperative learning groups and Literature Circle roles within English Language Arts instruction.

RESEARCH INDICATED THAT COOPERATIVE LEARNING… Increases peer accountability.

Leading to an increased motivation for completing both homework and class work.

Engages students in learning. Students loved “job titles” and were excited to

do their “jobs” well. Decreases off task behavior.

Students know that their contribution is vital to the group.

Increases academic achievement. Engaged learners are much more likely to

master standards and do well on both formative and summative assessments.

COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN

ACTION

Word Wizards

Students read the weekly selection and when they find a word that they do not know they practice using context clues and other resources to find the appropriate definition of the word

COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN

ACTION

Story Shrinkers

Read the weekly selection and discuss the best way to summarize the story.

COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN

ACTION

Plot Pilot

Shares with cooperative learning group their “expert knowledge” on the plot of the story.

COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN

ACTION

Character Captain

Here the Character Captain has finished sharing the important character traits and actions turns to hear the definitions of some of the harder vocabulary words found in the selection.

COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN

ACTION

Students are engaged in learning and teaching each other the comprehension strategies and skills for the week as they relate to the reading selection.

COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN

ACTION

This picture illustrates the 4 Literature Circle roles coming together to teach each other before they design their group posters and prepare to present their findings.

COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN

ACTION

The four roles come together to design a poster that represents what each of them contributed.

COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN

ACTIONA couple of groups present their posters to the class every week.